WILMINGTON, DE – Axalta Coating Systems, a global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, invested $5 million in a new pilot reactor that supports coatings polymer research and scale-up activities at its Coatings Technology Center (CTC) in Wilmington, DE. The state-of-the-art reactor system is coupled with a complete process automation and control system to enable precise control of ingredient amounts and critical process conditions such as temperature and pressure. The expansion will enhance product development capabilities and accelerate the manufacture and introduction of the next generation of polymers that offer improved performance properties. The polymers produced from the pilot reactor can be used for both traditional solvent-based and more environmental friendly water-based coating products.

The new pilot reactor is a key component in the advancement of a variety of polymer technologies to support innovative coating development. Formulations that work in a laboratory environment may not necessarily transfer consistently to full-scale production. The pilot reactor, also known as a semi-works facility, is a small-scale manufacturing system that allows new polymer formulations to be produced in a way that fully mimics full-scale production. Improved first-pass production capability means increased product speed to market for customers.