APAC and AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings

By Marius Vasiliu – Regional Sales Director, AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings Asia Pacific.
 

The aviation industry in Asia Pacific is experiencing significant growth. Rising consumer incomes are fueling a greater demand for air travel and governments are investing to promote regional connectivity. 

While there are undoubtedly challenges, not least the need for manufacturers, airlines and the wider supply chain to reduce their carbon footprint, the outlook is positive. IATA predicts that APAC will remain the largest market for air travel for the foreseeable future, with passenger numbers expected to double by 2043. Emerging economies such as Vietnam and Indonesia alongside established ‘giants’ like China and India, will propel the expansion, taking the aviation industry to even greater heights.

Meeting regional needs with global expertise
 

As a major partner of global and regional OEMs, MROs and airlines in APAC, AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings is well placed to support its customers in taking advantage of this growth opportunity. As a true pioneer in both exterior and interior coatings, we protect the parts of an aircraft you can see, and the parts that you can’t. 

But protection is just part of the story. We also help aircraft look beautiful. Our coatings systems combine high-quality appearance with superior gloss and color retention. We have a vast array of colors, expert technical service team – including hand-on application support – to help customers create bespoke livery designs and achieve their desired look.

Comprehensive product portfolio
 

We deliver structural coatings, that protect the frame/structure of the aircraft with the emphasis on corrosion protection and structural safety, and we work in the OEM ‘endline’ segment, with the emphasis on delivering new aircraft liveries – the most visible aspect of all coatings’ projects. We work closely with the MROs in the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and repair of commercial aircraft, and we deliver cabin interior products with an emphasis on protection and aesthetics, to support an enhanced consumer experience.

And it’s not just with the major OEMs, MROs and airlines that we work. We also have a proven track record in the Defense sector, working to very specific specification requirements, and in the General Aviation (GA) space including private jets, business jets and helicopters, customizing and decorating smaller aircraft (usually less than 20 seats).

Certified quality and trusted partnerships
 

Every country in APAC is different and every customer has their own priority for what’s important. However, product quality is essential, since performance is non-negotiable. Our products, including our basecoat/clearcoat system, are OEM-approved by manufacturers across the globe including Airbus, Boeing, COMAC and Embraer. These certifications underscore our world-class performance standards, while our long-standing partnerships with OEM, airlines and MROs demonstrate trust built over decades.

Price is also important, but so too is the need for coatings that are more sustainable, and that support an organization’s wider sustainability goals. We are ready for the future, and we are leading the way with Chrome Free and with waterborne primers. These innovations help customers achieve their environmental goals without compromising on performance. They are being widely specified and used in the region already, and their importance is set to grow.

Local production, regional reach
 

Being a European business with a global footprint is certainly an advantage that we bring to our APAC customers. Local supply and delivery have gone from a ‘nice to have’ to an ‘essential’.

In China, for example, we have been able to stock and blend colors at a number of locations, including our Dongguan facility which is a color blending facility qualified by COMAC, Boeing and Airbus. We are taking our commitment to the Chinese market even further by investing in a full manufacturing facility in Changzhou. This is currently being audited and qualified by Boeing and is expected to come fully on-line in early 2026. 

In Thailand, we are also investing in a new manufacturing capability and color blending operations at our facility Chonburi, where we also hold stock ready for shipment across the region. This is enabling us to further extend ways in which we can serve the needs of our customers across the APAC, including the emerging markets such as Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia, to support their continued expansion.

In India, we have also invested in our Research and Development Center in Bangalore to develop the sustainable products of the future. Additionally we have also developed a dedicated color development team in Bangalore to provide customers with a fast turnaround of colors. In India we are also growing our distribution network.

Fast, reliable delivery
 

We understand how important quick lead times are to our customers, which is why we are expanding our stockholding capabilities to position products closer to them.

These strategic moves ensure quicker lead times, higher responsiveness, and improved service for our customers across APAC.

Technical service support: our competitive advantage
 

Product manufacturing and local supply is, of course, only one part of the equation. What also sets AkzoNobel apart is our Technical Services team which is second to none. They are true experts in their field – technicians who have themselves been painters with real-world experience and supported by our global Technical Service team. They bring experience from airlines across the world and specific product knowledge to support our customers in APAC to achieve optimal product performance and flawless application. 

Local experience
 

APAC as a single market is of course a misnomer. An MRO in Japan will have a very different need to a GA customer in New Zealand, or an airline in Vietnam. That’s why experience counts.

We are one of COMAC’s chosen supply chain partners, for example, and continue to deliver some stunning liveries for China Southern to celebrate local exhibitions and events. Our BCCC system was at the heart of the new livery for Korean Air – its first redesign in 40 years, resulting from a three-year collaborative effort to create a unique special effect livery color which is very hard to replicate.

These partners recognize that working with an organization with a global footprint is vital, since it brings a level of global innovation and investment matched to local, on the ground delivery that will give them the competitive advantage now, and in the future.

Global innovation, local delivery
 

AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings is committed to delivering innovative, sustainable and beautiful coatings solutions tailored to the diverse markets of Asia Pacific. With a powerful blend of local presence, technical excellence and trusted products, we are not just meeting the needs of today we are also working with customer to shape this growing industry.