Shanghai (ZXZC)- Nippon Paint China, a world's leading coatings manufacturer, today announced the strategic partnership with Covestro, who is among the leading suppliers of premium polymers, at the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE).

Under the newly signed agreement, the two companies will join hands to develop cutting-edge bio-based automotive coating solutions, which will be first applied in the exhibited sample parts of the vehicles under the Chinese luxury electric vehicle brand HiPhi, in a bid to satisfy automobile clients’ demands for high performance, exceptional exterior, and carbon reduction.

Photo credit: Nippon Paint China

“The new strategic cooperation will enable us to utilize cutting-edge bio-based automobile coatings solutions in automotive sample components, not only demonstrating both parties' world's leading innovation resources and capabilities, but also indicating Nippon Paint's firm confidence in and long-term commitment to the development of the Chinese market," commented Xu Jie, rotating president of Nippon Paint China's IU business group and general manager of Nippon Paint China's Automobile Coatings business unit.

According to Nippon Paint's press release, its bio-based automotive coatings solution adopts the partially bio-based curing agent from Covestro. Compared to traditional formulae, the newly developed solution is able to effectively reduce carbon emissions and the adoption of petroleum-based resources, contributing to a sustainable recycling of natural resources.

Aside from some metal automotive sample parts, the cooperative coatings have been used on the plastic parts of HiPhi vehicle's body for trial. Nippon Paint said it intends to help enhance electric vehicle ranges by minimizing car body's weight, so as to vitalize energy saving and emission cut from a perspective of lightweight.

Nippon Paint added its bio-based automotive coatings solution delivers an outstanding crosslinking density upon curing of coatings, allowing paint protection films to boast fine hardness and chemical resistance, and better adapt to different application environments.

Moreover, the new coatings are well matched with the production lines of different clients, so as to help the automotive industry reduce costs and improve efficiency.

HiPhi Z; photo credit: Nippon Paint China

The exceptional levelling property and transparency of Nippon Paint's bio-based automotive coatings can not only ensure an excellent distinctness of image and beautiful exterior for paint protection films, but also enable a matt appearance assisted by the colored paint with multi-color gradients, in order to better satisfy the demands of Gen Z consumers for greater diversity of automobile exterior colors.

The new strategic collaboration also witnesses a successful application of Covestro's world-leading German-born R&D technologies in Nippon Paint's bio-based automotive coatings in the Chinese market.