United States. Axalta Coating Systems announced that its new Global Innovation Center will be located at The Yard Navy in Philadelphia. The 175,000-square-meter facility will be the company's home in global research, product development and technology initiatives and will form partnerships with other technology centers of other companies in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
The project is being developed by Liberty Property Trust and Synterra Partners, and Axalta has signed a long-term lease for the building. Construction of the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2017. When fully operational in 2018, Axalta will bring at least 190 new jobs to Philadelphia with the potential to generate additional charges in the future.
Axalta's global corporate headquarters is already located in Center City Philadelphia, and its North American headquarters are located in Glen Mills, PA with a customer training center in Exton, Pennsylvania.
Axalta President and CEO Charlie Shaver, Pennsylvania Secretary for Labor and Industry Kathy Manderino (representing Wolf Governor), and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced the project at The Navy Yard.
"Innovation is critical to growth and the ability to meet the needs of our customers for years to come," Shaver explained. "Coatings are a critical component of many everyday products. Cars and other vehicles, engines and electronic components, auto parts, appliances and countless other materials exposed to the elements depend on coatings to make them not only beautiful, but more durable, highly energy efficient and productive. Our Global Innovation Center will ensure that Axalta sets the pace for coating technology around the world."
