AkzoNobel Launches Sikkens Autowave Optima: A Game-Changer in Vehicle Repair Efficiency and Sustainability

AkzoNobel Launches Sikkens Autowave Optima: A Game-Changer in Vehicle Repair Efficiency and Sustainability

(IN BRIEF) AkzoNobel has introduced a groundbreaking waterborne basecoat, Sikkens Autowave Optima, designed to enhance vehicle repair efficiency and sustainability. The product enables bodyshops to reduce process times by up to 50% and cut energy costs and carbon emissions by up to 60%. With its high pigmentation, Autowave Optima delivers superior coverage with just 1.5 layers of paint, leading to material savings of approximately 15%. The basecoat is easy to apply, compatible with various repair types and climates, and works in tandem with AkzoNobel’s fast-drying fillers and clearcoats. Developed with input from customers and tested rigorously, Autowave Optima will soon be available in select global markets.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 6-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — AkzoNobel has unveiled a revolutionary waterborne basecoat designed to enhance vehicle repair processes, significantly boosting bodyshop productivity and overall performance. The new product, Sikkens Autowave Optima, promises up to 50% faster process times compared to traditional basecoat application methods, requiring only a single visit to the spray booth. In addition, it offers substantial environmental benefits, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions by as much as 60%*, making it a key innovation in sustainability for the automotive repair industry.

With its high pigmentation, Autowave Optima ensures exceptional coverage by requiring just 1.5 layers of paint, leading to an average material saving of around 15%. This streamlined process not only boosts efficiency but also reduces waste, helping bodyshops manage both time and resources more effectively.

Patrick Bourguignon, Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, explained, “The introduction of this one-step basecoat marks a significant advancement for the car refinishing industry. It tackles several important challenges, including the increasing demand for bodyshops to operate more sustainably and efficiently, while addressing the ongoing skills shortage in the sector.”

The Autowave Optima is versatile and user-friendly, designed for seamless application and blending across all types of repairs, regardless of climate conditions. When used alongside AkzoNobel’s portfolio of fast-drying premium fillers and clearcoats, it further optimizes system performance and meets the highest OEM standards.

Bourguignon added, “The launch of this next-generation product showcases our commitment to understanding the needs of our customers. We aim to provide them with the best possible solutions now and in the future to enhance bodyshop productivity and performance.”

Developed in close collaboration with selected customers from the Sikkens and Lesonal brands, AkzoNobel’s team of researchers, scientists, and sales professionals rigorously tested and refined the basecoat. It will be introduced in select markets worldwide in the coming months.

AkzoNobel, a leader in the automotive coatings industry, is known for its cutting-edge technologies and high-quality products. The company supports collision repairers and commercial vehicle refinishers with a wide array of digital color tools and software designed to improve operational efficiency.

For more information on Autowave Optima, click here.

Note to editors: *Performance data is based on AkzoNobel’s benchmark testing.

About AkzoNobel 

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing more sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.

Media Contact:

email: media.relations@akzonobel.com
Tel: +31 (0)88 969 78 33

SOURCE: AKZONOBEL