PHILADELPHIA – Axalta Coating Systems will begin the next phase of construction to significantly expand its waterborne production capacity at the company’s operations in Guarulhos, Brazil. The 2014 construction represents the third year of a $32 million investment program. The additional facility will more than double capacity to over 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons), which will meet the demands of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in South America where increases in the car parc are forecast to continue. The additional production is expected to come on line in 2015.

The Guarulhos plant is Axalta’s largest manufacturing facility in Latin America. The plant supplies customers in Brazil as well as customers in Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia. The new facility will produce waterborne coatings and complement the ongoing manufacture of products for customers in the refinish and industrial segments, which will continue to be produced at the Guarulhos location.

The Brazil investment follows a ceremony on January 10 in Shanghai, China, where Axalta broke ground to begin construction of a new waterborne manufacturing facility that will supply OEMs that are expanding production in the southern and western regions of China.