BASF Coatings is expanding its market presence in Africa. Starting immediately, BASF Coatings' automotive repair products in the Glasurit and Salcomix brands of refinish lines will be available in Ghana.

In June, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco joined executives from Grupo IMSA, a multinational metal-processing company headquartered in Kalama, Wash., to announce the location of Grupo IMSA subsidiary, Steelscape, at the Port of Shreveport-Bossier.

Czech Magazine "Spektra naterovych hmot" awarded X-Rite "Product of the Year" for its ColorDesigner 7.0 retail color-matching software.

BYK-Chemie has received the Excellent Supplier Award from PPG Industries.

International technology group Andritz has signed an agreement to buy the Filtration Business Unit of the international NETZSCH Group, based in Germany.

Elementis plc, following a Pigments business manufacturing restructuring review, will scale down production at its Elementis Pigments production plant at East St Louis, Ill., effective immediately. Around 100 jobs will be affected.

CEO Hans Wijers has outlined Akzo Nobel's determined ambition to become the number-one coatings company in China.

Two new vertical powder coating systems designed for coating aluminum extrusions begin operation in the United States this year.

H. Howard Flint, II & Greg Muselman

Surface World + Paint & Powder 2005 is set for November 8-10, 2005, at the Pavilion, NEC, Birmingham, England.