Chemetall opens new aluminum competence center in Italy
Chemetall celebrates the opening of a new global aluminum competence center in Italy. It strengthens the Surface Treatment business unit of BASF's Coatings division, which operates under the Chemetall brand, as a global solution provider for the surface treatment of aluminum substrates.
In the new aluminum competence center, Chemetall is bundling its comprehensive expertise in the surface treatment of aluminum in one laboratory. Following an intensive analysis of existing capacities, development priorities and customer and market requirements, the existing Chemetall site in Giussano was identified as the best option. The centralization of research and development activities for aluminium will enable Chemetall to develop technologies even faster and more efficiently. The result will be further innovations in the field of anodizing and pre-treatment of this special substrate. "The new global aluminum competence center enables us to bring new surface treatment solutions to the market faster. Centralizing our research and development activities for aluminum will bring forward-looking technologies that address the challenges of our global customers, provide solutions for their needs and, above all, long-term sustainable value," says Frank Naber, Senior Vice President of Chemetall.
"The aluminum competence center at our Giussano site is a strategically important step in expanding our technological leadership. As a lightweight metal with high availability, aluminum plays an important role in architecture, aerospace and automotive engineering. Aluminum is normally used in alloys, as pure aluminum has different mechanical properties compared to other materials such as steel. Depending on the specific alloy, not only the mechanical characteristics change, but also the chemical and corrosive properties of aluminum. This fact poses chemical challenges for pre-treatment solutions. Our new technology center allows us to better understand the complexity of this material and will enable our team to establish new standards in the industry," says Arjan Termaten, Director and Head of Global Technology at Chemetall. "We are very proud to have Giussano play a key role in research and development for our global aluminum business. Our team has great expertise in development and application technologies and has achieved remarkable success in areas such as neutral cleaners and plastics recycling. Working closely with our global technology teams and through partnerships with universities and research communities, we will bring new, innovative technologies to market for the aluminum industry," explains Daniela Polzot, Managing Director of Chemetall Italy. Chemetall is a global supplier of surface treatment solutions with a comprehensive range of advanced pretreatment solutions for the aluminum industry. These include the chrome-free Oxsilan AL0510 thin-film technology and anodizing technologies, such as the low-nickel, medium-temperature sealing Gardoseal 1999, for the aluminium industry. In Italy, more than 70 Chemetall employees, including 15 technology experts, contribute to providing surface treatment solutions for a wide range of industries. The new global aluminum competence center meets the stringent quality requirements of QUALICOAT, GSB and QUALANOD for the aluminum finishing industry.