A total of €15 million will be spent on the aerospace coatings facility in Pamiers, which became part of AkzoNobel following its acquisition of manufacturer Mapaero in November 2019. Capacity at the plant will rise by 50%, and the investment will also reduce the facility’s environmental impact and improve safety processes and working conditions.

Plans for Pamiers include the construction of two extensions, one for storage and one for cleaning and waste treatment. The project will also enable the company to relocate the production of exterior polyurethane paints for aircraft widely used in Europe from its Waukegan plant in Illinois, USA.

The remaining €5 million will go toward improving flexibility of production at the decorative paints site in Montataire, which AkzoNobel said is one of its most important manufacturing locations in Europe for wall paints.

“These investments underline our growth ambitions and confirm our commitment to supporting economic development in France,” said CEO Thierry Vanlancker. “The Pamiers project in particular demonstrates how we’re contributing to a more sustainable aerospace industry by increasing the supply of high-performance products that are more respectful of the environment.”

Building work is expected to start by the end of 2023, with the new installations at both locations due to be operational in early 2025. Last month, the company announced plans to expand capacity for water-based texture paints in China.

AkzoNobel employs nearly 1,500 people in France and operates four production plants – Montataire (decorative paints), Dourdan (powder coatings), Limoges (adhesive markings) and Pamiers (aerospace coatings).

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist