AkzoNobel invests €50 million to expand and modernize its US aerospace coatings operations, boosting capacity, flexibility, and customer responsiveness.
AkzoNobel is reinforcing its long-term commitment to the aerospace coatings market through a significant €50 million investment aimed at modernizing and expanding its manufacturing capabilities in the United States. The investment will be directed toward upgrading the company’s aerospace coatings production facility in Waukegan, Illinois, which is currently its largest site globally dedicated to this specialized segment.
The comprehensive, two-phase project is designed to strengthen AkzoNobel’s North American supply infrastructure while positioning the company to better serve growing demand from aircraft manufacturers and the maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) sector. In addition to boosting production capacity, the initiative includes the installation of advanced manufacturing equipment, the introduction of greater automation across processes, and the construction of a new warehousing facility located just across the state border in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
According to Patrick Bourguignon, Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, the investment underscores the company’s ambition to remain at the forefront of the aerospace coatings industry. He emphasized that air travel demand is expected to rise significantly in the coming years, driving increased aircraft production and maintenance activity. By strengthening its operational footprint now, AkzoNobel aims to ensure its customers are well equipped to meet future demand with high-quality, durable, and innovative coating solutions.
The Waukegan facility itself spans approximately 11 acres and employs around 200 people. It plays a central role in AkzoNobel’s aerospace coatings portfolio, manufacturing a wide range of products such as primers, basecoats, clearcoats, and specialized pre-treatment coatings. The site also features an in-house color center, enabling the development of customized color solutions tailored to specific customer requirements and aircraft specifications.
As part of the ongoing enhancements, the company plans to establish a dedicated liquid pre-batch area and install high-speed dissolvers to improve production efficiency and consistency. Another key addition will be a rapid service unit designed to shorten turnaround times, particularly for customers in the MRO market who require fast and reliable delivery of coatings to minimize aircraft downtime.
Relocating warehousing operations to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, will play a strategic role in optimizing the Waukegan site. By freeing up valuable production space, AkzoNobel will be able to increase its focus on customized and small-batch coatings while responding more quickly to shifting customer needs. The separation of manufacturing and storage functions is also expected to improve logistics efficiency and workflow across the supply chain.
Martijn Arkesteijn, Global Operations Director for AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings, noted that the investment will enhance flexibility and responsiveness for both current and future customers. The upgraded facilities will enable the delivery of larger batch volumes, faster color development cycles, and shorter lead times, ensuring customers receive premium coatings precisely when they need them.
This initiative forms a key component of AkzoNobel’s broader Industrial Excellence program, which focuses on streamlining operations, reducing complexity, and maximizing efficiency across its global industrial network. By concentrating investments in strategically important “anchor sites” such as Waukegan, the company aims to lower operating costs, improve scalability, and strengthen competitiveness while supporting sustainable, long-term growth in the aerospace coatings market.
