Axalta Coating Systems, the Philadelphia-based liquid and powder coatings maker, signaled its plans to further expand in China earlier this year, after it started manufacturing from its new facility in Shanghai's Jiading district.

The new facility in Jiading Industrial Zone, or the East China hub for automakers, produces environmentally friendly waterborne automotive OEM coatings with annual output capacity of 25,000 metric tons.

The coatings will be "highly efficient, energy-saving, and specially developed for car makers", said Charles Shaver, CEO of Axalta Coating Systems.

The Jiading facility was set up with an investment of $50 million, and the company will invest further amounts to expand research and development functions in the near future in Shanghai.

All the products and services offered by the new facility in Jiading are catered to meet demand from China, mainly from East China's automobile manufacturers.

From BMW to Geely, from GM to Cherry, a wide range of foreign and domestic car brands have been using Axalta's products and services, asking for greater productivity from the coating system.

Driven by customer demand for sustainable practices and by national policies, the automotive industry in China has triggered demand for advanced coating technologies. This, in turn, will enable the industry to reform its production lines so that it can cultivate economic growth in a manner that is environmentally responsible and meets social obligations.

The Jiading plant is designed and operated in a way to meet these goals, said Shaver. All the production areas in Jiading comply with Axalta's sustainable production protocols, he said.