BASF Wins Two Awards for Functional Coatings Technology at IAA International Motor Show

BASF Coatings' functional coating technology for passive thermal management was honored as "Innovation of the Year" and in the "Concepts" category at the Automotive Brand Competition 2017 international design contest. The German Design Council announced the winners in the categories at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Combining Environmental Protection with Attractive Design

A jury composed of representatives from media, design, brand communications and academia presented awards honoring the visionary approach of coating technology. Energy efficiency and smart materials formed two core themes for innovative mobility concepts. The jury stated, "With temperature management solutions, BASF captured the spirit of our time." Stefan Sickert, Head of Product Management Basecoat / Primer Europe at BASF, said, "Both awards underscore our active commitment and success in combining striking design with superior qualities by developing intelligent paint solutions." The special paint system is built on a UV-transmitting basecoat and a UV-reflective primer. In this combination, the paint reduces the temperature on the vehicle surface by up to 20°C on hot summer days, which means the interior heats up less. This reduces the need to run the air conditioning to minimize heat inside the car. This increases comfort and lowers fuel consumption, and for electric vehicles, means lower energy consumption and longer range. The special BASF formulation can be integrated into conventional application processes without any extra effort and meets high quality standards for the lifetime of a finish. At the same time, customers deciding to purchase a vehicle can choose from a wide range of different colors, from grays to blacks. This innovation had previously received the German Federal Ecodesign Award in 2016 for sustainable products, presented by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUB) in cooperation with the Berlin International Design Center.

Design Competence an Important Factor in the Automotive Industry

During the IAA, the prominent role of design in the automotive industry was highlighted. The striking product and communication design awards presented by the German Design Council at the Automotive Brand Competition draw attention to the fundamental importance of brand and brand design in the automotive sector. Another important component of the IAA was this year's Automotive Designers' Night, supported by BASF. At the designers' industry meeting on 12 September, BASF experts used demonstration objects to present the special features of temperature management technology to key decision-makers.