AkzoNobel invests £1.4m for hi-tech test centre at Gateshead site

Graeme Whitfield
·2-min read
AkzoNobel factory in Gateshead
-Credit: (Image: Newcastle Journal)


Multinational paint company AkzoNobel has opened a testing centre for wind turbine coatings at its site in Gateshead in a £1.4m investment.

The Rain Erosion Test (RET) facility at the Felling site is the first purpose-built and designed facility of its kind in the UK. The facility - which is fitted with sound insulation, a laboratory and a water recycling tank - aims so simulate real-life, harsh weather conditions to test new paint and coatings products specially designed for wind turbine blades.

The equipment can run at up to176 metres per second, and can simulate weather conditions from different regions around the world, including rain and air temperatures. Its installation means that AkzoNobel’s International Paints division can accelerate product development in the potentially lucrative offshore sector as it has the potential capacity to triple the number of tests the company can run every week.

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The company said the investment reaffirms its commitment to the Felling site, and increases job security for its workforce.

Ralph Slikkerveer, R&D director for AkzoNobel’s marine, protective and yacht divisions, said: “Today marks an exciting new chapter in both International and AkzoNobel’s long history supporting innovation and product development and commitment to sustainable solutions. Bringing this type of world-class testing in-house, where we can immediately generate the data, analyse results and prolong testing periods, will transform our contributions to innovation in the wind energy sector.

“As one of the market leaders, AkzoNobel will now be able to more meaningfully participate in lifetime prediction discussions on protective coating systems for wind turbine blades.”

AkzoNobel commemorated the opening of the facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tour attended by the new deputy mayor of Gateshead, Freda Geddes and other invited guests.

The opening comes as AkzoNobel said it had invested €3m at Felling to enhance the business’s powder coatings manufacturing capabilities. The firm has created a single, dedicated powder coatings customer service centre in Felling as part of plans to improve customer experience.

The site is one of AkzoNobel’s longest-standing locations and employs more than 600 people. An innovation campus was opened on the Felling site 2019, while AkzoNobel also has a plant near Ashington, in Northumberland.

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