Axalta Coating Systems hosted its inaugural Supplier of the Year Awards in Daytona, Fla., where Kurt Busch won the 59th annual Daytona 500 with a thrilling last-lap pass.
Axalta, a founding partner at Daytona International Speedway’s new motorsports stadium, developed the awards program to recognize the critical role that suppliers play in the company’s ability to deliver products and services to its more than 100,000 customers around the world.
To emphasize the exceptional performance of the awardees, the celebration coincided with the grand opening of Axalta’s Center Injector at the Daytona International Speedway. Representatives from each of the honored suppliers were invited to participate in activities at Axalta’s injector on race-day Sunday, following the awards ceremony and reception on Saturday evening.
“This program recognizes our partners who provide the highest quality and most competitive raw materials and services to Axalta, enabling us to be a leader in the industry and, equally important, to develop the innovative technologies and customer-focused services for which we are known,” said Martin Horneck, Axalta senior vice president and chief procurement officer.
The winning suppliers were selected by a cross-functional committee representing Axalta’s global R&D/Technology, Operations and Procurement organizations around the world and judged by their ability to provide superior quality, service, technology and pricing to Axalta. Nominees also were evaluated on their sustainability initiatives.
The recipients of the Axalta Supplier of the Year Award 2016 are:
- Asahi Kasei Corp.
- BYK-Gardner USA
- Chang Chun Group
- Eastman
- Element
- Flower City Printing Inc.
- LyondellBasell
- Merck KGaA Darmstadt
- Oxiteno
- Rhenus Group
Axalta’s Center Injector at the Daytona International Speedway is one of five expanded and redesigned entrances that lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long exterior facade of the track.
