AkzoNobel Launches 24-Hour Challenge to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of the Vehicle Repair Industry

AkzoNobel will launch a revolutionary initiative in November to reduce the collective carbon footprint of the vehicle repair industry.

The Vehicle Repair Sustainability Challenge brings together strategic partners across the entire vehicle repair value chain, including insurance companies, fleet and rental companies, body shops and original equipment manufacturers.

This 24-hour event will be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 21st and 22nd. It is part of AkzoNobel’s Paint the Future initiative and is the latest collaborative innovation challenge it has launched to develop solutions to climate change.

The company aims to achieve transparency across the entire value chain through collaboration, moving beyond linear thinking, which will help identify barriers to development and identify solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the vehicle repair industry.

Patrick Bourguignon, Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, explains: “Combining efforts allows us to push boundaries and find creative ways to make a positive contribution to a changing world. With 24-hour commitment challenge, we will work together to accelerate progress in reducing our carbon footprint and I’m looking forward to the results.”

The Vehicle Repair Sustainability Challenge will focus on three themes:

Energy transition – Achieving faster decarbonization as the car repair industry transitions to renewable energy
Process efficiency – Significant improvements across the industry
Circular solutions – Increasing the recycling of materials throughout the value chain

Wijnand Bruinsma, director of sustainability at AkzoNobel, said: “Everyone has a role to play in reducing our carbon footprint and collaboration is crucial if we are to achieve this.”

“Strategic partners come together to collaboratively discuss challenges, a move we hope will spark innovative ideas for solutions that can truly reduce our collective carbon footprint. Ultimately, achieving carbon emissions reductions across our own operations and across our value chain 50%,” added Wijnand Bruinsmaa.

Launched in 2019, Paint the Future has established a strong collaborative innovation ecosystem with start-ups, suppliers, customers and other value chain partners. It launches challenges and programs that drive sustainable innovation in the paints and coatings industry to a great extent.