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The partnership between BASF and Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), the
North American Group of the Japanese automaker Subaru, has been in existence
since July 2008.
Just a few months later, the cooperation partner presented the coating
experts with a supplier award for “outstanding achievements and excellent
service”.
During a ceremony, Masahiro Kasai, President and CEO of SIA, presented the
“Bulk Award 2008” to Juan Carlos Ordoñez, responsible for BASF’s coatings
business in North America.
“BASF and Subaru worked together under tremendous time pressure when
converting the plant in Lafayette, Indiana, from solventborne paint to
waterborne basecoats,” explains Joe Schmondiuk, Global Account Director of BASF
Coatings.
The conversion was completed within two weeks; a process that normally would
have taken several months.
“For SIA, BASF is an exceptional partner who consistently delivers good
quality and performance. BASF Coatings has clearly shown us that we made the
right decision in choosing it as our supplier,” says Robert Ryder,
Manufacturing Engineering Manager at SIA.
About one year before the presentation of the award, Subaru in North America
had chosen BASF in a selection procedure.
An important factor for winning this contract was that BASF Coatings Japan
acted as a “door opener”.
In Japan, Subaru and BASF can already look back on a twenty-year
partnership.
Besides the good relations in the Far East, the technical expertise on the
part of the Asian colleagues also helped during this selection process.
The paint experts presented proven basecoat and clearcoat technologies that
are already being used at Subaru’s parent corporation, Fuji Heavy
Industries.
 Production in
Lafayette is already smoothly up and running, with the effect that in recent
months BASF has gone from being a sub-supplier to a main supplier.
The coatings producer now supplies seven colors to SIA, which are used for
the Subaru models Legacy, Tribeca and Outback. The next joint undertaking is
already in the works, with BASF set to supply several colors for the upcoming
new version of the Subaru Legacy.
www.subaru.com
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