BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has provided its Alesta^® SD or Super Durable line of powder coatings for the façade of Central Asia’s largest airport, the new Ashgabat International Airport. Alesta SD has been specifically developed to provide better color and gloss stability, making it ideal for commercial building projects such as this, in addition to high-end residential projects.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170309006119/en/

Axalta's Alesta SD powder coatings protect the façade of Central Asia’s largest airport, the new Ashgabat International Airport. (Photo: Axalta)

Ashgabat International Airport, one of Turkmenistan’s most prestigious infrastructure projects, required a façade coating that would be extremely resistant to weather degradation and that would provide lasting gloss and color retention.

Willi Müsgen, Managing Director of Köln-Color, the company in Cologne, Germany, who handled the coating of the airport’s striking 32,000m² falcon-shaped façade, explains: “As the metal fabricator wanted RAL 9016 HFW Matt Traffic White for the huge shape, we chose Axalta’s Alesta SD Matt RAL 9016 knowing it would meet all the requirements. We work with Alesta SD powder coatings very frequently, so we know how the product behaves.”

Köln-Color received sections of the façade between October 2015 and June 2016 from international façade specialist Christian Pohl GmbH, also based in Cologne, Germany. Once coated in Alesta SD, the panels made of 3mm aluminum were shipped to Ashgabat in sections for assembly.

Olaf Duisberg, Architectural Powder Coatings Key Account Manager for Axalta in Germany, adds, “We are delighted to have worked with Christian Pohl and Köln-Color again to realize the architect’s vision for this stunning project. Our Alesta SD range is designed for buildings that are exposed to direct sunlight, as it is extremely weather resistant, so it was an ideal choice for the Ashgabat International Airport, helping to keep it looking good for years to come.”

Thorsten Evenkamp, Vice President and Head of Sales of Christian Pohl GmbH, says, “This was a very important project for us. We had to make sure every aspect of the façade fabrication met the exacting standards and performed at the highest level. We’ve also worked closely with Axalta for a number of years, so we were pleased to know our work would be protected by, and made to look even better with, Alesta SD powder coating.”

The international airport project, which is valued at an estimated US$2.3 billion, encompasses 30 buildings on a 350,000m² site just outside the capital, Ashgabat. It includes two passenger terminals, and will be able to serve more than 17 million passengers and handle more than 200,000 tonnes of cargo a year.

The SD or Super Durable designation is one of three widely-used durability levels in the powder coatings industry. Alesta AP or Architectural Polyester powder coatings are suitable for residential or smaller projects in normal climate conditions. Alesta SD powders provide better color and gloss stability, ideal for high-end residential and commercial buildings. And finally, Alesta UD are ultra durable powder coatings designed for prestigious buildings or for regions with high levels of UV radiation.

For more information on Axalta’s powder coatings, please visit www.powder.axaltacs.com.

About Axalta Coating Systems

Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the approximately 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170309006119/en/