GIJON, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings, supplied the Wolfast UniOvi student team with the latest technology waterborne refinish paint, and helped them paint their motorbike prototype in preparation for the MotoStudent IV competition held recently at the University of Oviedo.

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Axalta-sponsored Wolfast UniOvi MotoStudent IV motorbike finished with waterborne paint technology (Photo: Axalta)

Every year, MotoStudent challenges university students around the world to design and to manufacture motorbike prototypes in one of two categories - 250cc four-stroke engine and fully electric - which then go head to head in a race at the Motorland World Championship Aragón Circuit in Spain. This year’s competition has attracted 55 entrants from across Europe and South America. The Wolfast UniOvi team has already assessed the performance of its prototype in a test race on the CISvial circuit at Langreo, Spain.

At the official presentation of the Wolfast UniOvi motorbike on the Gijón campus of the University of Oviedo, the students who designed and built it gave a brief presentation on its technical features and innovations, and discussed the team’s expectations for the competition.

“Axalta has been delighted to support the Wolfast UniOvi team for their entry in the MotoStudent IV competition,” says Kolja Hosch, Head of Country Human Resources for Axalta in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “We wanted to help them not only ensure the prototype looked good when it made its debut, but also ensure that the paint didn’t add too much additional weight to the motorbike, which is important when it is put through its paces on the track at the Championship.”

The Wolfast UniOvi team consists of 22 students and two lecturers from the school of engineering at the University of Oviedo. Axalta’s support of the MotoStudent team is part of a greater engagement with the University of Oviedo which partners with Axalta by enabling selected students from various degree programs to participate in a six-month internship at the company.

Hosch says, “Supporting this team is part of a worldwide effort by Axalta to help students who seek to innovate and to apply their skills in developing new technical, scientific and engineering solutions. It is just one of the many activities Axalta carries out to promote learning in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and math.”

For more information on Axalta, please visit www.axaltacs.com, and to find out more about the Wolfast UniOvi team, visit www.motostudent-uniovi.com.

About Axalta Coating Systems – Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings Industry

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 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 axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

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