Multiyear pact, donation renew Axalta’s support of college

Published 11.05.2021

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A long-standing partnership between Pennsylvania College of Technology and Axalta Coating Systems continues with another year of additional contributions.

Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, commits an annual $7,500 donation of paint and related supplies over a five-year span in an agreement established in 2019.

Axalta has been a generous supporter of students in automotive restoration and collision repair programs for a decade, providing the latest instructional materials, faculty training and curricular advice to help the college meet industry needs. It also sponsors an annual award for the collision repair graduate with the highest GPA.



A Pennsylvania College of Technology student sprays a vintage Rolls-Royce in this archival photo taken in a College Avenue Labs paint bay. Continuing a long-standing partnership, Axalta Coating Systems is in the midst of a multiyear commitment of paint and related supplies for Penn College’s automotive restoration and collision repair programs.“Penn College would like to thank Axalta for its continued support of our automotive restoration certificate and collision repair technology associate degree programs with these donations,” said Chris S. Macdonald, assistant director of corporate relations. “The students have the opportunity to utilize industry-recognized materials to enhance their skills and prepare them for real-world applications in their future careers. Axalta’s commitment has had a tremendous impact on our ability to provide advanced technical education to tomorrow’s workforce.”

“We’re proud of our partnership with Penn College and are excited to continue our strong relationship with them for another year,” said Seth Wilcox, vice president, North America Refinish Coatings at Axalta. “Axalta is passionate about training the next generation of collision repair experts. Our partnership with Penn College is another example of our dedication to the future of the industry, our customers and Axalta.”

Independent of the terms of the renewed partnership, Axalta donated an Acquire Quantum EFX spectrophotometer, a handheld color-matching device for instructional use.

“This is an upgrade to our previous color camera,” said Shaun D. Hack, instructor of collision repair and department head. “It is used in both the collision repair technology and automotive restoration technology majors, allowing students to identify a color that may not be original.  Take a picture, and it matches to an existing formula held in the Axalta database.”

Penn College offers a certificate in automotive restoration technology, facilitated by relationships with a number of prestigious museums, and an associate degree in collision repair technology, which Axalta and other industry leaders actively advocate and support. Students can also earn a certificate as a collision repair technician.

For more about the School of Engineering Technologies at Penn College, call 570-327-4520.

For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

About Axalta
Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, building facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve more than 100,000 customers in over 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information, visit the company website or follow @axalta on Twitter.