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BASF's new automotive paint XSpark bags Red Dot Award

08 Jul '15

2 min read

XSpark, a special-effect automotive paint by BASF’s Coatings Division, has bagged the Red Dot Award: Product Design, one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions.

For the first time in the 60-year history of the competition, an OEM automotive paint has been awarded the coveted “Red Dot” award. The 38 jurors, all of whom were independent design experts, chose the winners from among the 4,928 submissions from all areas of industrial design. The evaluation criteria included the product’s degree of innovation, its durability and its symbolic and emotional content.

XSpark is an exclusive colour effect for the automotive industry that sparkles in a very eye-catching manner and thus creates a much more intensive effect than other special-effect pigments. The material is applied in a single step in a mere 10 to 20 µm thick layer, together with the pigmented paint. This corresponds to 10 to 20 percent of the thickness of a human hair. The result is a homogenous surface that permits a special depth to come about in the finish thanks to a pure, solid-colour reflection, according to a company release.

Stephan Schwarte, head of basecoat pigments/dispersions & colour design lab at BASF’s Coatings division said, “The glass particles integrated in the paint layer are particularly effective only in light. The sparkle created this way enables the automotive finish to look exceptionally luxurious and elegant without being intrusive. We have therefore achieved an unprecedented exclusive effect.”

BASF’s Coatings Division develops, produces and markets innovative automotive coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints. (GK)

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