WionDrive News Desk 
AkzoNobel has joined forces with key partners in the automotive industry to tackle the challenge of carbon reduction in vehicle repair. The collaborative effort was launched during a 24-hour event in Amsterdam, bringing together representatives from Allianz, Arval, Boekhorst Autoschade, Centro Zaragoza, Den Elzen Autoschade, Europcar Mobility Group, Grupo Velasco, Toyota, and The Vella Group.
The event concluded with the formation of high-impact exploration teams focusing on three pivotal areas: energy transition, process efficiency, and circular solutions. The attendees committed to advancing their carbon reduction goals by actively participating in the next phase of the initiative.
Among the exploration teams, one aims to optimize and adapt repair manuals for bodyshops to enhance repairability and circularity. Another team will explore the creation of an academy to train automotive and repair companies in sustainable practices.
Ignacio Román Navarro, AkzoNobel’s Commercial Director for Vehicle Refinishes EMEA, emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing climate change, stating, “It’s been fantastic to see everyone come together, exchange ideas and make a real commitment to jointly explore what’s possible. I’m looking forward to seeing how we can take forward the challenges that came out of this program as we strive to collectively accelerate our sustainability journey.”
Carlo van de Weijer, General Manager of Eindhoven AI Systems Institute and a keynote speaker at the event, highlighted the need for innovation in solving major societal problems. He urged the entire vehicle repair value chain to put more effort into innovation, emphasizing that breakthroughs often begin with seemingly unconventional ideas.
AkzoNobel has set science-based sustainability targets to halve its carbon emissions across the full value chain by 2030. The company aims to achieve these targets through collaborative efforts with partners, fostering innovation to overcome shared challenges in the industry.
Navarro outlined the next steps, stating, “The next step is our Discovery Day in April next year, where the teams will showcase potential solutions and our partners will officially sign up to be part of the implementation phase. That’s when the hard work begins – when we start doing what needs to be done to collectively reduce our carbon footprint, based on the exploration areas we’ve defined.”
The initiative marks a significant stride towards a more sustainable future for the vehicle repair industry, with AkzoNobel and its partners taking a proactive approach to address environmental concerns and collectively work towards reducing their carbon footprint.
