Axalta’s Support to Mother River Protection Program in China Continues for a Second Year

SHANGHAI

Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, today officially launched Phase II of its ‘Axalta Forest’ program in China, in collaboration with the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF). This marks the second year of its support to the Mother River Protection project, which will see 15 hectares (approximately 37 acres) of new forest planted in Uxin Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia to counter desertification and help water conservation.

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Left to right: Surigalatu, Vice County Party Secretary of Uxin Banner; Luke Lu, Vice President, Axalta Coating Systems and President, Axalta Greater China; Yang Chunlei, CYDF Deputy Secretary General and Muren, County Party Secretary of Uxin Banner kick off the Axalta Forest project in Ordos together. (Photo: Axalta)

On the day of the Phase II launch, Luke Lu, President of Axalta’s Greater China Operations, planted the first trees of the Axalta Forest, along with a team of employee volunteers. Lu stated, “We are delighted to be supporting the program for a second year, and to contribute to the essential ecological restoration work in Uxin Banner. At Axalta, sustainability is central to virtually everything we do as a coatings company. We have a longstanding commitment to encouraging innovations that make our operations, and the products and application systems we provide to our customers increasingly environmentally responsible.”

Lu added, “Axalta and our employees are also enthusiastic in helping the community in which we live and work. As such, we have contributed to a number of initiatives that promote environmental protection and natural resource conservation globally.”

Last year, Axalta committed to donating one million RMB to support CYDF for the Mother River Protection program. The donation is used to plant the ‘Axalta Forest’, with seven hectares (approximately 17 acres) of new trees having already been planted in the project’s first phase in Zhangjiakou city, Hubei Province.

Uxin Banner, located in the southernmost part of Inner Mongolia, has been chosen for the accelerated Phase II, which will see twice as many trees planted as the first phase. More than 80% of Uxin Banner is impacted by wind erosion and desertification, and addressing these challenges calls for a concerted effort. The Youth League Committee of Uxin Banner will support the maintenance of the ‘Axalta Forest’, which has been designated as a base for environmental education for local teenage students.

Axalta employees, along with a local environmental expert, also organized a class about environmental conservation at a local school on the same day. An ‘Axalta Reading Corner’ was set up at the school which was supported by books and computers donated by Axalta and its employees in China.

CYDF Deputy Secretary General, Yang Chunlei, said, “We are pleased to continue our cooperation with Axalta for this critical social initiative. Soil erosion and environmental degradation have major impacts on the lives of everyone. We hope more companies like Axalta can join us to take this important project even further so that, together, we can make China greener.”

As a major supplier of industrial coatings operating in 130 countries around the world, Axalta makes protecting and conserving natural resources a corporate priority. Axalta is committed to engaging sustainable manufacturing and practices, and to providing environmentally responsible products and application systems to our customers around the world, helping them save energy and reduce CO₂ and VOC emissions.

Recently, Axalta teamed up with Ducks Unlimited, a world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, pledging to support a five-year wetland conservation project.

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 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to better serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us on Twitter @axalta and on LinkedIn.

About the Mother River Protection program and the CYDF

The Mother River Protection program was launched in 1999 in response to a call by the State Council of China to improve the eco-system in the surrounding regions of the Yellow River, and the Yangtze River – two of China’s most important rivers. The goals of the program are to promote ecological awareness, protection and sustainability by planting trees and engaging with local communities through education and other activities aimed at promoting clean water and conservation.

The China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF), founded in 1989 and dedicated to youth development, was responsible for launching Project Hope, which has become one of the most influential and widely supported philanthropic programs in China. For more information, please visit www.en.cydf.org.cn.

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Axalta Coating Systems
Yang Hu
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