Innovation through partnership

 

AkzoNobel has become a full technology partner with the McLaren Group after expanding the company’s current relationship with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

The announcement of the new four-year deal coincided with the launch of the new MP4-26 Formula 1 car in Berlin – being driven by Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton – which now features a sophisticated, high gloss Sikkens system and the AkzoNobel logo on the rear wing endplate. Through Sikkens, AkzoNobel has been the official supplier of paint solutions to McLaren’s team since 2008. Under the new agreement, the companies will work closely together to further develop the extreme environment technology for Formula 1 and wider industrial applications.

It all began when our engineers developed the high-chrome finish used on the 2009 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24. We then achieved several significant improvements in the system for the 2010 MP4-25, such as subtle adjustments to the chrome color and a decrease in the number of paint layers required. The hi-tech solution is ultra-light, more aerodynamic and reduces application and curing time by half, major advantages when every gram and every second counts.