Setting the right tone for a colorful world

We formally launched our Human Cities Initiative in June 2014, in a bid to further use our expertise to respond to the human and organic nature of our cities, and help to make city life more energizing, inspiring and vibrant for people across the world while engaging with the challenges and opportunities posed by 21st century cities.

Given that 60 percent of our products are in the buildings and infrastructure and transportation end-user segments, AkzoNobel has an important influence on the process of urban transformation that is currently taking place.

What will be the biggest opportunities and challenges for AkzoNobel in China?

Global growth is still volatile and the Chinese economy is facing downward pressure. But the underlying trend remains positive. We are confident about the long-term economic development of China. The annual target growth set by the government is 7 percent for 2015. This is a respectable growth rate among emerging markets as well as mature markets.

In China, the speed and magnitude of urbanization is tremendous, with 68 percent of the population, which is around a billion people, expected to live in cities by 2030. We believe our Human Cities program aligns closely with the urbanization process of China.

AkzoNobel believes the world should focus on a number of key issues in order to create more 'human' urban environments, including color, heritage, transport, sport, education, and sustainability. How does such a strategy apply to your development in the country?

China is no exception to the trend of urbanization and AkzoNobel's initiatives in this regard are currently on an overdrive in the country.

Our decorative paints were used to regenerate the spirit of Shanghai Gate, adding modern elements to traditional architecture.

Our decorative products were used in the Nanjing Porcelain Tower, while the decorative paints were used in Shenzhen Vanke Center project, which won the Platinum award for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the highest standard of energy efficiency. Our coating solutions have been applied in Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, creating effective transportation in and between cities.

In Shanghai, we partnered with the Jing'an district government and Tongji University and conducted the "Human Cities Sustainable Development Community Program" to support local governments in building sustainable communities and sustaining the city's heritage, as well as suggesting solutions.

The program has the potential to benefit the community, residents and the research students involved, while the format can be replicated elsewhere.

How has the economic slowdown in China affected your business? How do you cope with the 'new normal'?

China is still an important destination for us and we will continue to invest here. But we will also keep a tab on the growth rates and adjust our production capacity accordingly.

We are confident about the long-term economic development of the country despite the mixed growth picture across various regions/cities in the country. We will keep investing in the growth areas.

What's the future and trend for the decorative paints market?

In general, we see three trends: Technology, convenience and sustainability.

We see a lot of people using more and more technology, especially young people and more particularly Asian youth.

Another trend in the decorative paints market is convenience. Everybody is so busy working and with their social life, that cleaning your walls is not something they have time for.

For AkzoNobel, tools like our Visualizer app are more and more important in how people are persuaded to use more color in their homes, and products like easy clean from Dulux also allow people to spend less time on cleaning so they can have more time for family.

In addition, more and more people will choose paints with exceptional environmentally friendly features as a result of the improved living standards.