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AkzoNobel and Hinckley celebrate 50-year partnership. Article by: AkzoNobel and The Hinckley Company are celebrating 50 years of partnership, with Awlgrip(R) remaining the preferred premium topcoat across Hinckley's service yards and new boat construction. The collaboration has helped establish consistent, high-quality finishes through a standardised paint programme, while a new behind-the-scenes video series showcases the craftsmanship and technical expertise that have defined the relationship for five decades. Summary. * AkzoNobel and The Hinckley Company have marked 50 years of collaboration on yacht paint finishing. * Awlgrip(R) products, including Awlgrip HDT (High-Definition Technology), are used across Hinckley's service yards and new construction. * Hinckley's new video series, Chasing the Spray, highlights the partnership and the expertise behind every finish. AkzoNobel and The Hinckley Company have celebrated 50 years of collaboration, marking a long-standing partnership built on technical innovation, craftsmanship, and a shared commitment to delivering premium yacht finishes. Founded in Maine in 1928, The Hinckley Company has earned a reputation for timeless design, exceptional craftsmanship, and a luxury ownership experience. For the past five decades, its service yards and new boat construction programmes have relied on Awlgrip(R) products to deliver consistently high-quality topcoat finishes across multiple locations and applicators. Whether preparing a newly built motor yacht for launch or refinishing a returning sport yacht during its annual service, Hinckley's skilled applicators use Awlgrip(R) products, including Awlgrip HDT (High-Definition Technology), to achieve the premium finish expected by owners and synonymous with both brands. As part of the partnership, AkzoNobel and Hinckley have developed a standardised paint programme designed to align the application processes, enhance technical capability, and ensure every Hinckley finish meets the same high standards regardless of where the work is carried out. Originally introduced across Hinckley's network of service yards along the US East Coast, the programme has since been expanded into new boat construction. The collaboration is also being highlighted through Hinckley's new behind-the-scenes video series. Episode two, Chasing the Spray, takes viewers inside the company's service yards to showcase the craftsmanship behind each project while exploring why the Hinckley team continues to rely on Awlgrip products. The standardised approach now supports Hinckley's expanding service network, providing owners with confidence that their yachts will receive the same premium finish whether serviced in the United States or abroad. Scott Bryant, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at The Hinckley Company, said: "They [Awlgrip] are not just a supplier to us; they're a partner who understands our standards and helps us meet them, every single time. From the technical expertise they bring to our yards to the innovation they've delivered through products like HDT, Awlgrip gives our applicators the very best tools to do what they do. Their commitment to delivering consistently high standards matters enormously to us, and to our customers." Ned Jones, Awlgrip Sales Representative at AkzoNobel, commented: "When you see a Hinckley on the water with an Awlgrip finish, you can see and feel the difference. It's been a privilege to work alongside their teams for so many years, and to play a role in building a paint program that's genuinely raised the standard across their business." Find more yachting news in Superyacht News. For more industry updates and yachting tips, connect with Yachting Pages on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Images courtesy of AkzoNobel. Elliott Fudge Elliott is an experienced marine writer at Yachting Pages

Akzo Nobel reported mixed Q2 2026 results, with organic sales up 2% year-on-year driven by 3% pricing increases and stable volumes. Total revenue fell 1% due to the divestment of its Indian liquid businesses and foreign exchange headwinds. Adjusted EBITDA reached EUR398 million, up 5% at comparable scope, with the EBITDA margin improving 40 basis points to 15.4%. Free cash flow was EUR108 million. Net leverage stood at 2.2 times. The company achieved a significant sustainability milestone, reducing Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 50%, four years ahead of schedule. Akzo Nobel also issued a EUR750 million bond in June. Challenges included a 4% decline in decorative paint volumes due to slower DIY activity in Western Europe, whilst the Marine and Protective segments faced project delays. Trade working capital improved to 15.6% of revenue.

AkzoNobel completes key phase of €22m Pamiers coatings investment. By Web Team 22nd July 2026 2 Mins Read ABOVE: The new warehouse adds more than 2,000sqm of storage for raw materials and finished coatings, with temperature-controlled cells for product preservation AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has completed a major phase of its €22m investment at its Pamiers production site in France, in a project intended to expand capacity, strengthen technical capabilities and support the site's environmental objectives. The company says the investment will increase its European production capacity, improve workflow efficiency and support the development of next-generation coating technologies, while enhancing local support for customers in the aerospace coatings sector. A central part of the project is a new warehouse, adding more than 2,000sqm of storage for raw materials and finished products. Temperature-controlled storage cells have been installed to aid product preservation and stock management. AkzoNobel has also built a 638sqm waste-management facility fitted with sprinkler systems featuring zoned automatic detection and controlled intervention technology. Alongside the expansion, the company has modernised its quality control and production services. Quality control upgrades include four new application cabins and a dedicated cabin for chromate products with specialised insulation and airlock access, plus eight new laboratory benches with integrated extraction hoods, increasing quality control capacity by 166%. Production changes include new precision weighing systems, additional paint tanks and an automatic beads mill dedicated to next-generation non-chromate coatings, along with a redesigned workspace layout. "The investment demonstrates our continued commitment to the aerospace industry with the capacity, quality and innovation our customers need," says Arnaud Charmetant, site manager at AkzoNobel. "By modernizing Pamiers, we are not only strengthening manufacturing capabilities, but also creating a more sustainable and future-ready site that will help accelerate the development of advanced aerospace coating solutions." The overall development project remains on track, with final construction and equipment installation expected to be completed by the end of 2026. An official inauguration event is planned for 2027. Image: AkzoNobel