AkzoNobel and Axalta announce Axanzo name for merged company
Akzonobel headquarters in Amsterdam. Image courtesy of Ceescamel via Wikimedia
AkzoNobel and Axalta Coating Systems have chosen Axanzo as the name of their combined company following their planned merger. The deal is expected to close in early 2027.
The merger, announced in November 2025 and approved in August 2026, will bring together around 100 paints and coatings brands across more than 160 countries. The proposed ticker symbol for the combined company on the New York Stock Exchange and Euronext Amsterdam is AXZ.
AkzoNobel CEO Greg Poux-Guillaume will lead the combined business, with Axalta CEO Chris Villavarayan taking the role of deputy CEO.
“We’re excited to announce the new name for our combined company,” says Poux-Guillaume. “Axanzo signals a bold new start for a company which will be stronger in every way. It’s a launchpad for going further and faster than we ever could alone, embodying the pace and power to innovate, the strength to deliver and the excellence to succeed.”
Villavarayan adds: “Axanzo will continuously reset the standard of what coatings can do. The new name perfectly captures our shared ambition to push boundaries, honouring our heritage and offering an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.”
The companies say the name draws on the heritage of both businesses, whose combined portfolio will cover a range of paints and coatings markets.
“Axanzo will focus on delivering uncompromising performance to sharpen our competitive edge, while establishing a profitable and sustainable path forward as a world leader in coatings,” adds Poux-Guillaume. “By forging our expertise, the best of each of us will become the standard for all of us.”
AkzoNobel and Axalta will continue to operate independently until the deal closes, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. For customers and partners, the naming announcement brings no change to current arrangements: they will continue to work with their existing teams and brands.
The merger comes at a time of uncertainty for coatings firms, with issues including stringent regulations, demands for more fuel savings, data validation and global supply chain problems all putting pressure on the sector.
In September 2024, AkzoNobel confirmed around 2,000 job cuts worldwide as it attempted to slash its costs.
This week, AkzoNobel issued its results for Q3 2026, showing revenue of €385m in 2026, up 1 per cent from €381m a year earlier, as higher prices offset lower overall volumes.
Marine coatings volumes grew, particularly in Europe and China, though this was more than offset by a decline in protective coatings. Organic sales, which exclude currency effects and changes in the scope of consolidation, rose 2 per cent.
For the first nine months of 2026, revenue in Marine and Protective Coatings fell 7 per cent to €1.112bn, with organic sales down 2 per cent.
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