Honor recognizes Roop’s more than 37 years of R&D leadership, customer-focused innovation and contributions to the coatings industry
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global coatings company, today announced that Dr. Robert K. Roop, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, has received the 2026 Paint & Coatings Industry (PCI) Lifetime Achievement Award. Roop was recognized this morning during the Coatings Trends & Technologies Summit in Lombard, Illinois, for his nearly four decades of technical leadership, innovation and impact to the coatings industry.
The PCI Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose outstanding contributions over the course of their careers have advanced the coatings industry. Roop was selected for the breadth and lasting impact of his career, including his leadership in technical innovation, his ability to connect science with customer and business needs, and his commitment to developing the next generation of scientists, engineers and technical leaders.
“Robert’s impact on Axalta and the coatings industry extends far beyond any single technology or achievement,” said Chris Villavarayan, Chief Executive Officer and President of Axalta. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to turn chemistry into meaningful solutions for our customers while building and developing world-class technical teams. His leadership, passion for innovation and commitment to people have helped shape Axalta into the technology leader we are today. We are incredibly proud to see Robert receive this well-deserved recognition.”
Roop began his career with DuPont in 1989, holding increasingly senior roles across research, product development, manufacturing, plant management and global technology leadership before joining Axalta when it became an independent company in 2013. Since becoming Axalta’s Chief Technology Officer in 2019, he has led a global organization of approximately 1,300 scientists, engineers and technical professionals across 21 product development laboratories worldwide.
Throughout his career, Roop has helped advance and commercialize coatings technologies for the Transportation and Industrial markets, consistently applying deep technical knowledge and disciplined innovation methods to solve complex business and industry challenges. Under his technical leadership, Axalta technologies have earned 39 external awards since 2019, including nine R&D 100 recognitions, eleven BIG Innovation Awards and nineteen Edison Awards.
Beyond advancing coatings technology, Roop has remained deeply committed to developing people and strengthening Axalta’s technical capabilities. His leadership has helped foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration and customer-focused innovation across the company’s global technology organization.
“I’ve always been passionate about solving challenging problems through science, but the most rewarding part of my career has been working with talented people and helping them grow,” said Roop. “Seeing the next generation of technical leaders develop and succeed is what continues to motivate me.”
To hear Roop reflect on his career, approach to innovation and perspective on the future of the coatings industry, listen to his interview on PCI’s Coat It! Podcast here.
About Axalta
Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, building facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in over 140 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
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