- OFLA overspray-free wet-on-wet two-tone process uses digitally controlled paint jets and BASF Coatings' ColorSharp decor coat to achieve 100% transfer efficiency.
- Deployed in serial production with Renault and Dürr at Renault Maubeuge, OFLA eliminates masking and avoids a second basecoat/clearcoat run.
- Measured impact at the plant: ~25% energy reduction (≈1.7 GWh/yr) and ~300 t CO2/yr saved.
- Per-vehicle savings: ~300 g of masking-related paint-contaminated waste eliminated and ~200 g of process-level paint saved.
Award and recognition
BASF Coatings' Overspray Free Application (OFLA) won the Sustainability Award in Automotive 2026 in the "Technology: Operations & Supply Chain" category, presented by the ATZ/MTZ Group and Arthur D. Little.
Technology
OFLA is a wet-on-wet two-tone painting process that applies the contrast color with digitally controlled paint jets using BASF Coatings' ColorSharp decor coat engineered for overspray-free application; tailored rheology and optimized flow and leveling produce sharp edges without masking and reduce defects associated with conventional spray basecoats.
Implementation
The process was developed in collaboration with Renault and Dürr and is deployed in serial production at Renault's Maubeuge plant, eliminating masking and the need for a second basecoat/clearcoat run typical of masking-based two-tone workflows.
Quantified benefits
Measured results at Maubeuge show ~25% energy reduction (≈1.7 GWh/year), ~300 t CO2 savings per year, 100% transfer efficiency with no overspray, elimination of ~300 g per vehicle of masking-related paint‑contaminated waste, and ~200 g per vehicle of process-level paint savings.
