Axalta Coating Systems has announced its inaugural Supplier of the Year awards. Axalta will honor top-performing suppliers at an award ceremony and reception held in late February. The awards recognize the critical role that suppliers play in Axalta’s ability to deliver superior products and services to its more than 100,000 customers around the world.

“Exceptional raw materials and services are necessary for the development and production of exceptional products,” said Martin Horneck, Axalta senior vice president and chief procurement officer. “Our ability to provide customers around the world with the superior products they expect from Axalta relies on our access to the highest-quality and most competitive raw materials and services. The Axalta Supplier of the Year program will recognize those vendors who partner with us and enable us to meet our objectives.”

Suppliers will be selected from among the company’s global procurement base across Axalta’s operations in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Cross-functional stakeholders from Axalta’s R&D/Technology, Operations and Procurement organizations selected the recipients based on four key criteria: quality, service, technology and price. In accordance with Axalta’s own focus on customer service, accountability and innovation, eligibility also will be dependent upon the supplier’s ability to exhibit consistent product availability and commitment to continuous improvement in performance and service.