NIPSEA aims to contribute to the innovations needed for C.A.S.E. (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric mobility).

SINGAPORE - MediaOutReach - 7 December 2020 - NIPSEA Technologies and the Agency forScience, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have joined forces in the field ofcoating solutions for autonomous navigation. Over the next three years, thisgroundbreaking collaboration will be developing coating solutions for C.A.S.E.(connected, autonomous, shared and electric mobility) which offers a glimpseinto the future of automobiles and its rapid developments.

Establishedin 2011, NIPSEA Technologies is the Research and Development facility of NipponPaint Group, outside Japan and China. NIPSEA'S current collaboration withA*STAR paves the way to promote innovative R&D projects, leveragingexpertise in chemicals, engineering sciences, and infocomm technologies.

"This currentproject is part of our goal to contribute to the innovations in the rapidlychanging automotive industry. We are very honoured to have A*STAR as ourpartner in this attempt to develop disruptive technologies," said Mr. Wee SiewKim, Group Chief Executive Officer of NIPSEA Group.

FromL-Rt: Mr WANG Chyang (Managing Director of Nippon Paint Singapore Group), Mr.WEE Siew Kim (Group Chief Executive Officer of NIPSEA Group), Mr. FrederickCHEW (Chief Executive Officer of A*STAR) and Prof. TAN Sze Wee (Assistant ChiefExecutive, Enterprise A*STAR)

This excitingpartnership is yet another milestone for NIPSEA and A*STAR, who have previouslyworked on several key initiatives over the past eight years. This includes theICAP (Industrial Coating and Packaging) consortium project which producedpackaging films that protect foods and medicine from oxidation, by keepingmoisture out and blocking UV rays. The parties also worked on the CoolSingapore project helmed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2017,yielding a total cool paint solution to reduce Singapore's ambient temperatureby 2 °C. Through this collaboration, NIPSEA has developed full cool paintsystems by modification and development of coatings for cool walls, roof androad applications. More recently in 2019, the two cutting-edge organisationsalso collaborated on an anti-microbial coating project which was successfullyimplemented for solvent-borne auto interior coatings in China.

The currentproject is part of NIPSEA's aim to develop coating technologies for the evolvingneeds of the automotive and transportation industry. Over the next three years,the two organisations will work on several fronts in the field of autonomousnavigation. This includes the development of new coating solutions thataddresses the key challenges of safety and cost in autonomous driving, as wellas the employment of machine and deep learning approaches to increaseproductivity in coating research and development.

"Wehave worked together with A*STAR since 2012 and have achieved many milestonestogether. However, this project, in particular, is very exciting as for thesecond consecutive year, Singapore ranks at the top of the list of countriesready to embrace autonomous vehicles (AVs), according to the 2019 Autonomous VehiclesReadiness Index (AVRI) conducted by KPMG. Hence, this allows NIPSEA to lay anexcellent foundation to be the pioneer in autonomous navigation, over the nextdecade," said Dr. Hong Jiang, Chief Technology Officer of NIPSEA Group.

Dr.HONG Jiang (Chief Technology Officer of NIPSEA Group) in NIPSEA Group R&DInnovation Center, Shanghai

Similarly,NIPSEA's commitment to this cutting-edge project is echoed by A*STAR. Together,the organisations are looking forward to continuing their working relationship.

"Workingalongside NIPSEA has been a happy journey for us, as both organisations placehigh emphasis on innovations that benefit society in a sustainable way. In thisemerging and dynamic field of autonomous navigation, we are building upon ourlong-standing collaboration to create a technology solution for a saferenvironment," said Professor Alfred Huan, Assistant Chief Executive, Science &Engineering Research Council, A*STAR.

Thiscollaboration is firmly in line with NIPSEA's DNA to push the boundaries ofinnovation. This project will also provide major long-term benefits toSingapore and to the future of autonomous navigation. For more information andupdates on this collaboration, visit https://www.nipponpaint.com/.

About NIPSEA Management Co Pte Ltd (Subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings Co.)

NIPSEA was founded by entrepreneur Mr.Goh Cheng Liang in Singapore in 1962. NIPSEA has established its position asone of the largest paint and coatings specialists in Asia, known in themarketplace by its brand as "Nippon Paint" and is responsible for expanding itsoperation and development of Nippon Paint in Asia. It has become the bestcoatings partner for architectural, automotive, industrial, marine, O&G,specialised clients and millions of families across the world.  The brand is recognised for its dedication toquality, innovation and excellent customer service.

With more than 107 NIPSEA companies spread throughoutAsia, NIPSEA understands the local needs of its customers in every community.The company embraces diversity and operates as a multinational corporation.NIPSEA Group has over 22,000 employees with 82 manufacturing facilities andoperations in 18 geographical locations with its headquarters in Singapore,efficiently serving all aspects of the business, from production to customersatisfaction.

For more information about NIPSEA Group, visit https://www.nipponpaint.com/.