What paint brand do car manufacturers use?
There isn’t a single universal paint brand used by all carmakers. Instead, automakers partner with a handful of global suppliers to cover regional production and model-specific programs. The finish you see on a new car is the result of a coordinated OEM coating system provided by one of several major chemical groups.
Automotive paint programs are complex, spanning pretreatment, primers, color bases, and clearcoats, all tailored to regional regulations and color requirements. The brands and sub-brands you’ll hear about come from a few large coatings groups that operate worldwide, each offering multiple finish systems and color libraries to fit different automakers’ needs.
Global suppliers and how they fit the market
Automakers typically contract with leading coatings groups to supply the entire OEM finish system—primer, colorcoat, and clearcoat—across factories and markets. The largest players operate globally and provide a portfolio of brands under which specific OEM programs are developed. The list below comprises the core suppliers most commonly involved in OEM automotive finishes.
Note: OEM finishes are distinct from consumer refinish products and may use different sub-brands or regional configurations within the same supplier group.
The following are the leading global automotive paint suppliers that frequently appear in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) programs. They supply basecoats (color), clearcoats, primers, and related pretreatments through long-term contracts with automakers.
- PPG Industries
- Axalta Coating Systems
- BASF (including its Glasurit and other coatings brands in OEM portfolios)
- Nippon Paint Holdings
- Kansai Paint
- AkzoNobel
OEM programs are often region-specific, and automakers may source from more than one supplier to ensure supply security, regulatory compliance, and access to regional color libraries.
Regional highlights
Europe
European carmakers have historically leaned on BASF’s Glasurit and Spies Hecker for OEM coatings, with AkzoNobel and other suppliers contributing to regional programs. The European market emphasizes durability, color stability, and compliance with stringent environmental rules, shaping which finish systems studios deploy.
North America and the Americas
In North America, PPG and Axalta have a strong OEM footprint, reflecting long-standing market leadership in color development and coating technology. Automakers may partner with multiple suppliers to diversify risk and ensure steady supply across factories and trade routes.
Asia-Pacific and other markets
Asia-Pacific markets see deep penetration from Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint, along with regional joint ventures and local suppliers. Global automakers often align with these groups for regional programs while balancing choices with other suppliers for global platforms.
Regulatory trends (such as the shift to waterborne basecoats, reduced solvent use, and lower VOC emissions) continue to influence which finishes are deployed in different regions, sometimes driving partnerships toward particular suppliers with compliant technology roadmaps.
Summary
In summary, car manufacturers do not rely on a single paint brand. OEM finishes come from a small set of global coating groups—PPG, Axalta, BASF, Nippon Paint, Kansai Paint, and AkzoNobel—each offering a range of OEM finish systems. Brand choices vary by region, model, and long-term contracts with automakers, reflecting a highly regionalized and technologically coordinated supply chain rather than a single universal label. For consumers, the visible color and gloss are the product of these multinational partnerships, regulatory requirements, and ongoing color engineering.
