Mobile transportation platform DiDi has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with BASF in the Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China, where Xiaoju Autocare, a subsidiary of DiDi, is headquartered.
According to the agreement, BASF will provide DiDi with sustainable automotive refinish products developed at its research and production site in Jiangmen. The products, designed for the Chinese market, are intended to help reduce VOC emissions and meet the standards implemented around China.
RODIM paint products will be provided to help body shops enhance workflow and overall performance for automotive refinishing, and an expert team from BASF will perform timely professional technical services for DiDi, including training for body shop operators.
DiDi owns 25 body and paint shops in China and plans to expand to over 200 owned and franchised shops globally by the end of the year.
“Simplification is in our DNA,” said Gu Haijie, President of Xiaoju Autocare. “We focus on simplifying processes and operations while our business is expanding. BASF is the one-stop solution provider that can help us standardise the painting process of our new shops. This will help us increase efficiency by integrating the whole value chain of contractors, dealers, and repair centres.”
BASF first approached DiDi and Xiaoju Autocare in late 2019 and had secured first business opportunities by early 2020, when BASF started the conversion of DiDi’s first shops in Shanghai.
“DiDi is a typical unicorn company,” said Patrick Zhao, Senior Vice President Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific, BASF. “One of the factors that connect us is our ability to respond to market needs quickly. The strategic cooperation will enable us to explore the car sharing market and bring this partnership to a new level. DiDi will offer consumers a preferred choice of car sharing. At the same time, BASF will contribute to the sustainable development of the refinish industry with our global network of presence, comprehensive automotive portfolio and a vast talent pool.”