Who supplies Honda with paint

Honda sources its automotive paints and coatings from multiple suppliers rather than a single company. Key suppliers include PPG Industries (particularly in North America) and Japanese groups Nippon Paint Holdings and Kansai Paint across Japan and Asia; in specific regions and programs, Honda has also procured coatings and related materials from players such as BASF and Axalta. The exact supplier can vary by plant, model line, and the type of coating layer being applied.

How Honda structures its paint supply

Automotive paint supply is organized by plant and program, with different vendors providing different layers—electrodeposition (e-coat) for corrosion protection, primers, waterborne or solventborne basecoats for color, and clearcoats for durability and gloss. Honda typically dual-sources where feasible to ensure supply security, cost competitiveness, and performance parity across regions.

Confirmed and commonly cited suppliers

The following companies are widely recognized in the industry, and through public announcements and industry reporting, as paint and coatings suppliers to Honda in various regions and programs.

• PPG Industries: Longstanding supplier to Honda in North America, providing OEM coatings including waterborne basecoats, e-coats, primers, and clearcoats at several assembly plants.
• Nippon Paint Holdings (Nippon Paint Automotive Coatings): Major OEM coatings provider to Honda in Japan and across Asia, including Southeast Asia and China through regional subsidiaries.
• Kansai Paint: Supplies Honda in Japan and Asia; its Indian subsidiary Kansai Nerolac Coatings is a key supplier to Honda’s two-wheeler operations and has supported local automotive programs.
• BASF Coatings: Supplies OEM coatings and paint-shop materials to multiple global automakers; in certain regions and programs, Honda has sourced specific coatings or materials from BASF.
• Axalta Coating Systems: Participates in Honda-related supply chains in selected markets and programs, particularly for specific coating layers or technologies.

This supplier landscape is not exhaustive and evolves with program awards, technology upgrades, sustainability goals, and regional sourcing strategies. Individual Honda plants may use different combinations of suppliers and products depending on performance requirements and local regulations.

Regional picture

North America

Honda’s U.S. and Canadian plants have relied heavily on PPG for OEM coatings, including waterborne basecoats and e-coats, reflecting North American emissions standards and throughput needs. Additional materials or layers can be sourced from other global coatings firms depending on line conversions and model programs.

Japan and broader Asia

In Japan and the ASEAN region, Honda commonly uses Japanese suppliers Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint for OEM coatings systems, supported by their local technical service networks and color development labs. Technical choices (e.g., compact paint processes, low-VOC systems) are tailored to each plant’s equipment and regulatory context.

China

For GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda, coatings are typically sourced locally from the Chinese operations of major global/Japanese coatings groups—most prominently Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint—aligned with local content requirements and proximity to paint plants.

India

Honda’s two-wheeler operations (HMSI) and local automotive programs have used Kansai Nerolac (a Kansai Paint subsidiary) as a principal supplier, with additional sourcing as needed for specific technologies and finishes.

What exactly these suppliers provide

Automotive coatings are supplied as integrated systems, and Honda sources different layers and chemistries to meet performance, sustainability, and cost goals.

• E-coat (electrodeposition): Anti-corrosion primer applied to the body-in-white; supplied by major OEM coatings firms such as PPG and others.
• Primer-surfacer: Smooths the body surface and enhances chip resistance; chosen to match basecoat and clearcoat chemistry.
• Basecoat: The color layer; often waterborne in plants focused on VOC reduction, with pigment and effect packages matched to Honda’s palette.
• Clearcoat: Provides UV protection, gloss, scratch and chemical resistance; increasingly uses low-VOC, high-solids, or compact-process formulations.

Beyond these, suppliers also deliver process chemicals, sealers, and in some cases compact paint processes that reduce energy use and line length—important for Honda’s manufacturing efficiency and sustainability metrics.

Why multiple suppliers

Diversifying suppliers helps Honda ensure supply continuity, competitive pricing, and rapid adoption of new technologies (such as low-temperature curing clearcoats, compact processes, and low-VOC systems). It also enables regional customization to meet local environmental regulations and color preferences, while maintaining global quality benchmarks.

Aftermarket versus factory paint

Honda’s factory (OEM) coatings are distinct from aftermarket refinish paints used in collision repair. In the refinish market, brands from PPG, BASF, Axalta, Sherwin-Williams and others are common at body shops that repair Honda vehicles, but these do not necessarily indicate the factory paint supplier for a given model.

Summary

Honda does not rely on a single paint supplier. PPG is a core OEM coatings supplier in North America, while Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint are primary partners in Japan and much of Asia, with additional contributions from companies such as BASF and Axalta in specific regions and programs. The exact supplier mix varies by plant, model, and coating layer to balance performance, sustainability, and supply security.

Can I buy paint from Honda?

You may be able to order Honda touch-up paint from your local dealer. However, it tends to be pricey, and it usually only comes in small bottles or pens; if you need Honda touch-up paint in a spray can, you’ll be out of luck at the dealer.

What brand paint does Honda use?

Genuine Honda touch-up paint pens are filled with high quality PPG paint.

How does Honda paint their cars?

The Honda painting process involves several critical steps: Each body is cleaned and degreased, and then undercoated by immersion in a zinc-phosphate bath. The body is then dipped in a soluble, electro-deposited primer.

What year do Hondas have paint issues?

According to the lawsuit, the defect applies to all model years from 2013 to the present of the following vehicles: Acura MDX in White Diamond Pearl paint (NH-603P) Honda Odyssey in White Diamond Pearl paint (NH-603P) or Taffeta White paint (NH-578) Honda Pilot in Taffeta White paint (Paint Code NH-578)