Product launch retrospective · China
BASF’s 2022 RODIM launch connected PPF with China’s automotive dealer channel
The Asia-Pacific announcement described a TPU film and existing supply to Audi and Volkswagen distributors in China.
BASF’s release dated August 30, 2022, announced RODIM thermoplastic polyurethane paint protection film for Asia Pacific. It described an expansion of the company’s automotive aftermarket offering in response to demand in China.
BASF said the product had received FAW-Volkswagen certification in May 2022 and was already being supplied to nearly 2,000 Audi and Volkswagen distributors across China. Those are manufacturer-reported channel details, not a count of vehicles protected or evidence of exclusive supply.
The company promoted resistance to yellowing, recovery from light scratches and performance in a 3,000-hour accelerated UV test. The announcement did not provide an independent comparative test report or translate those test hours into guaranteed years of outdoor life.
The development is useful history because it places PPF within a coatings company’s branded aftermarket and dealer offering. It does not establish that the film was fitted at vehicle factories or included as standard equipment.
Date note: BASF’s webpage header shows August 29, 2022. Its release dateline and linked PDF both show August 30, which is the source date used for this retrospective.
More details & sources
- Certification and distributor coverage are BASF’s statements at the time, not independent verification of installation volume.
- The historical release does not establish current distribution, warranty coverage or availability.
- The HTML page date conflicts by one day with the release dateline and PDF; this is disclosed in the article.
Understand film claims
Use product-specific evidence when evaluating what a film and its test results can establish.