Metallic Pigments
The metallic look continues to be a
hot styling trend among consumers.
BY TIM WRIGHT
EDITOR
As product manufacturers continue their search
for that new color that differentiates their brand
from the competition, the metallic look continues
to grow in popularity. While the demand for metallic
effects increases, paint and coatings manufacturers are
developing newer, more eye-catching metallic finishes to
help their customers’ products stand out in crowded and
competitive marketplaces.
Metallic pigment suppliers to the paint and coatings
industry are at the forefront of this consumer styling
trend, continually developing innovative technologies
that produce cooler metallic looks.
Among the trends in the metallic pigments market, silver
consistently tops the list of most popular colors for metallic
effects. However, other metallic effect colors are catching up.
“Silver has continued to lead the metallics market in terms
of popularity, however as seen in recent interior and consumer
markets, bronze, copper and gold effects are beginning to make
a push into the every day life of the consumer,” said Martha
Davies of Sun Chemical Corp.’s Performance Pigment Group.
“Designers continue to style with aluminums by producing various shades of silver from very bright, bold silvers to the more
muted grays expanding the palette of metallics. In addition,
the use of silver metallics in combination with the classical pigments is also becoming a design of choice providing metallic
shades of green, blue orange among others.
“The market continues to ask for the full spectrum of products from very fine, smooth and brilliant to the more sparkle
appearance of coarser products depending upon the application,” Davies continued. “The molten look is still a desire, and
technology is driving to provide this appearance via products
that are more universal than the VMP products in terms of
coatings formulations and applications.”
“Gold will probably always fall right in behind silver’s popularity in this area,” said Rick Kistler, NAFTA business development, visual effects, coating effects, Ciba Corporation. “Ciba
has tried to capture some of the other trends for effect colors
on our website. The Effects Explorer can help designers, stylists and brand owners to envision how various colors might
look on a variety of parts. Also our Color Trend Visions present more than 30 of the trend colors for 2008-2009 for inks,
coatings and plastics.”
According to Thierry Chevrier, director, performance
chemicals—coatings, plastics and specialties fo BASF in
North America color popularity varies by region. “In North
America, tinted silvers such as light anodized blues and
greens have been more popular during the past several
years, but the trend now appears to be moving more
towards charcoal and pewter shades of silver,” he said.
“These colors can be achieved by using high performance
pigments and mica-based pearlescent pigments. While silver remains strong, even if the shade is different, colors
such as black with a hint of white pearlescent pigment, and
browns ranging from light cocoa to more of a maroon using
a perylene red are also gaining popularity.”
In terms of end use applications, the strongest demand
for metallic pigments continues to come from automotive
and consumer electronic applications. “Silver offers the perception of high end and futuristic design,” said Chevrier.
“Consumers also seem to be attracted to the liquid metal
look, which offers a smooth, sleek appearance that can be
achieved using BASF’s Mearlite family of pigments.
“In anticipation of potential regulatory changes, the automotive industry appears to be moving towards waterborne coatings that require surface passivation of aluminum in order to
prevent gassing and improve overall paint stability,” Chevrier
continued. “To meet this need, BASF offers Paliocrom Gold and
orange pigments in passivated versions.”
Kistler said metallic effects add new dimensions to design.
“Shimmer, shine and sparkle effects enable the creation of new
designs and imitation structures add variety and depth,” he
said. “Effect pigments can be used on their own or combined
with transparent or opaque pigments to achieve a vast array of
different designs, thus enabling companies to create a unique,
readily identifiable brand and to add appeal to their products.
“Customers in different markets are looking for varying
effects,” Kistler continued. “Customers in the coatings markets are focused on color intensity and color travel as ways
of enhancing design. Ciba Xymara Nordic glass-based pigments reflect the shades of frost, gold, heather, ocean, pine
and sunset, enlivened with an added gem-like sparkle.
These versatile products provide novel styling options and
allow the creation of unique new shades and designs,
emphasizing transparency or opacity, as required.”
