“Customers realize the value in metallic-based pigments because of their hiding power, but would like to
move to new color spaces,” said Chevrier. “BASF can coat
metallic flakes to generate metallic pigments that are
gold, orange and red. These pigments are marketed under
the Paliocrom trade name. Recently, BASF began varying
the size and type of aluminum to create more of a
sparkling effect. This has broadened the metallic pigment
choices in the BASF portfolio for color stylists. BASF can
also provide a full pallete of mica and borosilicate effect
pigments, high performance and functional pigments to
aide colorists during the design process.”
Metallic pigments will continue to be used in a broader spectrum of applications in the years ahead. “OEM is still a very
dominant market however metallics are seeing increased
usage in coil applications, consumer electronics and architectural,” said Davies. “In scanning a home décor brochure you
will see the expanded use in design with metallics from refrigerators to computers to floor coverings.”
Sun is just now launching into the metallics market with
its SunMetallics line of aluminum effect pigments. “The
current portfolio is directed to the solventborne coatings
market however Sun is rapidly developing new technologies to expand the line to offer the customer base novel
technologies in which they will be able to develop unique
designs and effects,” said Davies. “The latest technology
launched by Sun into the effects market, is based upon
pearlescent effect pigments and was launched into the cosmetic market under the SunPRIZMA trade name. These
products provide outstanding opacity and intense chroma
combined with the desired luster of pearlescent pigments
via Sun’s novel technology. Sun is utilizing this same drive
toward innovation with the metallics line to meet the
request for products, which will provide unique styling
tools and new color spaces for the designers.”
Demand for metallic pigments and any effect pigment
continued to be strong in 2007, according to Kistler. “Even
though Ciba has only been in this market for a short time,
we’ve already seen how our customers continually seek
these sorts of effects as a way of product differentiation and
answering the demands of brand owners and ultimately
consumers,” he said. “Novel new effects will always catch a
designer’s eye first. It then becomes our job to position the
new product such that our customers can easily incorporate
these new effects into their systems.
“The greatest challenge and hence biggest opportunity for
us is to find the right solution for each customer without trying to pigeonhole a certain product across a wide market,”
Kistler continued. “Our customers are all seeking solutions
that differentiate them from their competitors. We have to
find the balance of resources that can respond to particular
needs while addressing some common problems.”
For Chevrier, the greatest challenge of operating in the
metallic pigments market is that metallics traditionally
have been thought of as simply silver. “But this also means
that there is opportunity for more creative design,” he said.
“Effect pigment innovation is key to moving into new high
Ciba Xymara stylings add shimmer, shine and shading to wood
products.
chroma applications. BASF is working to help meet this
challenge through new developments in the Palicrom,
Lumina, Mearlite and Firemist pigment families.”
The metallics market continues to have a modest growth
rate, according to Davies. “2007 saw increased prices and the
continuation of metal surcharges based upon economic conditions. In addition the market experienced continued mergers
of the customer base as well as metallic pigment suppliers.
Innovation will be the key to driving the market,” she said. “As
with all markets, the challenge is to provide new products that
meet the customer needs and provide cost versus performance
solutions. With ever changing technologies to meet environmental and consumer demands the challenge to suppliers is to
develop products, which provide the desired appearance and
performance across the variety coating technologies.
“Technology is continuing to push to green technologies
with ever increasing global regulations on VOCs and the
demand of customers for more environmentally clean products,” continued Davies. “This is pushing the markets to
waterborne applications as well as alternative coatings
technologies such as powder and UV, and the technology for
metallic pigments is continuing to grow to improve the performance and optical properties of the pigments in these
alternative systems.” CW
SUN CHEMICAL AND NANTONG SHANJING FORM JV
Sun Chemical and its parent company, Dainippon
Ink and Chemicals (DIC) have formed a joint venture with Nantong DIC Metallic Pigments Co.,
Ltd., an aluminum pigment manufacturer. The
joint venture expands on a distribution agreement
announced in Oct. 2007 that allows Sun Chemical
and DIC to market Nantong Shanjing products for
the coatings, plastics and graphic arts industries
worldwide under the new SunMetallics brand.
