R&D Lab Focus
Equipment, Computer Tools & Technology
Suppliers to the paint and coatings market utilize the
latest methodologies to develop cutting edge products.
BY KERRY PIANOFORTE
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Suppliers to the paint and coatings market have two
choices when it comes to product development: innovate or stagnate. R&D labs provide the impetus for
innovative products and as such companies are investing
heavily in the latest technology and equipment, from utilizing high throughput screening methodologies to purchasing the latest testing equipment.
Eliokem believes that R&D is vitally important to its company. “We have invested in expanding our lab equipment which
gives us increased ability to develop new technology,” said
Richard Flecksteiner, product and process development engineer, Eliokem. “Eliokem has also purchased test equipment for
testing elongation and tensile strength over an entire temperature range from less than 0˚C up to 150˚C. In addition, we
recently updated equipment with the purchase of new particle
size test equipment. The key area we are currently focused on
are the lower VOC regulations.”
Research and development is also a priority at Rohm and
Haas. “Technical differentiation and achieving sustainable
solutions through innovation for the future are an integral
part of our overall business strategy,” said Andrew Trapani,
technical director, EMEA, paint and coatings materials,
Rohm and Haas.
Rohm and Haas has brought water-based acrylic chemistry to the market and continues to be dedicated to innovation and sustainability, according to Trapani. “We are proud
of our history of innovation in high-performance waterborne
technologies and our water-based chemistry is used in a
myriad of industries across the globe,” he said. “In 2007 and
again in 2008, nearly half of the company’s R&D budget has
been devoted to sustainability efforts.”
“Our research interests over the past several years have
focused on improving the performance of waterborne paints
while at the same time improving the sustainability of the
Eliokem’s R&D department has set up a new process of manufacturing emulsifier free-controlled nanolatex made by controlled
radical polymerization (CRP) in a single reactor using only commercially available reactants.
industry,” added Timothy Wood, global technology director,
industrial and construction, paint and coatings materials,
Rohm and Haas. “This has led to several new products that
contain our Avanse technology, which allows for controlled
pigment/particle interactions at the microscopic-level and
lead to lower binder and pigment usage without lowering
the quality of the paint film.”
Dow Biocides recently upgraded its R&D labs in Buffalo
Grove, IL; Horgen, Switzerland; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and
Singapore, China. The company has also opened new labs
in Shanghai, China; Mumbai, India; and Dubai, U.A.E.
