The U.S. Interior Decorative Coatings Market
Major U.S. paint manufacturers including Benjamin Moore, Kelly-Moore, Rodda Paint
and Dunn-Edwards discuss key issues in the interior decorative coatings market.
BY TIM WRIGHT
EDITOR
Coatings World: What are the newest interior decorative coating products and technologies your company is offering? Why were they designed for this
market and what makes them unique?
Rod O’Neal, corporate product manager, Kelly-Moore Paint
Company, Inc., San Carlos, CA/USA: Kelly-Moore has been
engineering a new generation of low- and zero-VOC interior
coatings to meet upcoming changes in the state of California’s
VOC regulations and to meet ongoing market demands for
“green coatings.”
Lis Weller, marketing manager, Rodda Paint Co., Portland,
OR/USA: Rodda Paint Wood Master was initially developed
for a set of contractors looking for a higher quality, faster drying latex millwork product that would give the look and feel of
an alkyd or lacquer without the mess. Our lab had a product
in research and development that when tweaked, fit the bill
nicely. The self cross-linking acrylic resin combined with a special mix of additives resulted in an easy to apply, non sagging
film that dried fast and resisted blocking getting rave reviews
from the applicators and the look and feel of the finished work
satisfied the customers as well. Other benefits include a highly durable/washable film and VOCs under 180 grams per liter
making it ideal for using in residential as well as commercial
applications. Rodda’s lab didn’t stop there. They modified
another single component cross-linking acrylic with VOCs
under 140 grams per liter and a direct to metal application
called Multi Master. This fit another niche for progressive
waterborne products that out perform and outlast conventional films especially in areas that require quality while remaining occupied—hospitals, hotels, schools and specialty care
facilities. Both Rodda products were developed in conjunction
with our direct contractor market, are available in low and
semi gloss sheens, which are most prominent in our market,
and can be tinted in any color—white to black—by traditional
colorants.
Dana Autenrieth, director, product marketing, Benjamin Moore
& Co., Montvale, NJ/USA: For 2009, Benjamin Moore introduced Natura, our zero VOC premium interior paint that has
the lowest emissions of any coating on the market. We also
introduced ben interior, a low VOC—under 50 grams per liter
Benjamin Moore’s Natura family includes a primer plus three
sheens—flat, eggshell and semi-gloss.
after tinting—paint that provides both performance and low
VOC at a value price. In 2010 we will introduce Arborcoat, our
best waterborne exterior deck and siding stain line that outperforms alkyd technology and is compliant in all 50 states. We
will also introduce Advance, our under 50 grams per liter water
dispersible alkyd that offers alkyd-like flow and level with the
convenience of soap and water clean up. As VOC regulations
continue to tighten, we think Advance will offer our professional customers that prefer alkyds for doors and trim an ideal
migration path.
Brad Wheeler, product manager, Dunn-Edwards Corporation,
Los Angeles, CA/USA: Dunn-Edwards has just launched
Enso, a new premium low odor, zero VOC paint. Enso has virtually no odor during or after application, making it ideal for
use in occupied spaces, such as homes, hotels, schools, and
hospitals. There are so many situations in public spaces and
residences where fresh paint can be distracting, so very low
odor paint is needed to address the range of individual sensi-tivities in occupied spaces. Unlike many low odor products
that leave a surface tacky or soft, Enso offers top performance, comparable to that of premium conventional paints.
