Radcure Coatings Market is Growing
With markets on the rebound, manufacturers of UV/EB coatings and raw material
suppliers to the market are optimistic radcure technology will play an increasingly
important role in the coatings industry, despite challenges along the way.
BY TIM WRIGHT
EDITOR
In the coatings industry there is a growing demand for environmental- ly friendly materials that can
replace those harmful to health due to
tighter regulation but also as a result of
greater awareness among consumers.
Technologies such as waterborne coating
resins, powder coatings and radiation
curable coatings are shining examples of
the paint and coatings industry’s innovation towards this end.
Radiation curable coatings are
“cured,” or dried, using energy from
ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB)
sources instead of conventional heat
and do so more quickly, using less
energy and thereby at lower cost than
by other methods.
Like other segments of the coatings
industry the “radcure” market was
impacted by the recession. “General
macro-economic conditions drained most
markets of cash and other drivers and
resources,” said Lou Palermo, partner at
The Chemark Consulting Group. “Most
UV/EB coatings segments took a signifi-
cant hit mirroring the decreases in the
general coatings market, while some spe-
cialty applications continued an above
average growth rate due to the infancy of
their product life.”
Now that the contraction phase
appears to have ended, according to
Palermo, there is a cautious enthusi-
asm as photocure technology resumes
the day-to-day job of what trade
organization for manufacturers of
UV- and EB-cured coatings, Rad Tech,
coined the “5Es of UV/EB”—efficien-
cy, enabling, economical, energy-sav-
ing and environmentally-friendly.
RADCURE BY THE NUMBERS
Representing 1.9% of all coatings glob-
ally, and predicted to increase to a
3.0% share by 2013, the total value of
global radcure coatings in 2009 was
$1.541 billion, up 5.1% from 2006,
according to Chemark.
Photo: BYK USA, Inc.
price increases. “At the same time, basic
raw material prices are increasing due
to consolidation, plant closings and
shortages,” he said. “These trends result
in reduced margins for the formulators
thus forcing chemists to reformulate
products to achieve performance with
lower cost materials.”
An example would be the transi-
tion from urethane acrylates to spe-
cialty polyester acrylates and in
some cases epoxy acrylates, Palermo
said. In addition, recent raw materi-
als supply shortages have delayed
growth due to line shutdowns.
TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE
Coatings manufacturers and raw material suppliers alike continue to innovate
new technology for radcure coatings.
Challenges occur with needs for
improved hardness for scuff and abrasion resistance, particularly in the UV
cured OEM flooring market, according
to Rich Edgar, end use manager, wood
and coil markets, BYK USA, Inc.
“Newer developments in nanomaterials
can offer enhanced mechanical resistance over traditional alumina, such as
BYK’s Nanobyk line of alumina oxide
based nanomaterials,” he said. “Key
challenges with nanomaterials, particularly in wood flooring, include high
transparency needs, as well the relative
