ings or solvent-free coatings,” said Badapati. “We believe this is
a responsible trend and look at it as an opportunity to provide
safer choices to protect our customers and the environment.”
“Environmental legislation was, is and will always affect the
market of industrial coatings, however Hempel is not waiting
for the legislation to think of the environment,” said Likoressis.
“From our silicon-based technologies for fouling control in the
marine segment to our solvent-free solutions for practically all
segments, HSE is one of the key drivers of the company devel-
opment paths for the future. As to the water-based coatings,
they will definitely become more and more important in the
coming years. Already today our waterborne systems for the
container industry, where Hempel is the global market leader,
are a major success story.”
Sustainable solutions
Industrial coatings manufacturers have been proactive in developing products that will comply with current and future environmental legislation. The Valspar Corporation has
commercialized a water-based technology and application
process developed for the shipping container industry. China International Marine Containers (CIMC), the world’s largest container manufacturing company, has launched full-scale
production of shipping containers coated with Valspar Aquaguard, a water-based and zinc-free container coating technology,
at its Dalian, China factory.
“We’ve leveraged our 60-plus years of expertise in water-
based coating technology to develop and deliver a superior prod-
uct and application process to the shipping container industry,”
said Roeland Polet, Valspar senior vice president, global indus-
trial at Valspar. “Our technology allows the industry to improve
its environmental performance by switching from solvent-based,
zinc-containing materials to a water-based, zinc-free coating. Our
solution will also assist manufacturers in lowering their capital
and operational expenses.”
The commercialization of Valspar Aquaguard marks Valspar’s
entrance into the market for shipping container coatings. The ship-
ping container market, a segment with highly specified technical
and performance requirements, is estimated by Valspar to be ap-
proximately $1 billion globally. Compared to conventional solvent-
based systems used in the industry, calculations based on industry
data show that use of Valspar Aquaguard would reduce solvent
emissions by more than 70 percent. In addition, Valspar Aquaguard
is free of zinc and offers corrosion protection as verified through
field testing and independently conducted corrosion tests specified
by the Institute of International Container Lessors.
Sherwin-Williams has recently launched a number of new
products for the industrial coatings market. “We pride ourselves
on being an industry leader in technology and innovative ideas,
and we are constantly launching new products to provide value
and solutions for our customers,” said Badapati. “Recently we
launched a pair of products to combat the graffiti problems
many cities are encountering.”
The first is a clear siliconized coating, Anti-Graffiti Coating,
that protects the structure from graffiti by simply power wash-
ing it off. The second is a pigmented, low VOC (<100 g/L) water-based polyurethane, 2K Water-based Urethane Anti-Graffiti
Coating alternative that provides excellent color and gloss along
with the ability to wipe off unsightly graffiti easily using only a
rag and water-based cleaner.
Sherwin-Williams has also introduced a flexible epoxy lining
for food cargoes, Car-Flex HS Epoxy, that is bisphenol A (BPA)
free. This product offers a safer alternative to its customers that
choose not to use products or linings that contain BPA. It can be
used in rail cars, storage tanks or transportation equipment that
is in direct contact with foodstuffs. These are only a few of the
approximately dozen or so new technologies that Sherwin-Williams will introduce in 2011.
Hempel’s latest offering is its coatings for the rotor blades
of wind turbines. “Working closely with wind turbine manu-
facturers who are technology leaders in their field, we have de-
veloped what probably is today, the best topcoat for blades in
the world in terms of rain erosion resistance (RET),” said Lik-
ouressis. “These products protect the blades from extreme
weather conditions, from sand storms in China to rain storms
in the North Sea.”
Hempel’s ultra high solids and speed (UHSS) is a system es-
pecially designed for the wind segment in order to meet the most
strict environmental legislations and at the same time to bring
to another level the productivity of the wind tower manufactur-
ers. This system, which is based on polyaspartic technologies, is
used by major German wind turbine manufacturers with positive
results in terms of productivity gains.
On the supply side
Raw material suppliers to the industrial coatings market have
had to deal with a lot of challenges—from the global recession
to rising prices. However, all indications are that the economic
situation is improving.
“The market is recovering from the 2008 economic decline,”
said Raphael Crawford, global marketing director, Dow Coat-
ing Materials. “The strengthening of the global economy, urban
expansion, government investment in public works and contin-
ued growth in the energy sector are fueling activity globally that
will require not only more coatings, but coatings that perform at
or above current levels with less environmental impact.”
Industrial coatings are applied to substrates in some of the
most challenging environments. Suppliers are meeting the chal-
lenge by listening to their customers and delivering products that
provide performance and environmental benefits.
“We believe that customers are looking for improved durabil-
ity, toughness and extended lifecycles for their coatings products,”
said Jason Surman, coatings business development manager, Kra-
ton Polymers LLC. “Kraton is focused on providing value to coat-
ing performance through improved adhesion and flexibility. By
increasing the durability of coatings, Kraton polymers can extend
the life of the coating, and reduce labor costs of recoating, bring-
ing tremendous value in these applications.”
Specialty Polymers reports a very strong interest in emulsions
for high performance coatings, where excellent chemical resist-
www.coatingsworld.com
June 2011
