Coatings World - April 2012

Polyurea series, an industrial grade polyurea floor coating available in the DIY market. This polyurea technology has a virtually unlimited pot-life, while having a four to eight hour cure rate and 24 hour return to service said the company. The company also reported the products is 20 times stronger and 98 percent more flexible than epoxy floor paints.

The full results will be published in HANDY Magazine’s April / May 2012 issue and made available online at www.HandymanClub.com.

RockSolid Floors is an affiliate com-
pany of Citadel Polyurea Coatings,
launched in January 2008. Citadel
Polyurea Coatings, a manufacturer of
polyurea floor coatings, evolved over 40
years from a mid-size installation com-
pany into a leader in one-day polyurea
floor applications. Headquartered in Min-
neapolis, Minn., United States, they began
with foundation and horizontal pre-cast
waterproofing, concrete restoration and
polishing, as well as steel and bridge deck
coatings. Their focus later shifted to engi-
neering advanced polyurea floor coatings.

Sauereisen wins business ethics award

Sauereisen, a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based manufacturer of specialty cements and corrosion resistant materials for construction, was awarded a 2011 Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award by the Society of Financial Services Professionals, the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Rotary. Sauereisen won in the small business category and was presented the award at the groups 11th annual luncheon on February 8, 2012.

The award is given to honor U.S. com-
panies that demonstrate a firm commitment
to ethical practices in their everyday opera-
tions, policies and in response to crises and
challenges. Companies nominated were eval-
uated on criteria including: demonstration of
executive commitment to business ethics;
clear communication of ethical standards to
employees; consistently high quality of prod-
ucts and services; and a commitment to com-
munity and charitable involvement. Awards
were given in three separate categories based
on company size and number of employees.
Sauereisen and the other two winning Pitts-
burgh companies will go on to compete at
the national level.

Hempel opens new factory in Argentina

With the opening of its 24th factory, the first in South America, Hempel will be better placed to serve the rapidly growing South American market. The new plant will mean shorter lead times for customers and will enable Hempel to develop and customize products to meet local environmental legislation and standards.

The new plant, located north of the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, will manufacture paint for the marine and protective coatings segments and will supply the entire South American market. The 3,000 square meter facility is part of the ‘One Hempel – One Ambition’ growth strategy, and is one of three new plants scheduled to open around the world in 2012 and 2013.

According to Lars Johansen, group vice president, Americas, the new plant is strategically located to best serve the market. “At the moment, we
supply the South American market from our production fa-
cility in Singapore," he said. "The Buenos Aires plant will
cut down lead times and streamline our supply chain. We’ll
be better placed to serve existing and new customers in the
region, as well as develop and customize products faster.”
Construction began on April 29, 2011, and the official
opening was held on February 16, 2012. With a produc-
tion volume of 10. 5 million liters per year, the $17 million
facility will employ 30 people by the end of 2012. The plant
is designed for future capacity expansion and will supply
the entire region with the complete portfolio of products
within marine and protective segments.

The plant features the latest technology in paint production equipment, including conical dissolvers that enable very flexible production runs down to 20 to 30 percent of maximum capacity. To control the speed at which the powder is fed into the machine from the bags, a sonic system monitors the frequency generated from the dissolving process and adjusts the powder feed accordingly. To reduce emissions from the cleaning process, all the tanks are linked to a closed circuit cleaning system, which is sealed during the cleaning process.

Opening ceremony. From left to right: Ignacio Novelli, South America regional sales director; Debora Giorgi, Minister of Industry; Pierre Yves Jullien, Hempel Group CEO; Ole Frijs-Madsen, Danish Ambassador in Argentina; Richard Sand, chairman of the board and president of the Hempel Foundation; and Amado Boudou, First Vice President of Argentina.