Coatings World - May 2012

This contract was signed with Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

The Ichthys LNG Project is a
joint venture between INPEX
The contract involves coating 889
kilometers of 42-inch pipe that will be
protected with Asphalt Enamel coating,
SureFlo internal coating and HeviCote
concrete weight coating. In addition
Bredero Shaw has also received a contract
for anode procurement and installation as
well as custom coating. Work will begin
during the third quarter of 2012. The
company will execute the work at
Bredero Shaw’s facilities in Kabil, In-
donesia and Kuantan, Malaysia. The
Kabil and Kuantan facilities are full serv-
ice coating plants that were built specifi-
cally to process large, complex projects in
the Asia Pacific region.

Loparex to expand their
European operations
The Loparex Group are investing in
their European operation for release
liner production. The Apeldoorn pro-
duction facility in The Netherlands will
be equipped with an extensive capacity
and capability expansion by the third
quarter of this year. The additional ca-
pacity and product capabilities in Eu-
rope will complement Loparex’ existing
manufacturing facilities in North Amer-
ica, China, India and Thailand.

Plascore to commercialize 'green' protective coatings developed by EMU researchers

An Eastern Michigan University professor has partnered with a Michigan-based company to help commercialize “green” protective coating developed by his research team at the university.

Vijay Mannari, along with a group of students and other researchers at EMU’s Coatings Research Institute, located in the College of Technology, have focused their efforts on developing sustainable polymers and coatings that use renewable sources.

The results of their work over the past seven years are six new patent-pending inventions. The coatings developed are designed to protect metal, wood, plastic and building materials, and are used on industrial products within the automobile, aerospace, transportation, packaging and building industries.

“Development of ‘green’ coating materials and technologies is more important than ever before, and the Coatings Research Institute has the unique capability to help the state and the country, through the innovation and commercialization of its in-house research,” said Mannari.

One of the products Mannari’s team developed is a chromate-free, anti-corrosive pretreatment for metals, a protective coating that inhibits rust.

“The product is an innovative system based on Sol-Gel technology that is much safer than existing products, yet comparable in performance,” said Mannari.

This coating has the potential of replacing materials currently on the market that are based on hexavalent chromium, a proven carcinogen.

The team was recently awarded two grants by the Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, totaling $125,000, to help fund the commercialization of Mannari’s inventions.

Mannari, along with Philip Rufe, a technology commercialization coordinator at EMU, will lead the initiative.

Mannari’s group will take one of its coating innovations to the next level through a partnership with Plascore, Inc., a Michigan company that is eager to embrace sustainable “green” technologies by offering safer and greener products to its customers. Plascore, Inc., with headquarters in Zeeland, Mich., is a global manufacturer of honeycomb core and composite structures used in aerospace, marine, military, safety and transportation industries that utilize coatings on many of their products.

“We are very excited about our partnership with Plascore,” said Mannari. “It will not only help bring new and safer ‘greener’ products to the market, but will also help propel Michigan’s economy and provide great experience to our students.” Other green technologies Mannari’s team is developing include UV-curable coatings made from soybean oil.

To learn more about the Coatings Research Institute and the College of Technology at Eastern Michigan University, visit them online at www.emich.edu/cri/index.html.