Coatings World - August 2012

is not moving into coatings production.
“We’ve extended ourselves as far as pos-
sible downstream,” said Koenig. “We
will not go any further to avoid com-
peting with our customers. Our compet-
itive advantage is in our
technological knowledge in
dispersions.”
Furthermore its specialist
knowhow in dispersions is
helping to raise the profitabil-
ity of Clariant’s pigments busi-
ness unit. Despite a drop in
sales last year, its operating
profit margin rose around 1.5
percentage points to just under
19 percent while its margin on
earnings before interest, tax,
depreciation and amortisation
(EBITDA) rose from 20 per-
cent to close to 22 percent.

Technological know-how is emerging as a key driving force behind current expansion initiatives among dispersion producers.

Chromaflo Technologies, Ashtabula, Ohio, a recently formed trans-Atlantic merger of Plasticolors Inc, an Ohio-based pigment and chemical dispersions operation, and the Colortrend global colorants dispersion business of Evonik Industries of Germany, has a portfolio of technologies, particularly in areas like nanotechnology, which it says gives it a competitive edge over rivals in the international dispersions market.

The merger was created by Arsenal Cap-
ital Partners, a New York-based private eq-
uity firm, which took over both Plasticolors
and Colortrend earlier this year with the
aim of using the two entities to build a
strong global business under the leadership
of Scott Becker, Plasticolors’ chief executive.

Colortrend, which had sales last year of €130 million ($157 million), is growing at the same rate as the region’s gross domestic product (GDP). But with Chromaflo’s technological advantages its sales growth is expected to be above this average growth rate, especially in Eastern Europe.

the marketplace more technologies, chemistry knowhow and services than any other dispersions company,” said Becker, now CEO of Chromaflo, which emphasizes that it is ‘independent’ since unlike other dispersion operations it is not part of a coatings manufacturing company.

“One of our big strengths is that we are 100 percent focused on pigment dispersions so we can spend a lot of time and energy developing technologies and products for our customers,” he said.