ments has grown this year in line with the coatings market segments that use them. “Purchasing a high performance pigment
requires a high level of confidence in the supplier by the customer
because the performance properties of the pigment are not readily seen in simple screening tests,” he said.
Trust Chem had very strong growth in 2010 and 2011 in both
the U.S. and Europe for its high performance pigments mainly supplied from its joint venture factories. “However, the significant slow
down in Europe starting in late 2011 and continuing in 2012 has
slowed down our sales growth,” said Rick Campbell, president,
Trust Chem USA. “Some key European customers saw some significant drop off in demand. In the U.S. the first half was actually
stronger than expected however, it appears the U.S. economy is
slowing down and we do not expect the second half to be as strong.”
Investment in China continues
China continues to lead the way in terms of the best opportunities
for growth for high performance and special effect pigments. Pigment manufacturers have continued to invest heavily in China.
Earlier this year, BASF moved its global headquarters of the
dispersions and pigments division to Hong Kong. “Asia represents a large market for our global business and we want to further participate in the dynamic growth taking place in that region
and beyond,” said Giannobile.
Hangzhou Heubach Pigment Company Ltd. was recently es-
tablished in Hangzhou, China. “This location, near Shanghai,
has fully equipped laboratories for the coatings, ink and plastics
industries to handle any technical service requirement our cus-
tomers may have,” said Poemer. “In keeping with Heubach’s
global philosophy of supporting our organic and inorganic pig-
ments and preparations with experienced technical marketing
personnel, this latest operation complements the existing facili-
ties in Germany, India and America.”
Trust Chem has all of its production in China and its facto-
ries and company have benefited from the growth in China. “We
think high performance pigments will grow faster than tradi-
tional pigments in China,” said Campbell.
Delivering enhanced performance
The added cost associated with these types of pigments means
that customers have very high expectations for high performance
Benjamim Moore Adds Molten
Metallics To Its Studio Finishes
Collection
Benjamin Moore has introduced Molten
Metallics, a new addition to its Studio Finishes
portfolio. The name of this new paint product
evokes the end result: a surface imitative of a
hand-hammered metal.
While most of the special effects coatings
in the Studio Finishes collection are glazes,
Molten Metallics is an alkyd high gloss paint.
It is ideal for adding a dramatic, glamorous
look to furniture, decorative pieces, trim and
accent ceilings and walls. It also is recommended for exterior surfaces and delivers an
effective rust-resistant treatment.
“The illusion of the texture that Molten
Metallics creates is captivating and sensual,”
said Sonu Mathew, Benjamin Moore’s senior in-
terior designer. “It’s an easy way to produce a
rarified look that only artisans typically have
mastered. And, it’s a lot more economical, too.”
Six standard ready-mixed colors are offered: Gold, Copper, Bronze, Gun Smoke, Silver and Charcoal.
