Coatings World - August 2012

Heubach opens pigment production plant

Heubach officially opened a new production plant for pigment preparations in Langelsheim, Germany. The building comprises a total area of 2,300 square meters. On an area of 1,500 square meters, universal and water-based colorants will be produced with an annual capacity of 2,000 tons. Mainly pigments manufactured by Heubach Langelsheim, Ankleshwar, India and Hangzhou, China are processed in the new factory. The colorants are suitable for the coloration of plasters and for interior and exterior paints for the building industry. On an area of 800 square meters new application laboratories will be set up. The completion of both laboratories and production is scheduled for the end of the year.

Wacker honors researchers for novel dispersions

Wacker Chemie AG bestowed this year’s Alexander Wacker Innovation Award on Christian Daniels, John Boylan and Bruce Gruber. The Wacker researchers have developed two novel dispersions based on vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers. These kinds of dispersions are increasingly replacing the established coatings for paper applications, especially in the U.S. the company said. This year’s € 10,000 innovation award focused on product innovation.

The new Vinnapas EF 101 and Vinnapas EF 575 dispersions are used mainly as coating material in paper processing. The coating ensures that the print on cardboard packaging is particularly durable and vividly colored. Compared to the acrylate-based products often used up to now, Wacker said Vinnapas EF 101 and EF 575 offers customers an alternative technology with significant cost advantages. The developers were able to modify the formulation of these dispersions such that it now has the same application-related properties as the materials previously deployed. Until now, the properties of vinyl acetate-ethylene-based dispersions differed from those of acrylate-based products, especially with regard to viscosity and heat resistance.

John Boylan, Bruce Gruber and Christian Daniels, this year’s recipients of the Alexander Wacker Innovation Award (from right to left), with Wilhelm Sittenthaler, member of the Wacker executive board. (Photo: Wacker Chemie AG)

“These new dispersions have conquered the North American paper market within a remarkably short period of time. That has changed the rules of the game in this market,” said Wacker executive board member Wilhelm Sittenthaler in his congratulatory speech. Sittenthaler presented the award as part of Wacker’s annual R&D symposium held in Burghausen, Germany. This year marked the event’s fortieth anniversary.

Since 2005, the Munich-based chemical company has honored employees’ outstanding R&D work as part of its annual research symposium. Named after the company’s founder, the € 10,000 Alexander Wacker Innovation Award rotates between the categories of product innovation, process innovation and basic research. Next year’s research competition focus will be on process innovation.

in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

“The Russian Federation is recognized as an important and fast growing economy, with double digit growth rates predicted for polyurethane products,” said Anthony Han-kins, president of Huntsman’s polyurethanes division. “This investment will give us greater access to the high value coatings, adhesives, and elastomers markets through an established, state-of-the-art operations platform that will enhance our ability to provide differentiated solutions for our customers.”

Huntsman completes acquisition of Russian PU JV Huntsman Corporation has acquired the remaining ownership of Russian joint venture Huntsman NMG (HNMG), giving it full ownership of the company. HNMG is a supplier of polyurethane systems to the adhesives, coatings and footwear markets

Evonik and BioAmber to develop catalysts

Evonik Industries’ Catalysts Business Line has recently formed an agreement with U.S. based BioAmber Inc. on a long term cooperation for the development and manufacturing of catalysts for making BDO (1,4- butanediol), THF (tetrahydrofurane) and GBL (gamma - butyrolactone) from bio-based succinic acid. BDO, THF and GBL are large volume industrial chemicals used in a wide range of applications including polymers, paints, adhesives and solvents. The global market for these products currently made from petrochemicals is $4 billion.