Coatings World - January 2013

Additives Market

REPOR T Bridget Klebaur, Associate Editor

2012 Recap

As we progress into 2013, the additives market continues to feel the effects of the struggling economy. Additives play an important role in the paint and coatings industry, and offer a range of purposes including enhanced adhesion of paint, preventing growth of mildew, and improving overall characteristics and properties of paint. However, due to the slow economy and decreased demand, the additives market has suffered this past year.

Ralf Taube, regional marketing manager for architectural
coatings at Eastman Chemical Corporation explained, “The
worldwide economic situation understandably increases the
short-term focus on profitability and market share. At the
same time, companies must continue investing in innovation
and improved functionality of their products. Many of the at-
tractive opportunities for innovation and growth are driven by
compliance to the continued trends towards low odor and im-
proved indoor air quality, while others stem from a desire for
product differentiation and enhanced functionality. Eastman
Chemical has been proactive in helping our customers meet
these needs through the addition of low odor and low emis-
sion coalescents, Optifilm enhancer 300 and Optifilm enhancer
400, to our portfolio of coalescents and with our low VOC
open time additive, Optifilm additive OT1200. We continue to
see strong interest and demand globally for our Optifilm fam-
ily of compliant products.“
Echoing this sentiment was Sebastien Taillemite, business di-
rector, additives, Arkema Coating Resins who said, “The addi-
tive market is experiencing a slow down due to lower demand
in the coating industry. Depending on the geographies and the
end-market, this slow down is more or less pronounced.”
Despite the tough market, especially in Europe, Jeremy Austin,
business development manager, Cray Valley Hydrocarbon
Specialty Chemicals expressed some positive improvement in
North America and Asia.

Ron Levitt, regional sales leader, Shamrock Technologies, found that the additives market remained competitive this year, with the focus on creating products for consumers that were both economical and effective.

“Customer mergers and acquisitions have limited the
amount of opportunities available to us so we are charged with
developing products that are not only technically superior, but
are also economically feasible. We are constantly looking at
new raw materials in an effort to improve formulas and bring a
higher value to the customer,” he said.