Coatings World - March 2013

for surfactants to help solve performance challenges created by removing VOCs and materials of concern from paint formulations.

Silvia Ziebold, global marketing manager, industrial applications, BU industrial & consumer specialties, Clariant International Ltd., discussed the main issues in the surfactant market today.

“The main issues are the changing raw material prices which
require Clariant to constantly monitor the market in order to
reduce the purchasing risk,” Ziebold explained. “Raw materi-
als such as alcohol, acids and ethylene oxide have seen a roller
coaster ride in recent years. Also of increasing importance are
the environmental needs of customers. This does not necessarily
mean green chemistry, but customers want to understand the life
cycle of a surfactant and how it impacts the sustainable nature
of their formulation.”
Martin Wusik, global marketing director, coatings adhe-
sives and sealants, Momentive Performance Materials Inc.,
explained that although economics are always important to
the market, more and more people are becoming concerned
with the overall system cost rather than simply the cost of each
separate component.

The main regions that present the most opportunity for growth in the surfactants market appear to be mainly in China and Southeast Asia.

Dr. Schaefer explained that all emerging regions, especially China and India but also Brazil and Eastern Europe, offer exceptional opportunities for growth of modern coating systems with properties improved by surfactants.

Likewise, Brown said already developed markets are slowly but surely creating opportunities.

“Developed markets are slower growing but facing increased regulation and awareness of environmental and safety issues that are creating growth opportunities,” Brown said.

Mawson explained that growth is dependent on economic conditions in terms of region.

“Developing regions such as Asia Pacific, South America and Eastern Europe present the most growth opportunities. However, we do see good activity in North America as well,” Mawson said.

Singhal explained that although the most prominent growth is from emerging economies such as China and India, they are still affected negatively from the struggling economy.

Hanson, 3M Advanced Materials, agreed that although China and India present the more significant opportunities for growth, 3M also assesses and addresses the performance needs and requirements in all regions.

Market Trends

Key trends in the market are focusing on greener technologies, which includes VOC-free, APE-free, reduced heavy metal content, life cycle and carbon footprint analysis, according to Mawson, Solvay Novecare.

In addition to this, Singhal said that growth of the middle
class in emerging markets has led to higher requirements for
paint performance and quality.

Green Technologies

As greener technologies remain an important trend in the mar-
ket, companies seek to meet the needs of customers who are
more focused on “going green.”
Dow Coating Materials offers its Ecosurf SA, EH and LF
series, which consists of surfactants that are readily biodegrad-
able and APE-free.

According to Dr. Wayne Fan, research specialist, 3M Advanced Materials, 3M developed a two-prong approach to fulfilling the needs of customers looking to “go green,” first by developing new products exhibiting better environmental, health and safety profile and low hazard toxicity. Secondly, by manufacturing in 3M factories and thus disposing of the chemicals appropriately, 3M reduces chemical waste to the environment.

Clariant has developed a specific sustainability concept, Eco Tain, to keep up with the needs of their customers.

“EcoTain represents a systemic approach to sustainable innovation by providing a tangible means of understanding the ecological, economic and social impact of Clariant’s products over the entire value chain. Within the framework of a four-step life cycle, Eco Tain integrates the principals and ethics of sustainability into business activities according to measurable criteria,” said Ziebold.