Coatings World - January 2015

Additives Industry Update
January 2015 www.coatingsworld.com Coatings World | 35

developments utilizing our new technology launched over the
past several years, including mercury and tin free catalysts, cata-
lysts for low temperature cure, and new applications for our resin
modifiers which improve the properties of durable thin films.”
Growth in the additives market hinges somewhat on raw
material costs. In recent years, prices have been unpredict-
able, though numbers seem to have stabilized alongside the
global economy.

Bob Ruckle, global marketing and sales manager at Siltech Corporation said “there has been some upward pressure on raw materials, especially silicone, and some additive manufacturers have raised prices. At Siltech we raised our schedule prices three percent,” he said.

Giaudrone pointed out that additives are somewhat less sen-
sitive to economic instability because of the “relatively low lev-
els in which they are used in formulas.”
“While raw material and energy dynamics are part of our
day-to-day business environment, additives are less sensitized
to such volatility,” he said. “Additionally, additives are typi-
cally used for a specific function or to solve a specific problem,
making their value-in-use in formulations higher relative to
other components.

King echoed that sentiment. “An additive that solves a problem or outperforms the current state of the art will always be competitive in the marketplace, because high quality, high performance, reliability and excellent technical service are highly valuable,” he said.

He added that, while raw material prices were fairly stable in 2014, the market’s previous instability has forced companies to be more creative.

“It is always a challenge to prevent your core products from being effected by raw material price increase,” he said. “Our ability to continually improve and manage other operational costs allows us to have the flexibility to stay competitive and profitable in the marketplace.”

Considerations

When choosing an additive, there are a multitude of variables to consider. According to Ruckle, there are two “traps” to avoid during the process.

“One trap is to start your formulating work with a formula-
tion that already contains additives but not challenge yourself if
they are still needed in the new formula,” he said. “Additives are
a small part by weight but a large part of the performance, they
need to be an integral part of the evaluations.”
He continued, “The other trap is not considering that ad-
ditives are multi-functional, if the data sheet says flow and
leveling agent that product will lower surface tension but
will likely also affect foam, wetting, slip, overcoatability and
many other properties. It is key to understand how the ad-
ditive will affect all of the properties. Effective supplier tools
provide that information.”
Eastman’s Giaudrone pointed out that both security and ev-
er-changing international regulations are extremely important
in this market.

“Formulators need to be cognizant of the current and future
regulatory environment,” he said. “Additionally, it is very im-
portant to consider security of supply as many additives play a
critical role in the functionality of the paint. A consistent quality
of raw materials from a vertically integrated production base of-
fers the best security towards achieving performance and value
targets in formulated products.”
King said that quality, performance, efficiency and sustain-
ability are key considerations for a formulator. However, he
added that the right relationship between formulator and sup-
plier is often the key to success.

“The technical service capabilities of the additive supplier is very important,” he said. “Choosing an additive supplier with no technical service capabilities is a good way to waste money and miss opportunities.

“A formulator must use high quality additives for high performance applications. Choosing a high-quality manufacturer of additives to supply your business is of critical importance. Not only does it guarantee performance, but it guarantees high quality production processes with emphasis on excellent environmental and safety and health practices, ensuring stability and sustainability,” he said.