performance pigments continue to influence the automotive
OEM coatings sector. “We are especially seeing unique applications of transparent, durable high performance pigments like
our newest Perrindo Red 179 in tinted clearcoats and in combination with effect pigments for highly chromatic basecoat/
clearcoat systems. Compact painting processes are simplifying
the process of 3-layer topcoats and expanding their usage,”
Venturini said.
Among BASFs’s latest pigments offerings is the new Lumina
Royal Dragon Gold EH 0908, a highly chromatic green gold
interference mica pigment that offers the highest lightness and
strongest sparkle in styling for golds and greens. It extends the
color space potential of high chroma shades for architectural,
print packaging, plastics, consumer electronics, kitchen and major appliances, sporting goods, cosmetic and personal care packaging, wall coverings and other specialty applications.
BASF also recently launched two new quinacridone-based
Cinquasia Magenta pigments targeted for the automotive, refinish and high-end industrial markets. Cinquasia Uniflow
Magenta EH 4555 is a highly chromatic, transparent, blue side
Pigment Red 202 with more than 20 percent higher tint strength
than existing pigments, according to the company. Cinquasia
Uniflow Magenta EH 4505 is an even more highly chromatic,
yellow side transparent magenta. These next generation pigments allow formulators to achieve highly saturated and chromatic red, violet and blue shades.
Heubach’s latest launch of products is a series of dry pigment preparations for lead replacement under the brand name
HEUCOFITTM LR. “We have also launched HEUCODUR
2550, a medium shade high strength Chromium rutile. This will
be complemented by the corresponding light and dark high
strength Chromium Rutiles in 2017,” Poemer said.
In the Hoover Color division of Cathay Industries, 2016 saw
the introduction of its “M” class EnvironOxides. “These are
transparent iron oxides with dispersibility and costs similar to
typical coatings grade synthetic iron oxides and are produced
from a sustainable raw material,” said Hoover. “Our new “YD”
technology produces a series of high chroma red iron oxides
with improved performance characteristics. Additionally, our
“LV” yellow iron oxides continue to provide our customers the
best color and performance in the market.”
June of 2016 Clariant inaugurated its newest production
plant for water-based pigment preparations or dispersions in
Mexico. “The new plant located in Santa Clara, just outside
of Mexico City, doubles Mexico’s annual production capacity
for water-based pigment dispersions and enhances its ability to
serve customers across North and Latin America,” said Brandon
Devis, director of sales & marketing for North American
Coatings, Clariant. “The new plant is an important next step
to extend the value we can create for our customers based on
our strong formulation and dispersing know-how for coatings
applications. The strategic location in North America allows us
to better tailor our offering to specific customer and application
needs within the region. Clariant’s latest pigment launches are
ED-Pigments, meeting the number one market requirement of
cost reduction by generating energy savings and optimizing pro-
cesses in paint production. In the field of pigment dispersions for
industrial coatings, we introduced intermixable product ranges
meeting opaque color trends in traditional applications (Host
tint A 100) and highly transparent individualized styling shades
in high-end applications (Host tint A 100-ST). In wood coatings
we are focusing on sustainable pigment dispersions (Histamine
for water based systems and Host tint UV for 100% UV sys-
tems) and on highly transparent Histamines offering high fast-
ness properties of pigments versus dyes.”
As a result of the company’s innovative and sustainable
“Ningbo process” it is now possible for Lanxess to manufacture
a new generation of red iron oxide pigments with the highest
chromaticity ever. “Thanks to the very flexible production pro-
cess, we are able to not only cover the classic coloristic of tra-
ditional manufactured iron oxide reds, but also to achieve new
color spaces not previously possible using any of the established
methods,” said Spiegelhauer. “ It is thus possible to manufacture
pigments having a stronger red color component than all com-
mercially available pigments. Significantly higher color values
on the red axis (a*) in the L*a*b* color space are achieved, and
the same is true for the color development on the yellow axis
(b*). Our “New Red” pigments of the proven Bayferrox range
exhibit very good color stability during milling, even with the
use of agitator mills.”
Cabot Corp. offers EMPEROR carbon black products, which
balance color performance with dispersibility and formulation
stability. “Our EMPEROR 2000 and EMPEROR 1800 spe-
cialty carbon blacks are designed for water-based automotive
basecoats and deep black masstone applications,” said Abhinav
Akhoury, global market segment manager at Cabot Corp.
“EMPEROR 2000 carbon black is our highest color offering for
water-based formulations, while EMPEROR 1800 carbon black
combines very high jetness with transformational ease-of-use
properties. Both products utilize our proprietary surface treat-
ment technology that breaks the tradeoff between color perfor-
mance and dispersibility. Our EMPEROR 1600 and EMPEROR
1200 premium carbon black pigments feature exceptional color
performance and processability for solvent-based applications,
and deliver deep black color with a blue undertone.”
Lansco Colors is launching a range of pigments for plastics
which are characterized by a narrower particle size distribu-
tion. For the customer this translates into better formula re-
producibility in production and for specific users in the film
and fiber industries this has significant advantages in productiv-
ity and quality. Other new offerings are Lansco 2538 Opaque
Quinophthalone Yellow 138, a green shade yellow with good
light and weatherfastness. It is particularly valued in industri-
al coating applications, Lavieri noted. “Lansco 1667 Opaque
Orange 67 is a very opaque, highly brilliant orange for coat-
ings. It is used in both powder and liquid systems. Lansco 1319
Quinacridone Red Violet 19 is an opaque, yellow shade red
Pigment Violet 19. It has among the best light and weatherfast-
ness of pigments in this color space and finds use in industrial
coatings and plastics.”CW
