EU Energy Drive Could Boost
Struggling Architectural Coatings Sector
The architectural
coatings sector
in Europe has
hopes for a much
brighter future in
the longer term
because of two
recent pieces of
European Union
legislation.
by Sean Milmo
European Correspondent
milmocw@rodmanmedia.com
Much of the architectural coatings market in Europe is in the doldrums at the moment because of a slump in
the region’s construction sector stemming from
a general slowdown in its economy.
During the first quarter of this year, European
sales of decorative paints of AkzoNobel, the region’s decorative market leader, were 6 percent
lower than a year ago, indicating that demand
could becoming even weaker. In the last quarter of 2012 they went up 2 percent while during
the year as a whole they fell by 1 percent.
Nonetheless the architectural coatings sec-
tor in Europe has hopes for a much brighter
future in the longer term because of two recent
pieces of European Union legislation. These
both aim to make buildings, which account for
40 percent of the region’s energy consumption,
much more energy efficient so that the EU can
meet its objectives for greater energy security
and big cuts in CO2 emissions.
20 | Coatings World
www.coatingsworld.com
June 2013
