coatings market in which we just announced our participa-
tion,” said Nick Bartoszek, global marketing director – liquid
and powder products, Sherwin-Williams. “In all of the markets
we serve, customers are asking for products that offer low or
zero-VOC solutions, as well as ways to improve their finishing
processes. We look for ways to become a true partner with our
customers, providing expertise that offers guidance well beyond
the product.”
According to Klaus Moller, Hempel group vice president of
marketing and business development, the general market for in-
dustrial coatings grew by approximately three percent between
2013 and 2014. “In general, the industry was boosted by gov-
ernment investment in infrastructure projects, especially in the
Middle East and Asia, he said. “We expect the overall industrial
coatings market to grow inline with global GDP. We foresee that
commercial architecture will show a growth rate above that of
the overall market while oil and gas growth rates look more
uncertain due to the current low oil and gas prices.”
The industrial coatings market comprises many diverse seg-
ments – each offering its own set of opportunities and challenges.
“Each application segment presents unique growth opportu-
nities,” said Bausch. “Globally, expansions in oil and gas and
transportation of these commodities provide multiple coatings
opportunities. Trends in electronic materials and their use be-
yond computers and mobile phones to automobiles, commercial
buildings, and homes provides a diverse growth opportunity for
coatings. And as a macro trend, the continued expansion of
the transportation market – personal and commercial vehicles
– gives a robust opportunity for growth. This is particularly
apparent in developing regions.”
“Trends in construction segments are mixed, both geograph-
ically and by application segment,” Bausch added. “However,
the need for coatings in these segments continues to be robust.
And finally, new and increased performance requirements also
are driving growth opportunities. As an example, we see tre-
mendous opportunity for growth on frames and chassis in the
automotive and transportation segments through their growing
demand for improved corrosion resistance. With the continued
strength of the automotive sector, this will be positive for indus-
trial coatings.”
Sherwin-Williams is witnessing and responding to growth
opportunities across all segments. “For wood finishing, Sherwin-
Williams introduced our Ultra-Cure Waterborne UV Topcoats
for our wood finishing customers who are looking for flatline
finishing technology to help meet regulatory requirements while
also increasing productivity,” said Bartoszek. Recently, formal-
dehyde in wood finishing has also been in the news; we offer
a full line of formaldehyde-free lacquers, conversion varnishes,
primers and surfacers for manufacturers that wish to address
this issue. In some cases, use of these products has helped end
users meet LEED certification.”
“In general finishing applications, new resin developments
can yield lower VOCs and reduced HAPs in polyurethane coat-
ings, which help finishers meet sustainability goals, save money
on energy and equipment, without sacrificing appearance,”
added Bartoszek. “Heavy equipment manufacturers typically
have firm coating specifications in place, so helping them and
their tier suppliers take cost out of the coating process by work-
ing with them to gain efficiency continues to be paramount.
In building products, architects and specifiers need to meet
stringent AAMA 2605-13 specifications for coatings to meet
long-lasting performance standards in a variety of weather con-
ditions. As the only U.S. licensee for Arkema Kynar 500 FSF
PVD Resin, we think we are in a good position to help them
meet those standards, using 100 percent Kynar in our SHER-
NA 5000 Fluorosurfactant-free architectural coating. And for
the prefinished wood flooring market, we’re offering a new fam-
ily of prefinish coatings that includes UV-curable wood flooring
coating systems.”
Cash said that one of the strengths of Axalta’s industrial
business is the global product portfolio it offers which, com-
bined with strong sales teams around the world, can match
potential growth distribution in different regions. “This is key
because end use segments can grow at different rates in different
economic regions,” said Cash. “For example, there’s anticipated
growth in drilling, albeit at different rates of growth in differ-
ent geographies, which provides markets for our Nap-Gard FBE
products. Similarly, faster rates of industrialization in China and
elsewhere in Asia suggest room for growth in commercial con-
struction and the industrial maintenance market.”
Industrial coatings manufacturers continue to be challenged
to meet cost and performance requirements. First and foremost,
customers expect their coatings to meet the most stringent per-
formance requirements.
“The coating has to work; that’s a given,” said Bartoszek.
“You’re really not in the game if the coating doesn’t meet the
customer’s needs. We see our differentiator as the ability to pro-
vide expertise and improvement beyond the sale of the product.
In some cases, that may actually mean selling less of a coat-
ing through process improvements. But helping a customer take
costs out of the process through collaboration, or helping them
meet sustainability goals, is a worthwhile endeavor. We seek to
partner with our customers because we know that if they suc-
ceed in all aspects of their finishing process, we’ll be working
together for a long time to come.”
“To meet their business demands, they need us to provide
coatings that improve corrosion performance, provide addition-
al functionality and support light-weighting or other substrate
changes,” said Bausch. “From a cost and efficiency perspective,
they need us to provide solutions that accelerate production
throughput, enable faster cure times, utilize lower cure tempera-
tures, and reduce process steps. Continual improvement of en-
vironmentally friendly coatings represents another key area for
increasing performance and delivering our customers a competi-
tive advantage. PPG is pursuing advances in each of these areas,
regardless of industry, geography or legislation.”
“Our industrial coating customers are looking for a paint
company that will become natural extensions of their business
and offer a true understanding for what will help them become
successful,” said Cash. “This can happen through superior
