Coatings World - May 2014

Kerry Pianoforte, Editor

Aerospace coatings manufacturers Coatings World inter- viewed noted there were a number of factors driving the market right now. Although recent airline mergers do offer opportunities for aerospace coatings, manufacturers noted that improved ef;ciencies in terms of light weight products and better application are the keys to growth in this high tech market.

“Airline mergers do provide an element of revenue for the
aerospace coatings industry,” said Mark Cancilla, global plat-
form director – aerospace coatings, PPG Aerospace. “As liveries
of the merged companies are uni;ed, the coatings suppliers can
see a short term, but often signi;cant impact. These changes
can also provide opportunities for the coatings suppliers to
demonstrate their expanded color and design capabilities as the
new, merged airline seeks to capitalize upon its new state by re-
engineering its brand.”
PPG aerospace coatings business has grown with the
aerospace industry itself. “Signi;cant OEM backlogs with
unprecedented production levels require similar increases in vol-
umes of coatings,” said Cancilla. “Further, new technologies in
aerospace coatings which provide signi;cant value advantages
to the aviation industry in terms of light weight products, im-
proved application ef;ciencies and longer service life also drive
growth for the coating industry. PPG has had success through
these dynamics.”
“The market is still quite fragmented,” said Daniela Vlad,
BU director Aerospace Coatings at AkzoNobel. “With the top
150 airlines owning some 60 percent of the order backlog, and
with more than 2000 airlines worldwide, it is likely that con-
solidation in the industry will continue. The market for coatings
as such is not negatively impacted. We indeed expect the world
;eet to more than double in the next 20 years. This also creates
opportunities for us.”
“The market has intrinsic growth potential and we will ben-
e;t from that growth,” said Vlad. “Growth in aerospace is being