Europe
A major impetus
behind the
changes is the
desire among
raw materials
producers
in Europe to
become a one-stop source
of supplies in
certain parts of
the European
market so that
they can gain
greater influence
over the product
development in
finished coatings.
Raw Material Suppliers Consolidate
to Become Single Source Suppliers
by Sean Milmo
European Correspondent
milmocw@rodmanmedia.com
The trend towards further consolidation in the European coatings sector is not just being confined to producers of finished coatings but to the manufacturers of raw
materials as well, particularly additives.
This was evident at last month’s (April)
European Coatings Show (ECS) in Nuremberg,
Germany, the world biggest international coatings exhibition which had a record attendance
of over 30,000 visitors.
A strong presence was displayed at the event
by some leading chemical companies which
have been expanding into coatings additives
and other raw materials.
Also some non-European players in the
global coatings raw materials market were
taking greater exhibition space or were partici-
pating for the first time as part of a strategy to
gain a bigger foothold in a slow growing but
large and stable market.
Another feature of the show were signs that
producers normally confined to particular segments like pigments or resins were moving into
related areas in the European coatings supply
chain.
A major impetus behind these changes is
the desire among raw materials producers in
Europe to become a one-stop source of supplies
in certain parts of the European market so that
they can gain greater influence over the product
development in finished coatings.
New Technologies at European
Coatings Show
Among the other drivers have been a need for
new technologies in the face of a rising demand
for functional coatings, tighter environmental
