Bayferrox Color Workshop Provides Pigments Education to Concrete Producers

LANXESS Corporation’s Inorganic Pigments (IPG) business unit, the world’s largest producer of iron oxide pigments, hosted its annual Bayferrox Color Workshop March 21 – 23 in Pittsburgh for concrete products manufacturers.  Participants from throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico attended the sold-out workshop, now in its 26th consecutive year.

The course is an intensive educational and laboratory training program designed to help participants learn how to better use iron oxide pigments to produce colored concrete products more consistently and economically.  Over the course of two-and-a-half-days, participants receive comprehensive classroom education from LANXESS’ color experts, followed by hands-on laboratory exercises at the IPG North American Competence Center in Burgettstown, Pa.  The exercises outline step-by-step procedures designed to explore color theory, pigments and pigment loadings, techniques for matching existing colors and creating new ones, variables that can affect the final color of a concrete product, and the various types of pigment metering systems available in the marketplace.  Participants also learn proper laboratory techniques to apply at their own manufacturing sites and receive recommendations for laboratory equipment.

“My first experience with the Bayferrox Color Workshop was back in the 90s, and I returned this year to refresh my knowledge.  I really enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the program and the lab work.  I am excited to go back and apply the batch testing I learned here in my daily work – the program has been valuable for me,” said participant Keith Knight, quality control chemist with LATICRETE International, based in Indianapolis, In.

“LANXESS Corporation has been working with various concrete products industries for decades and our technical presenters have more than 65 combined years of experience working with inorganic pigments in the construction industry,” said Hans-Peter Baldus, Vice President of LANXESS’ Inorganic Pigments Group, Americas region.  “So, we are obliged to share our specialized knowledge with the users of our products as a leader in our industry and a quality-driven supplier.  We are proud to be a partner to our customers.”