Ecology Coatings has developed bio-based materials for use in a new family of EcoQuik UV-curable coatings. Products incorporating bio-based additives are being used in commercial development applications that exhibit enhanced curing speed, pigment coverage and useful surface effects. A bio-based material is simply a product derived from living matter. A good example is casein-A phosphoprotein, a material extracted from milk and then processed in various ways for use in plastic, dietary supplements, glue, cotton candy, protective coatings and paints, according to the company.

"Consumers are becoming more conscious about the products they use and their long-term impact on the environment," said Ecology Coatings CEO Bob Crockett. "This consumer awareness has prompted many companies to incorporate sustainability as an element of their business strategy, and provide products that are more energy efficient, environmentally friendly, cost effective, and in many cases, alternatives to petroleum-based products."