The paints and coatings industry in Europe faces substantial challenges. Efficient production is meant to go hand in hand with ever better performance. At the same time, coatings must meet the increasing demand for health-friendly and resource-saving solutions. Together with its sales company BTC Europe GmbH, BASF is going to refer to this development at the European Coatings Show (ECS), in Nuremberg, Germany. At booth 523, BASF is going to invite its customers to find out about solutions that meet economic, ecological and social requirements.

Lately, BASF has reviewed its entire portfolio under sustainability aspects: The company offers more than 500 raw materials for the paints, coatings and construction industry in Europe which contribute significantly to the sustainable development along the value chain. Based on technical expertise BASF drives high-quality formulations, which help its customers to meet the sustainability requirements in their respective industry and set themselves apart from their competitors.

Products for More Sustainable Solutions in the Architectural Coatings and Construction Industry

BASF`s product portfolio covers dispersions, pigments, pigment preparations and additives for the architectural coatings and construction industry. These products make facades resistant against weathering, fading and dirt pick-up, improve indoor air quality and reduce the resources needed for the production of high- performance formulations. Advanced construction raw materials enable the cost- and resource-efficient, health-friendly production, application and use of building materials.

Efficient Raw Materials for Long-lasting Furniture and Flooring Coatings

Preserving the beauty of wooden furniture and flooring while keeping an eye on efficient material usage and the lowest possible emissions is key to drive sustainability in the wood coatings industry. In addition to pigments and pigment preparations for esthetically pleasing wooden surfaces, BASF provides a broad portfolio of resins and additives which enable highly resistant coatings. Moreover, the company supports customers in saving raw materials by providing resins and additives that achieve comparable properties as standard products at lower usage. To address the formulators’ needs to reduce emissions, it might be worthwhile to take a closer look at BASF’s next generation of raw materials for UV and waterborne systems.

Developing High-Performance Solutions for Low VOC, Efficient and Long-lasting Industrial Coatings

Approximately 80 percent of industrial coatings are currently solvent-based systems. BASF expects the industry to keep moving towards more sustainable solutions. That’s why BASF helps customers to switch to alternatives that generate fewer emissions. BASF’s broad portfolio of pigments, resins and additives is suitable for current and future formulations based on water- and high solid systems. These solutions contribute to the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC). In addition, BASF’s raw material portfolio helps formulators to increase material and production efficiency. Examples are pigments, resins and additives that enable thinner coating layers, consume less energy or increase throughput.

Less Raw Material needed for Low VOC, Durable and Esthetically Pleasing Automotive Coatings

Similar to the general industrial segment, OEMs in the automotive industry also strive to make the coating process more cost- and material-efficient as well as lower in emissions. BASF offers solutions like cross-linking agents, low VOC binders or red shifted UV absorbers that facilitate a highly efficient, primer-free coatings process technology. BASF’s broad portfolio can help to increase properties like gloss retention, scratch, chemical or weather resistance, which makes coatings last longer. Moreover, highly saturated pigments offer a combination of very good hiding power, gloss and outstanding chroma. Hence, lower pigmentation level or thinner layers are needed to achieve increasingly sophisticated designs and better appearance.