Exterior Coatings, Adhesives and Sealants

This year’s feature on exterior architectural coatings, “Self Cross-Linking Resin Coatings Offer Siding Manufacturers an Edge” (page 31) was authored by Bob Cregg, industry director Building Products, Sherwin-Williams Product Finishes.  Cregg writes that as a result of a rebound in single family construction, building products manufacturers are ramping up production to meet the increasing demand. In turn, manufacturers must deliver a quality product that provides value to both builders and the homeowners.

According to Cregg: “Such is the case with exterior building products such as cement composite, wood, vinyl and fiberglass siding, where coating integrity is critical. The manufacturer/supplier relationship has become a partnership – with suppliers helping manufacturers improve their finishing techniques and processes, respond to customer demands for a wider range of colors than ever before, meet higher performance standards and increase throughput.”

Cregg said that new coatings that utilize a cross-linking resin meet the finishing challenges siding manufacturers face. Most importantly, they offer savings in terms of true applied costs – the price per square foot covered – through a number of performance enhancements.

“The Adhesives and Sealants Update” (page 33) was written by the newest member of the Coatings World team, Catherine Diamond.  Manufacturers interviewed for this article reported that the market for adhesives and sealants is on the rise thanks to healthy automotive and construction industries.  According to Uwe Bankwitz, Head Corporate Target Market Sealing & Bonding at Sika AG, the market for adhesives and sealants grew about two to four percent, depending on location.

Bankwitz said that there are two markets that offer the most opportunity for growth: transportation and construction. “For Sika, transportation (including automotive) and building/construction (new construction, refurbishment, infrastructure improvements) offer the most opportunities for growth, especially after moderate recovery of these markets in North America and Europe. Participation in the stronger growth in emerging markets in Asia and Latin America are of key importance to Sika and are reflected by investments in new factories.”