As was the case with most areas in coatings, the powder coatings market was not immune to the effects of the economic downturn over the past couple of years.
The IT industry is one of the more recent segments where powder coatings has been chosen as a substitute for liquid paint. Pictured is a computer casing in a powder coating application booth. Photo: Akzo Nobel |
"We have had two pretty lean years in terms of growth: 2000 was a record year, 2001 we were down by about 11.5 percent and 2002 we were up slightly," Greg Bocchi, executive director, The Powder Coating Institute, said about the status of the North American market. "The market is extremely competitive. There has been significant price erosion for both raw materials and powder coatings."
However, the outlook for next year is not quite as dismal, Mr. Bocchi said. "We are seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel," sa
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