To successfully keep up with the ever-changing demands of the coatings industry, it is critical that coatings manufacturers invest substantially in the latest tools and equipment for their R&D labs. Although costly, the results they yieldinnovative technologies, environmentally compliant products and more efficient processesare well worth the initial investment.
Leading players in the global market, especially in emerging markets, continue to invest in research and development, as well as in creating new, more efficient processes.
"The R&D process itself is very costly, so BASF is aggressively streamlining its operations, reducing the costs of development while continuing to meet the needs of customers," said Tim D. Salatin director of global technology, BASF Automotive OEM Coatings.
"It is difficult to say how often we invest in new technology, but we consistently strive to optimize our investment in new technologies based on industry and economic conditions," said Sudha Dantiki, Akzo Nobel's managing director of the Car Refinishes International Research Center in Ba
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