The estimated value of the global market for additives used in paint and coatings is $4.7 billion-up from $4.5 billion in 2006-and accounts for the sale of surfactants, biocides, thickeners and various "other" materials, according to The Chemark Consulting Group, a consulting firm focused on the coatings, adhesives and sealants industries based in Southern Pines, NC.

The North American market is valued at $1.530 billion while the EU market is worth $1.730 billion. Asia/Pacific accounted for $970 million while the rest of world (ROW) markets accounted for $510 million.

In 2007 the additives market was up four percent in the U.S. and 3.9% in the EU over 2006. ROW markets experienced a nine percent growth rate, according to Chemark.

For the next five years, the firm forecasts 4.2% growth rate in North America, four percent in the EU and seven to nine percent in ROW markets, being led by Asia Pacifice, particularly China.

In the years ahead, additives will take on a greater role in paints and coatings than ever before, according to Phil Phillips, Chemark's managing partner and regular Coatings World contributor. "This is due primarily to the driving need for product differentiation," he said. "Additives can dramatically change both the performance as well as the look and appearance of a coating system with only a small volume amount changes. From flow control agents, corrosion inhibitors, stabilizers, anti-foamers, biocides and combinations, these additive ingredients, which account for less than two percent of the formulation, can exponentially alter the final coating product. One area to watch closely is the 'attaching' of additives onto other coating formula ingredients such as the resin backbone and pigment systems."

Additives suppliers Coatings World spoke with reported positive growth for 2007 and are optimistic for the year ahead.

Michelman's chemical specialties business unit, which includes its surface modifying additives and solutions experienced strong growth during 2007 in all major geographic regions, according David B. Towell, global marketing manager, chemical specialties, Michelman, Inc. "North American business was stronger than in the last couple of years, almost reaching growth rates in the PACRIM and EU," he said.

For Elementis Specialties, the market in North America was a bumpy one while the rest of the world demand was strong. "For North America, the market was decent with slight growth for industrial coatings additive demand, but the architectural market was off from 2006," he said. "The other regions around the world saw strong growth across all the market segments."

The slow down in residential housing and commercial construction in the U.S. and Western Europe is effecting the coatings market, including additives, according to Shailesh Shah, director, global marketing, coatings and construction, Cognis Corporation. "However, higher growth rates in emerging markets and the continued focus and shift to waterborne technology and lower VOCs, which require more additives, enabled the additives market to be less impacted by the slow down and grew globally at a healthy rate of four percent in 2007.

"In 2008 and beyond, as companies try to further reduce VOCs in coatings, additives will need to become much more efficient and drive a shift to higher performance additives that will support higher growth in the additive markets than in the overall coatings market," Shah continued.    

Ray Fahmy, manager, North America marketing, Biocides, International Specialty Products (ISP), commented, "The year 2007 was a difficult year for the U.S. building and construction market and hence for additives supplied to that market."

Overall, the additive market continued to grow in 2007. "The additive market forecast will continue to be increasingly competitive with newly launched products addressing new market requirements and more suppliers of established products," said Andre Bendo, industry manager, business line coatings.

New Additives Technology

Michelman introduced a lower VOC version of its wood coatings series last year-MichemWood Coating 70LV. "We have been working to increase the durability of these products as well as modifying them to best meet international requirements," said Towell. "We have also been strengthening our offering of a wide variety of particle-sized wax emulsions and dispersions to meet specific abrasion, gloss, slip and anti-block properties.

"As the move continues to water-based systems for OEM wood furniture, flooring and cabinetry on a global basis, more demand is placed on the additive package. Sub-micron particles to those up to 100 microns in size, modify the effect of the coating and support a variety of polymer systems," Towell continued. "We also are expanding our Michem Prime line with more durable systems for a range of OEM metal and plastic coatings."

This year Elementis introduced Rheolate CVS series of colorant viscosity stabilizers (CVS), which minimizes KU drop upon tinting and provides a more predictable rheology behavior across all different kinds of colorants. "The mechanism that Rheolate CVS operates under is by reinforcing the thickener network in a coating and thus minimizes the impact of colorant addition," said Brown.

Under its coalescent product group, Cognis offers Loxanol EFC A-45, which is an emission free coalescent and is efficient in reducing the minimum film forming temperature (MFFT). FoamStar A-45 is a defoamer designed for no/low VOC flat to high gloss paints  and is effective against microfoam and does not reduce the gloss of high gloss paints. Cognis also offers the DSX 3000 series of rheology modifiers, which are high shear viscosity builders that are solvent-free, odor-free, APEO-free and heavy metal-free.

New products from ISP's biocides business include Nuosept in-can preservatives. Nuosept 498 is an aqueous disperson of BIT, a non-metallic, non-chlorinated, formaldehyde-free biocide. In 2008, ISP will be expanding the Nuosept line of the CleanGuard family including Nuosept W whose applications include water-based paints and coatings, polymer emulsions, joint compounds, and inks; Nuosept BMc-422, a BIT/MIT-based in-can preservative for emulsion paints, adhesives, plasters, latex and wax emulsions, and technical aqueous solutions; and Nuosept 415, a Bronopol/BIT blend-based in-can preservative for use in water-based paints and coatings, polymer emulsions, joint compound, inks, stucco, exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFSs) and grouts.

ISP also offers Fungitrol IPBC-based fungicides/algaecides. Fungitrol 920, the first member of the IPBC-based Fungitrol 900 series of biocides, fungicides and algaecides in the CleanGuard family, is a 20% water-based dispersion of IPBC that offers no-VOC, low-odor, broad-spectrum protection against degradation, discoloration and defacement caused by mold, mildew and algae. For 2008, ISP is introducing a 30% water-based dispersion of IPBC (Fungitrol 930) and a 40% water-based dispersion of IPBC (Fungitrol 940).

Ciba is offering two new technologies to the additive market. To address waterborne markets demands for low or zero VOC light stabilizers, Ciba Tinuvin-DW series was launched. "The Tinuvin-DW series, based on encapsulated high performance UV absorbers and HALS allows formulators to improve coating protection and remove co-solvents from their formulations," said Bendo.

The second new technology Ciba has launched, EFKA 4585, based on controlled free radical polymerization, was developed to address the need for improved waterborne dispersions of inorganic and organic pigments, especially carbon black.  

Eastman Chemical Company has recently launched two new products. Eastman Advantis 510W chlorine-free waterborne adhesion promoter is its latest additive to improve adhesion to modified polypropylene substrates in plastic coating applications. This new technology contains no solvent and is APEO- and halogen-free to provide for compliant coatings that meet today's strict environmental regulations.

"Advantis adhesion promoters offer a distinct competitive advantage to coatings manufacturers targeting automotive plastics applications," said Hans van der Kort, market development manager for transportation, EMEA, Eastman Chemical Company. "Demanding OEM testing protocols and the increased focus on reducing VOCs has led to the need for waterborne adhesion promoters that deliver equivalent or better performance characteristics than their solvent counterparts."

Eastman Solus 2100 performance additive has been designed to close the performance gap between conventional and high solids 2-component (2K) coating systems in applications such auto refinish clearcoats, aerospace topcoats and industrial plastic coatings.

"Formulating with Solus 2100 helps paint makers meet two essential customer imperatives: top-notch aesthetics and process performance," said Dirk DiSantis, global marketing manager for coatings at Eastman. "It delivers the performance characteristics of a high-VOC coating in a low-VOC product, also allowing refinishers and OEM end-users to meet the industry's increasingly stringent regulatory restrictions."

Troy Corporation offers Troysperse 98C, a hig performance pigment dispersing additive for non-aqueous systems. It provides proven performance with difficult-to-disperse pigments such as carbon black, phthalocyanines, transparent iron oxides and other organic and inorganic pigments. Troysperse 98C is an amphoteric, long-chain dispersing additive with 95% activity. The high level of activity provides the necessary dispersion performance without burdening the formulator with high solvent concentration, the requirement of other dispersing additives or synergists. The high level of activity also allows effi cacy at low use levels, providing excellent cost-in-use.

Troythix 150ACS is an additive that improves the rheological profile of non-aqueous systems. It is especially effective in the suspension and alignment of metallic, special effect and matting pigments. Troythix 150ACS is a pre-activated polyamide wax dispersion. Pre-activation allows the product to be conveniently used either in the grind stage or as a post-blend additive. The rheological profile imparted by 150ACS promotes excellent sag and settling resistance combined with improved application properties. The unique nature of the additive allows these properties to be imparted to a coating formulation without adverse effects on film properties such as flow and leveling, gloss and clarity.

BYK Chemie introduced many new products in 2007, including CeraFlour 913 micronized wax additive; BYK 344 silicone surfactant; BYK 394 silicone-free acrylic release agent; DisperBYK 2009 wetting and dispersing additive; CeraFlour 928 micronized wax additive; BYK Silclean 3720 silicone-based surface additive; BYK 4500 waterborne adhesion promoter; BYK 4510 solvent and waterborne adhesion promoter; DisperBYK 2010 wetting and dispersing additive; DisperBYK 2025 wetting and dispersing additive; BYK 378 silicone-based surface additive; Cerafak 111 aromatic-free wax dispersion; BYK 093 silicone-based defoamer; BYK 3950 P process additive; and BYK 3951 P process additive.