Color is a tremendously important aspect of our daily lives, and there are many challenges ahead for the pigment industry.

With that in mind, the Color Pigments Manufacturers Association's (CPMA) 2008 International Color Pigments Conference, "Color Matters-New Business and New Products in a Global Marketplace," held May 13-15, 2008 at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort in Lincolnshire, IL, closely examined present and future trends for pigments. The two-day conference was sponsored jointly by CPMA and Rodman Publications, publishers of Happi, Ink World and Coatings World magazines. Aram Terzian, marketing director, printing, plastics, security, pigments, EMD Chemicals, Inc., and Mark Vincent, vice president, technical/business manager organics division, Dominion Colour, served as co-chairs and moderators.

The first morning session featured, from left, co-chair and moderators Aram Terzian of EMD Chemicals, Inc.; Paul Czornij of� BASF; Malcolm Denniss of QES Consulting; keynote speaker Dr. David Hill, former president and CEO, Sun Chemical; and Mark Geeves of Ciba Color Services.

The keynote speaker was David Hill, former president and CEO, Sun Chemical, whose topic was "Color Creates: Life, Sensation and Value."

"Color can create differentiation. But to do so requires that it be renewed," Hill said. "Innovation is a key part of the renewal process. Without renewal, color becomes commoditized." He noted companies that focused on innovation to avoid commoditization, such as Monsanto and Nalco, and added that "innovation plays a key role in every example of successful business reinvention. Innovation can make a difference."

Hill was followed by Mark Geeves, head of color services, Americas, Ciba Color Services, who discussed "Color Communication and Control: It is Not Just About Color Any More," an examination of the need to produce products and monitor color globally. Malcolm Denniss, president, QES Consulting, Inc., representing the Toy Industry Association, discussed "Assuring Toy Safety: A Systemic Approach."

CPMA hosted a special panel discussion, Special Product Stewardship Panel, featuring, from left, Dr. Philip G. Webb of BASF; Naeem Mady of Ciba Expert Services; Russell Schwartz of Sun Chemical; Dr. Christopher Patterson of Clariant; and Robert Kendrick of Sun Chemical.

Paul Czornij, senior group leader, BASF, closed the morning session with "Selection of Pigments for Automotive Coatings Design."

"Green chemistry is the number one area in terms of color development all over the world," said Czornij, who noted that 95 percent of colors designed for cars and light trucks in North America are metallics. He also noted that European car customers are paying extra for premium colors, and that there is much interest in the liquid metal look.

After lunch, Jim DeLisi, president, Fanwood Chemical, Inc., addressed "Challenges to the Pigment Industry: Raw Material Shortages, Price Increases, Shifting Regulations, Rules, Currencies and Trade Flows." He was followed by Richard Yao, director, laboratory business North and South China, Merck Chemicals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., who discussed "Made in China-Overview of China Export," a look at the issues and opportunities in the market. Phil Linz, supervisor � cosmetic technologies � applications, EMD Chemicals Inc., talked about "Technical Service: A Supplier's Perspective."

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The afternoon session featured, from left, Dr. Graham Battersby; V.M. (Jim) DeLisi of Fanwood Chemical; Jack� Ladson of Color Science Consultancy; Phil Linz of EMD Chemicals; Richard Yao of Merck Chemicals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; and co-chair Mark Vincent of Dominion Colour.

"Technical service is a tool that can and should be used not only to maintain current business, but can also be used to grow new business," Linz noted. "In a multinational environment, it offers resources which are necessary for and expected by multinational customers. It is arguably a central requirement of your business."

Graham Battersby, consultant, followed with "Selling New Colorants and Color Effects to an Ink Maker: An Ink Company's Perspective." Battersby discussed the range of special effects and their impact on the senses. He also noted that the sales channel for effect pigments should include the package designer.

"You need to sell to people who need the effect, and find the best image and produce high quality prints if you want to maximize the effect," Battersby said. "There is a tremendous opportunity to do more with special effects in graphic arts."

Jack Ladson, president and CEO, Color Science Consultancy, discussed "Industrial Color Control of Gonioapparent Colorants."

At the end of the afternoon session, CPMA hosted a special panel discussion focusing on Special Product Stewardship. The panel featured Philip G. Webb, product steward, BASF; Naeem Mady, vice president regulatory service, Ciba Expert Services; Christopher Patterson, market segment manager (printing inks), Clariant; Russell Schwartz, vice president colors technology, high performance pigments, Sun Chemical, who served as moderator; and Robert Kendrick, director, global regulatory, product stewardship North America for Sun Chemical.

Noting that media coverage of EH&S issues are at the highest level ever, the panel's topics ranged from REACH and eco-efficiency to chemicals and nanoparticles.

It's easy to talk a good product stewardship game, but we need to find a mechanism to develop proper test methods and make them available," Schwartz noted.

Second Day

The May 15 morning panel featured, from left, James Silver of DuPont Digital Printing; Dr. Matthias Kuntz of Merck KGaA; George Iannuzzi; EMD Chemicals; Greg Shrider of BYK-Gardner USA; Angelique Danek of Ciba Expert Services; and Robert Trinklein of Teknor Color Company.

The May 15 session began with James Silver, technical leader, Process Development Group, Colorants, DuPont Digital Printing, who discussed "Evolving Ink Jet Print Head Technology-What Does it Mean for Pigment Manufacturers," a look at the dramatic growth of digital printing.

"Pigments will be the colorants of choice," Silver said, noting superior durability and bleed resistance, increasing purity levels, adoption of traditional analog printing pigments for digital and differentiation through surface and size functionality.

Silver was followed by Matthias Kuntz, senior manager, technical service coatings, Merck KGaA, who focused on "A New Interference Color Space for Coatings." Angelique Danek, business development manager, regulatory services, Ciba Expert Services, discussed "Facing the Challenges of the Future-Ever Changing Market and Regulatory Environments, A Challenge for Pigment and Additive Suppliers."

George Iannuzzi, market development manager for PPS Pigments, EMD Chemicals, discussed "Photograffiti � Lexicon for an Urban World." He was followed by Robert Trinklein, color technology manager, Teknor Color, who discussed "What Does the Plastic Industry Need from Pigment Manufacturers?," including the importance of consistency, innovation, access to technical people and willingness to work together.

"Our customers are driving us to tighter and tighter color tolerances as they become savvy regarding color measurement," Trinklein said. "There is a great deal that can be accomplished by two companies that genuinely consider each other's needs in the business relationship."

Ladsen then discussed "Coloring of Plastics." Greg Shrider, vice president of sales, BYK-Gardner USA, closed the conference with "New Measurement System for Characterizing the Total Color Impression of Effect Coatings."

Reactions

Overall, CPMA officials and the conference co-chairs were pleased with the program.

"I think the program was extremely strong, and I've received positive feedback from all of our attendees," Terzian said. "The speakers were better this year than ever before, and end-users could certainly benefit from these talks, not just pigment manufacturers."

"The conference went well, and the quality of presentations seems to get better every year," Vincent said.

"The comments I have heard from our attendees are that they found the conference to be very informative," said CPMA president Larry Robinson. "The only downside was that attendance was down a bit, but from what I am told, we're doing better than most manufacturing industry seminars."