High Performance Pigments Update

The high performance pigments (HPP) and special effects pigments market has had a rough few years. The recent economic downturn, declining U.S. housing starts and automobile crisis have had an undeniable impact on the HPP market, but there are indications that this trend is reversing. HPPs have experienced increased demand in China and other emerging regions, where automotive and consumer goods production and consumption are booming.  HPP manufacturers Coatings World spoke with have reported a rebound and hope that this upswing will continue.  
    
“While there continues to be positive strong trends toward the usage of high performance and effect pigments, the downturn in the coatings markets in Europe and North America and the worldwide economic crisis in 2009 strongly affected the overall market demand for pigments,” said Mehran Yazdani, vice president, marketing, performance pigments, Sun Chemical. “However, we have seen an upswing in the high performance and special effect pigments markets during the first and second quarters of 2010. This improving economic situation coupled with our focus on quality, service an