Sustainable Solutions for the Coatings Industry

The theme of this month’s issue of Coatings World is sustainability. The idea of sustainability includes all aspects of the paint and coatings industry.

From the raw materials used in formulation to the end product, companies are focused on delivering a product in an environmentally responsible manner.

This month we have articles from PPG and AkzoNobel that explore the issue of improving sustainability in both automotive and architectural coatings.

“Paint for Commercial Vehicles Goes Greener,” discusses PPG’s new generation of commercial coatings that combines quality and productivity with social responsibility.

According to the article, environmental regulations, combined with increased consumer concern with climate change, have generated a huge demand for ecologically progressive products. This demand extends to the OEM and refinish segments of the commercial transportation sector as regulations in the U.S. and Canada limit the amount of VOCs that can be used in automotive coatings.

According to PPG, with an eye toward the future, coatings manufacturers are making inroads to reduce even further the VOC content of solvent-based coatings for commercial use.

PPG recently introduced the company’s next-generation DELFEET ONE paint line, an array of ultra-low VOC premium undercoats, topcoats and clearcoats suitable for use across the entire commercial transportation continuum.

“Building a Sustainable Future” by Bob Dirks, global segment manager, Architectural Powder Coatings, AkzoNobel, looks at ways Interpon powder coatings can be used to improve a building’s carbon footprint.

According to Dirks, durability and weatherability are two obvious elements that can significantly enhance a building’s sustainability credentials. Arguably less obvious, but still important, is specifying powder coatings whose durability is such that they require less cleaning.

This both further extends product lifetime but also dramatically reduces cleaning cycles and therefore the chemicals and water required to keep a surface looking clean.

Within the industry, AkzoNobel has committed to reducing energy use by 30% and use 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and move towards a zero-waste company within the same timescale.