Nature Inspires European Developments

As the impact of the EU’s ambition chemical transformation program looks increasingly likely to  redefine chemical and coating technologies of the future, recently it was announced that a consortium of companies has joined forces to work on the EU’s Bright Coatings project. The project has been co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the REACT-EU program.

Altogether 10 partners have started the Bright Coatings project with the goal of demonstrating the implementation of a 100% bio-based alkyd coating. The focus of the Bright Coatings project is the use of the ‘bio-aromatic’ compound 3-methylphthalic anhydride (bio-MPA). It will be used as a sustainable building block for the development of bio-based alkyd resins and coatings, which will be applied on an electric wheel loader. The whole process will be a highly innovative one, since the bio-aromatic compound bio-MPA can fill the gap in the development of a 100% bio-based alkyd coating. Bio-MPA can be used as a high-performance substitute for fossil-based compounds.

Partners in the project includie Consun Beet Company, Lenzing and Vertoro for the bio-waste, TNO, Biorizon and Relement for the conversion to (aromatic) building blocks, Worlée Chemie for the resin synthesis, Baril Coatings for the production of the paint formulation and Straalbedrijf as well as Tobroco Giant for the coating application on the electric wheel loader.

Nature inspires AkzoNobel for 2023

This autumn has also seen AkzoNobel return to its colour development drawing board with the announcement of its Color of the Year 2023. Wild Wonder – a hue inspired by the warm tones of harvested crops – is AkzoNobel’s color for next year. Its upbeat glow is considered to connect consumers with nature, creating a sense of energy and positivity.

As people search for support, connection, inspiration and balance in the world today, they’re diving into the wonders of the natural world to find it. Extensive research conducted by a team of in-house paints and coatings colour experts and international design professionals found hope at the heart of global social, design and consumer trends.

“Wild Wonder speaks to us in a language we instinctively understand,” says Heleen van Gent, Creative Director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center. “Nature is what inspires us and makes us feel better in our lives and in our homes. That’s why, for the first time in 20 years, our entire color palette is inspired by the rhythms of nature.”

Four decorative paint colour palettes have been designed around Wild Wonder: Lush Colors (the forest hues), Buzz Colors (meadow brights), Raw Colors (harvest shades) and Flow Colors (seashore tones). For consumers personalizing their homes and urban environments, the palettes make it easy to choose wall colors for a timeless look that’s also bang on trend.

“Our research insights are also invaluable for industrial customers looking for the perfect finish,” says Michael Friede, Chief Commercial Officer for Performance Coatings. “We develop market-specific offerings based in colour and materials research and market analysis. I’m especially excited to share this bold, nature-infused colour story with our customers. It’s what we’re all about: People. Planet. Paint.”

Color of the Year is the spark of inspiration that ignites a long-term design partnership with industrial coatings customers. On-trend colors, textures and special effects have been designed for the aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, metal furniture, lighting, cabinetry, flooring, building products and architecture markets, as well as decorative paints. Using innovative digital tools such as the AkzoNobel Design app, coatings experts and customers work together to create the best finish for their products. 

Hempel targets windpower sector as strategy gains momentum

Another environmental inspiration that has taken place in Europe has seen Hempel launch Hempablade Edge 171, a new coating for leading edge protection (LEP) on wind turbine rotor blades. With the highest rain erosion performance data on the market for a liquid LEP, and some of the lowest dry film thicknesses, Hempablade Edge 171 provides long-term protection against rain erosion, and reduces time and costs during application. The product is already available globally.

The leading edge of a wind turbine blade is exposed to extremely high airflow speeds, even exceeding 300 km/h. At these speeds, impact from rain can cause significant coating erosion or even composite damage. In severe cases, the erosion may lead to a loss of aerodynamic performance and a 2-3% drop in annual energy production. This loss of performance and need for maintenance makes leading edge erosion one of the wind industry’s most significant maintenance costs and performance challenges.

Hempablade Edge 171 helps wind turbine operators and applicators overcome these issues, by protecting the leading edge from rain erosion, as Lars Rindom Jensen, Head of Solutions for Wind Blades, explains, “Hempablade Edge 171 is one of the simplest LEP solutions on the market to apply, yet able to withstand the toughest environmental conditions. It provides exceptional protection against rain erosion and composite damages. This extends the interval between maintenance and repairs, giving operators more uptime and lower maintenance costs.”

Importantly for service providers, Hempablade Edge 171 requires some of the lowest dry film thickness on the market – just 150 microns – and only needs one or two coats to ensure high protection. This increases application speeds, allowing customers to maintain more blades with the resources available.

“Hempablade Edge 171 has been developed as we listened to the industry challenges and requirements,” says Lars. “Its low thickness reduces LEP consumption, application time and drying time, so applicators can work faster, whether they are on-site or in the blade production. It also has a wide application window – from 5-35°C – which means applicators can extend the maintenance season and working day. The result is higher productivity and less blade downtime during maintenance.”

During development and validation, Hempablade Edge 171 was put through more than 400 exhaustive tests to ensure it delivers extremely valuable performance and application benefits.

This high-technology development is only one aspect of how Hempel is cultivating its ambitious growth plan. Recently in Europe it also announced the acquisition of the retail operations of Cap Couleurs with a view to extending its French operations. (Hempel is already present in France with its Renaulac operations and that has 10 Renaulac stores.) Cap Couleurs holds a leading position in the Var region with stores in La Seyne sur Mer, Brignoles, Fréjus, La Garde and Grimaud. 

“Cap Couleurs is a great fit from a footprint perspective as we will hold a segment leadership position in the Var region and further increase our presence on the French market,” said Joe Devitt, Executive Vice President of Decorative at Hempel, “Furthermore, the transaction supports our growth initiatives on own stores, supporting our Double Impact strategy for Southern Europe.”

Finally, with another quick nod to Hempel’s growth strategy and especially its growth in the decorative sector, it should be noted that it has also acquired some paint retail operations in Australia in the form of the Sydney-based Paintworld. This move does not appear to have been well-publicised, but if my basic research is correct, the acquired paint retailer has six stores in Australia and offers deliveries across the entire country. Mirroring the French move to add stores, Hempel is already well-entrenched in Australia now since its takeover of Wattyl, and that also had its own retail arm when Hempel acquired it.