Sustainability Revisited – The Coating User Perspective

By Cynthia Challener

Operating in a sustainable man nee has become a priority for com­panies around the world. Suppliers of raw materials for coatings pro­duction and coatings formulators have incorporated sustainable prac­tices into their daily business activities. Their customers, too, have corporate sustainability philosophies that directly impact coatings op­erations.

JCT CoatingsTech spoke with a number of coatings end users about how the desire of companies to function in a sustainable manner has affected their coatings activities, including coating selection, R&D ef­forts, application methods, and relationships with suppliers. Their thoughts are presented.

Contributors providing insight for the article include Ralph Huber, department manager for Technology Communications with the BMW Group; Jill Seebergh, associate technical fellow with Boeing; Andy Rogerson, senior chemical testing engineer at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Mark Nichols, technical leader in the Paint Research, Materials, and Nanotechnology Department at Ford Motor Company; Tim Weingartz, head of Paint Material Development and Release at Ford Paint Engineering; Maureen Midgley, executive director of the Global Paint<-& Polymers Center at General Motors; Joyce Dever, chief of the Durability and Protective Coatings Branch (RXD) at NASA’s Glenn Research Center; Luz Marina Calle, lead scientist for Corrosion Technology with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center; and Jim Gregory, general manager of St. Charles Cabinetry.