Emerging Technical Trends in the Powder Coatings Industry

By Kevin Biller

The past year marked a rebound in powder coating revenue as well as investment in R&D. In particular, both the North American and Latin America powder markets showed growth of 3.5% and 1.8%, , respectively, in 2022.1 These growth figures coincided with the introduction of several innovations in sustainability, low-temperature cure, corrosion resistance, outdoor durability, thin films, and thermoplastic application technology.

Sherwin-Williams recently introduced a powder coating product line based on post-consumer recycled plastic. Powdura® ECO powder coatings are formulated
with polyester resins based on recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastic (rPET). Earlier versions of Powdura® ECO powder coatings were based on pre-consumer waste plastic that is generated in factories. This latest development will have an impact on recycling post-consumer plastic that comes mainly from beverage bottles. According to the company, one pound of Powdura ECO TGIC/TGIC-free (triglycidyl isocyanurate) coatings contains the rPET equivalent of about sixteen 16-ounce water bottles, depending on the final product formulation Sherwin-Williams estimates that one pound of Powdura ECO hybrid coatings contains approximately the rPET of seven to ten 16-ounce water bottles, depending on the formulation.