Innovators Will Succeed in Challenging Industrial Coatings Market

By Cynthia Challener

Industrial coatings encompass a wide range of market segments and serve a number of different purposes. Both factory applied (OEM) and field applied coatings (special purpose) fall under the industrial coatings um­brella. Manufacturers of OEM coatings in some mature regions have wit­nessed the steady move of their customer base to emerging economies, par­ticularly in Asia, while special purpose coatings have experienced a more favorable environment.

Even so, rising raw material and energy costs and continued regulatory restrictions are driving paint manufacturers to develop new technologies that result in overall cost reductions while maintaining or improving performance. The purpose of industrial coatings is to provide both protection and aes­thetics to metal, concrete, plastic, glass, composite materials, and other sur­faces.

Epoxies, polyurethanes, and acrylics find the most widespread use, but for OEM applications most types of resins still find their way into formula­tions. Specialty resins including siloxanes and fluoropolymers can also be found in protective coatings. The majority of formulations ( as much as 80%) still remain solvent-based today, but high solids, powder, waterborne, and UV-cured coatings are receiving increased attention.

Most typical appli­cation methods-brush, roller, spray-are used, as are dip and roll coating. Special techniques such as autophoretic application, electrocoating, and spinning are also utilized.