The 2022 American Coatings Show (ACS) concluded on April 7, with a total of 365 exhibitors, over 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, and over 7,000 total participants. The prevalent theme of the exhibit hall was sustainability and the circular economy.

The concurrent American Coatings Conference (ACC) was a marked success as well, with almost 760 attendees taking advantage of some 90 selected presentations and learning opportunities, clustered in 16 topical sessions. Keynoter Dr. Chris Killian, Senior Vice President and CTO at Eastman, delivered a thought-provoking address on how the resilience of our technology innovation and creativity are leading the coatings industry to answer the call to carry customers to a more sustainable future, from coatings that save energy and reduce material use, to coatings that reduce waste through improving the durability and lifetime of assets, as well as coatings that improve the safety and wellness of the consumers they touch, and coatings that will drive the circular economy.

Following the keynote address, Steve Block, NXTLEVVL Biochem’s Vice President of Business Development, was awarded the 2022 American Coatings Award for his paper titled, “The Use of Levulinates as Coalescing Agents in Water-Based Coatings.”

“Building on more than a decade of success for this award-winning industry event that has become a major platform for companies to showcase products and conduct business, we were so pleased with the turnout and feedback from attendees who value the learning and networking experiences the event brings,” said Cheryl Matthews, Vice President of events and expositions for the American Coatings Association.

The American Coatings Association and Vincentz Network, who co-organize the event, are already looking forward to seeing everyone again at the next American Coatings Show and Conference in Indianapolis, April 30-May 2, 2024.

Following is a snapshot of just some of the technology that PCI learned about at this year’s ACS.

Arkema’s Materials for Waterborne, High Solids, UV/EB and Powder Formulations

Arkema introduced multiple new products and discussed ongoing initiatives focused on sustainability, regulatory compliance, enhanced performance, new applications and more.
 
 “Sustainability continues to drive almost every conversation in the coatings industry today and will be the major theme at the American Coatings Show this year,” said Kenny Messer, Vice President, Sales at Arkema Coating Solutions.
 
 Overall, the company was very happy with the traffic at their booth. “Although the footprint was smaller, the quality of our meetings has been better than in the past. We have seen newer talent hungry for information. It seemed more like an old-school show — it was more intimate. We had some really good discussions,” said Eric Dumain, Global Marketing Director Coating Resins.
 
 Arkema initiatives on display included:
 
 • Reducing dependence on TiO₂ in decorative paints with ENCOR® 317 vinyl acrylic resin and CELOCOR® AF opaque polymers.
 
 • Increasing the use of bio-based content with SYNAQUA® 4856 alkyd, SYNAQUA 4804 alkyd, COAPUR® HEUR thickeners, CRAYVALLAC® additives and SARTOMER® Sarbio UV specialty resins.
 
 • Meeting SSPC Paint 47 Standards with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF resins.
 
 • Improving durability and reducing VOCs in protective and marine coatings with a full toolbox of SYNOCURE® acrylic polyols and NISO products, SYNOLAC® alkyds and polyesters, CRAYAMID® reactive polyamides, SYNAQUA and ENCOR waterborne solutions, and UNITHANE® modified alkyds.
 
 • Improving asphalt bleed resistance and maintaining reflectivity in cool roof coatings with ENCOR Flex 1361 all acrylic, Kynar Aquatec® PVDF resins and COADIS™ 790 dispersants.
 
 • Hot tire pickup resistance on concrete surfaces with NEOCAR® Acrylic 850 resins.
 
 • Enabling ultra-low-temperature cure powder coatings with REAFREE® 6846 carboxylated polyester.
 
 Other products on display at the Arkema booth included:
 • RHEOTECH™ HASE thickeners.
 • SARTOMER specialty UV-curable resins including specialty oligomers and monomers, cationic resins and Sarbio USDA certified bio-based resins. Photoinitiators and additives, including Speedcure free radical photoinitiators, amine synergists, cationic photoinitiators, UV absorbers and adhesion promoters.
 • DIANOL® ethylene oxide polyols for electrodeposition and can coatings.
 • ADIANSOL® polyether polyols for inks and graphic arts materials.
 • SILIPORITE® molecular sieves, high-performance desiccants for polyurethane.
 • INIPOL®, SURFALINE® and NORAMOX® additives for pigment wetting.
 • ENSOLINE® specialty solvents for OEM marine, industrial, and auto protective coatings or refinish solutions.

BASF's Resins, Dispersions and Additives

The BASF booth had three distinct sections to showcase the new products they highlighted at the ACS.
 
• Interior/Exterior High-Gloss Architectural Latex for All Bases
 ACRONAL EDGE 4142 is a high-performance, all-acrylic architectural binder suitable for stain through high-gloss systems in white through deep bases. This binder performs at the top of its class, differentiating in block and print resistance even in the most challenging architectural applications.
 
• Novel 1K Acrylic Dispersion to Prevent Knot Bleeding in Stained or Pigmented Coating Systems
 JONCRYL 9522 is an anionic stabilized, 1-component (1K) acrylic dispersion that addresses both sustainability and performance-related technical challenges seamlessly. It contains 20% renewable content and features excellent knot bleeding resistance, which makes it a great option for wood furniture primers. It also achieves excellent adhesion to softwood substrates, like pine, good block resistance and quick dry time. The product is ready for sanding after only 20 minutes of dry time at room temperature.
 
• Next-Generation Innovation for Enhanced Thermal and Color Stability
 TINUVIN 5070 is a new-generation UVA/HALS blend designed to meet the high-performance and durability requirements of sealant and candle wax compositions where other products fail due to basicity and/or compatibility. Product highlights include no negative interaction with candle dyes or fragrances, low viscosity, enhanced thermal stability and reduced colo

Clariant’s Additives Elevate Possibilities for High-Performing Sustainable Coatings

Clariant is prioritizing sustainability Beyond Color to support the creation of more sustainable innovations for industrial and consumer coatings products. The company featured its latest multifunctional additives that are driving the industry’s transition, from new, renewable carbon-based ingredients to non-halogenated, next-level fire protection.
 
 “Supporting a sustainable transformation is wide-ranging and application-specific. Impacts such as improving the environmental and health profile of a coating, reducing emissions throughout the value chain, or boosting efficiency in production, transportation and handling go hand-in-hand with enhancing functionality and protection capabilities,” commented Joerg Rueger, Head of Competence Center Paints & Coatings.
 
 Clariant introduced a new range of 100% bio-based, carbon-reducing VITA surfactants and polyglycols (PEGs) to support formulators and brands in raising green carbon content in end products. Made from plants via bio-ethanol, they are chemically equivalent to the fossil versions, offering the same best-in-class performance and efficiency to water-based architectural coatings and inks but with significantly lower carbon footprints. The natural origin is ensured through fully segregated material flows.
 
 Clariant also offers bio-based solutions to the wood and powder coatings segments. Clariant’s sustainable waxes Ceridust® 1041 VITA and Ceridust 1060 VITA are based on renewable rice bran wax and have at least 98% Renewable Carbon Index (RCI). They stand out for their performance and sustainability, achieving very effective matting and scratch resistance properties while providing a soft touch feel in wood coatings and brighter colors in powder coatings.
 
 Bio-based raw materials are just one aspect of supporting the industry in implementing environmentally sustainable changes. Clariant also offered options for more efficient resource use and production processes, for creating products with excellent health and safety profiles, and for extending end-product lifetime. All of its featured innovations carry the EcoTain® label in recognition of their best-in-class performance and contribution to the coatings industry’s sustainability transformation by improving manufacturing efficiency and product performance.
 
 Clariant’s non-halogenated ammonium phosphate (APP) based Exolit® AP flame retardants take intumescent fire safety to a new level for the building and construction, and protective and marine sectors. They enable an extended shelf life of intumescent systems, allowing them to be applied in challenging conditions. They can also save lives by enabling a faster response and longer resistance to fires compared to intumescent coatings based on standard halogenated solutions.

Covestro Builds a Bridge to the Circular Economy

Covestro exhibited its portfolio of sustainable coating solutions, helping pave the way for a shift to the circular economy. The company’s 2021 acquisition of the Resins & Functional Materials (RFM) business of Dutch company Royal DSM was a major driver of this year’s offerings, significantly strengthening the efforts of Covestro in sustainable solutions and cementing its position as a leading supplier of sustainable coatings and adhesives.
 
 More than 50 years of manufacturing experience of Covestro have also played a key role in its ability to execute around this aspect of their business. Going forward, solutions sourced from sustainable materials will be a key component of their overall portfolio. Sustainable coating resins represent an attractive growth market that aligns with the ultimate goal of the company to move to a fully circular economy, meeting the world’s materials and coatings needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
 
 One of the most exciting is the fruit of work of the company with pioneering biotech company Genomatica to successfully produce the first significant volumes of a plant-based version of HMDA (hexamethylene diamine). HMDA is a key precursor for several coatings, adhesives, and a widely used type of nylon (nylon-6,6). 2 million tons of HMDA are used each year, but until now it has been manufactured exclusively from fossil feedstocks. This new process is expected to be able to produce ton quantities of high-quality material in the near future, helping the automotive, construction, furniture and textile industries become that much more sustainable going forward.
 
 "Our partnership on this innovative technology allows us to significantly reduce our dependence on fossil feedstocks," said Martin Vlak, Head of Sales & Market Development, North America Coatings & Adhesives at Covestro. "With a purely plant-based HMDA, we can significantly advance our corporate objective of CO₂-neutral production."
 
 Several examples of Covestro’s sustainable products were on display in their booth. Covestro showed off Desmodur® eco N 7300, an isocyanate clearcoat hardener whose carbon content is 70 percent sourced from biomass instead of fossil fuels. This sourcing reduces the carbon footprint of the hardener by around 30 percent, with no compromise in performance or quality, and with the same application process as conventional solutions.
 
 Another product, Decovery®, is up to 52 percent partially plant-based flooring resin. Extensive testing has shown that Decovery has equal performance in durability, chemical resistance and wear resistance when compared with current fossil-based products in the market.
 
 "The emerging line of sustainable and plant-based products of Covestro is the result of our long-term goal of becoming the leading provider of sustainable coating solutions," says Vlak. "Markets are increasingly asking for more environmentally compliant products based on renewable raw materials without compromising functionality. But it’s about more than growth from a margin perspective. It’s about growing sustainably with the right kind of product innovation that brings us to carbon-neutral production. A truly circular economy is within our reach if we remain committed to this level of focus and innovation."

EPS® Launched New Acrylic Resin for High-End Wood Coatings

Engineered Polymer Solutions (EPS) launched EPS 2436, a new self-crosslinking acrylic dispersion for use as a binder for high-quality wood coatings.
 
 EPS 2436 joins the EPS 2400 series, a line of waterborne acrylic resins that wood coating formulators can use to develop high-performance solutions for industrial applications, cabinetry, furniture and flooring. This new product offers exceptional transparency when dry and excellent block resistance.
 
 “Coatings formulated with EPS 2436 offer enhanced properties in interior wood applications such as excellent chemical resistance and rapid hardness development,” says Lynn Spataro, EPS Global Vice President. “The rapid hardness development helps streamline production and reduce manufacturing times. EPS 2436 also provides a low-VOC waterborne alternative to legacy solventborne technologies.”

GDB Announced Paint Recycling R&D Center

GDB International Inc. shared information on a state-of-the-art paint recycling R&D center in Mt. Vernon, IL. This new research center will focus on providing environmentally friendly solutions in various segments of paint and powder coatings, ranging from the post-consumer architectural coatings, off-spec/distressed water-based and solvent-based coatings, and powder coatings. This centralized research center will be headed by Dr. Sagar Gade. Dr. Gade is a graduate of Missouri Science & Technology, with a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of polymers and coatings. A team of distinguished professors headed by Dr. Vijay Mannari, Ph.D., Director of Coatings Research Institute at Eastern Michigan University, will oversee the first-of-its-kind paint recycling training program.
 
 Masters and bachelor's degree students from the field of paint and polymer technology will get an opportunity to earn project internships to learn the various aspects of paint recycling with a focus on environmental sustainability. Furthermore, GDB will launch a three-day seminar in the Fall of 2022 to educate, promote and develop training programs to further the cause of paint recycling in the United States.
 
 To celebrate its 25th year, in addition to acquiring a 5M+ gallon capacity plant in 2021 to further boost its production capabilities and quality, GDB showcased its revamped product range at the ACS, featuring eco-friendly coatings and products made under the flagship brand, Evolve.

The New Heubach Group Brought Together Two of the Industry’s Leading Color Innovators

The new Heubach Group, a leading provider of comprehensive color solutions with a highly complementary portfolio of products, technologies, manufacturing sites, customer service capabilities and supply chains exhibited for the first time at the ACS.
 
 The new Heubach Group brings together two of the industry’s leading color innovators — Heubach and Clariant’s Global Colorants Business (“Business Unit Pigments) — creating an enhanced pigments player that will diversify Heubach’s and Clariant’s existing positions and that delivers next-generation organic, inorganic and anti-corrosive pigments, pigment dispersions, dyes and specialty materials.
 
 Sustainability is the DNA of the company, pioneering the development of sustainable color technologies, including anti-corrosive pigments, as well as bio-based materials and the substitution of questionable materials to improve environmental characteristics and spearhead regulatory compliance.
 
 With the focus on best-in-class, sustainable color technology, the new Heubach launched several new, exciting products at ACS 2022.
 
 Wood, which has been described as ‘the new concrete’, is becoming more mainstream, used for everything from new building structures and façade cladding to green space fencing and interior decoration. For natural oil-based wood finishes Heubach’s newest product range, Hostatint™ SA, features naturally derived, easy-to-handle dispersions for tinting wood stains and oils. With low viscosity, advanced sedimentation behavior, high tinting strength and consistent quality, the range is designed to meet today’s global regulations and doesn’t require special labeling, making it a perfect replacement for dyes.
 
 Also showcased were Hostatint™ SI and Hostatint™ AU. The diversity of industrial coating bases used today adds complexity to tinting. Hostatint SI is a high-performance range of solventborne pigment dispersions for industrial, OEM, maintenance and wood coatings, engineered to eliminate costly and time-consuming reformulation across base types, while ensuring the highest pigment quality and batch consistency.
 
 Hostatint AU is a low-VOC and APEO-free range of universal pigment dispersions suitable for the coloration of the most demanding water-based and solvent-based architectural coatings. The dispersions are designed to provide excellent compatibility in a sustainable platform, expanding the color choice for exterior and interior architectural coatings.
 
 In a further demonstration of Heubach’s portfolio of advanced, sustainable offerings, the HEUCOFLASH™ line of products are VOC-free, waterborne, flash rust inhibitors, suitable for all ferrous and galvanized steel substrates and are compatible with typical waterborne resins like acrylic or epoxy systems. HEUCOTINT W is a waterborne, VOC- and APEO-free POS colorant system specifically developed for applications where traditional solventborne alkyd systems are no longer commercially or environmentally viable.

IFF Highlighted Renewable Industrial Solutions and Polymer Portfolio

IFF’s Industrial Solutions brought its deep technical expertise, commitment to quality and broad portfolio of renewable polymers to the ACS for the first time. Attendees could collaborate with IFF on customized, environmentally friendly solutions to address their coating and printing ink formulation and manufacturing challenges. The solutions include how to potentially improve coating functionality, increase savings and improve worker safety — while supporting sustainable and bio-based paint trends.
 
 Formulation and product experts were at the booth to share more about IFF’s specialized polymer portfolio, which features natural, renewable stabilizers and suspending agents, including:
 
• Lattice NTC colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, which improves poorly stabilized formulations with limited impact on viscosity, and enables bio-based paint formulations and non-toxic, odorless coating formulations with long shelf stability.
• WALSRODER™ nitrocellulose for wood coatings, varnishes and printing inks that potentially improves worker safety and increases savings via higher output and efficiency.
• ETHOCEL™ ethylcellulose, a thickener and binder for solvent-based paints, wood coatings and printing inks, which enables predictable performance.
• TEXTURECEL™ carboxymethylcellulose, a thickener and binder in water-based paints.
• METHOCEL™ cellulose ethers, a key formulation component in paint removers.
 
 “Our passion to help design and optimize sustainable formulations, backed by our polymer expertise and commitment to quality, has driven us to provide novel and greener alternatives to customers across a variety of industries,” said Christophe Massip, Global Marketing Director, Industrials, IFF.

IMCD US Announced Inaugural Scholarship for University Students

‘Formulating Today for the City of Tomorrow’ was the theme for IMCD Coatings & Construction’s exhibition at ACS, which acknowledges the company’s role in shaping the future of the industry. During ACS, the company hosted a series of IMCD Experts4Experts in-booth presentations to showcase its technical and commercial capabilities designed to support coatings manufacturers in discovering the latest solutions for their formulatory needs.
 
 Further reinforcing its theme to emphasize the importance of creating sustainable formulations both now and in the future, IMCD announced the availability of an inaugural scholarship that will be available for university students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year. The scholarship application process will prompt U.S.-based university students to submit concepts that help coatings formulators in creating a more sustainable City of Tomorrow.
 
 “As an industry leader with coast-to-coast operations throughout North America and around the globe, we are cognizant of our role in creating the future of our industry — there is no better time than now to help facilitate and ignite the next generation of ideas for building the ‘City of Tomorrow’,” said Keith Wade, Vice President, IMCD US Coatings & Construction.

LANXESS Showcased Latest Developments for Paints and Coatings Industry

Specialty chemicals company LANXESS presented its range of products and services for the paints and coatings industry. Three business units — Inorganic Pigments, Materials Protection Products and Urethane Systems — presented the latest developments in inorganic pigments, industrial preservatives, polyurethane dispersions, urethane prepolymers, polyester polyols and blocked crosslinkers, aimed at aligning with the needs of the paints and coatings industry and meeting current trends.
 
 The Inorganic Pigments (IPG) business unit highlighted its new offering of verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for various iron oxide pigments. LANXESS is the first synthetic iron oxide producer to offer verified EPDs, delivering comprehensive information about the cradle-to-gate environmental impact of its pigments. This third-party certification provides customers with full transparency into the eco profile of its Bayferrox® pigments. The information provided is based on the international ISO 14025 standard as well as the European EN 15804 standard for construction products and services of all kinds.
 
 “We are committed to setting the highest sustainability standards in the pigment industry, and with the publication of EPDs, we are able to demonstrate that,” said Renata Rodrigues Albuquerque, head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit in the Americas region.
 
 EPDs are increasingly being used in the coatings industry and are important for green building, as they are among the key requisites for structures to be granted sustainability certification. Raw materials that have EPDs can be included in the evaluation of the coatings material’s life-cycle assessment and can help with earning points in green building certification.
 
 As one of the leading manufacturers of industrial preservative active ingredients and formulations, the Material Protection Products (MPP) business unit focused on its expanded preservation portfolio in the U.S. with the addition of two new EPA-registered dry film preservative combinations under the Preventol® brand.
 
 Preventol AM 63-D is an aqueous dispersion combination consisting of 15% Diuron, 9% Carbendazim and 3% IPBC. Preventol M 78-D is an aqueous dispersion combination of 15% Carbendazim and 5% IPBC. Both products are primarily for paints and coatings applications, specifically for dry-film preservation.
 
 “Expanding our paints preservative portfolio is a strategic focus for LANXESS MPP in the U.S., and when developing our strategy, we of course wanted to align with the needs of the paint industry,” explained Rob Castaneda, Industrial Preservation and Coatings Market Manager for business unit MPP in North America. “We have found that one of the biggest concerns from customers was single sourcing on several key preservatives. With our new products, we are happy to provide the industry with an alternative sourcing option for these preservative blends.”
 
 The MPP business also highlighted its comprehensive range of industrial preservatives for the paints and coatings industry, proven to enhance in-can preservation and extend dry film protection. In addition to its high quality products, LANXESS MPP also offers technical support capabilities — including analytical lab, microbiological lab and plant audits — as well as regulatory support.
 
 The Urethane Systems (URE) business unit featured its customized technologies and products for the coatings industry, focusing on three main market trends: solvent-free, low residual monomer content and ease of use. These trends are represented by the Witcobond® range of aqueous polyurethane dispersions (PUDs), the water-based blocked crosslinking agents from the Trixene® Aqua series for high-performance coatings and ready-to-use Pellart® lacquers and primer systems.
 
 In addition to the aqueous polyurethane dispersions and blocked crosslinking agents, the LANXESS Urethanes portfolio includes a wide range of prepolymers with low residual monomer content (<0.1% free isocyanate) that address the continuously stricter regulations on the use of isocyanates. Adiprene® Low Free (LF) prepolymers not only allow formulators to meet stricter regulatory requirements, but also deliver superior performance and processing through controlled morphology and tight control of viscosity.
 
 Water-based and more environmentally friendly products are a strong trend globally. The Pellart line of water-based compounds were also presented. The product line contains ready-to-use lacquer and primer systems for customers’ surface requirements, and are suitable for use in many functional coatings applications where high requirements in terms of haptics, chemical resistance, gloss level, temperature and abrasion resistance, and — above all — the lowest possible content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are required. Typical areas of application are flat materials for automobile interiors — such as instrument panels, seats and door panels — but also decorative foils for consumers and industry.

Orion Exhibited “Super Black” Innovations and New Carbon Black Guide

Orion Engineered Carbons S.A., a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, launched its new “Carbon Black Guide” and showcased its ultra-high-jet pigments for automotive coatings at the ACS. In addition, Orion highlighted: NEROX® grades for industrial coatings of all jetness levels and its newest conductive black for coatings applications, PRINTEX® kappa 70.
 
 Featuring 34 of Orion’s most popular carbon blacks for coatings, the “Carbon Black Guide” gives paint formulators a visual sense of the shades they can achieve with different grades. Color chips in the guide show the shades each grade imparts in three coatings types — solid, white blend and alkyd enamel — and details relevant coloristic properties.
 
 “Our new Carbon Black Guide gives formulators an initial visual impression for the color possibilities, making their selection process easier and faster,” said Markus Mahn, Director Global Marketing Coatings, Specialty Carbon Black at Orion. “We want to show formulators the many shades of black available, and how our wide range of high-performing carbon blacks can help them create their desired look.”
 
 Mahn said the guide will also be useful to R&D teams as they work to optimize the applications of each grade and develop new ones.
 
 Among the deepest blacks on the market, Orion’s high jet COLOUR BLACK FW 310 and COLOUR BLACK FW 255 grades impart “ultimate blackness” for automotive coatings.
 
 COLOUR BLACK FW 310 generates Orion’s highest jetness values with a deep blue undertone. Compatible with waterborne, solventborne and high solid applications, it is an excellent choice for automotive OEM basecoats and refinish coatings plus high-end industrial applications.
 
 COLOUR BLACK FW 255, an after-treated specialty carbon black, offers a balance of coloristic properties and is ideal for a wide range of high-jet applications.
 
 “We continue to strive for the ultimate black and to provide paint formulators with the deepest black in any coating application,” said Jennifer Stroh, Ph.D., Director of Sales and Marketing, Specialties Americas, at Orion.
 
 For industrial coatings, Orion highlighted two grades in addition to PRINTEX kappa 70. They enable coatings producers to create varying jetness levels, shades and color-depths.
 NEROX® 1000 is suitable for industrial applications requiring low and medium jetness, and low viscosity, even at high concentration. NEROX® 605 features high jetness, blue undertone and stable dispersion.
 
 Originally created for use in polymers, PRINTEX kappa 70 conductive black beads offer better dispersion properties than competitive pigments with the same level of conductivity. They are geared for industrial applications, such as epoxy dissipative electrostatic floors, that require low or medium conductivity and anti-static properties.
 
 Orion also highlighted PRINTEX XE2 B beads, its highest conductive carbon black. PRINTEX XE2 B imparts high conductivity and anti-static properties to primers for automotive parts and in outer space.
 
 Reflecting Orion’s commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible coatings, the company offers all pigments for use in waterborne coating systems. “While we commit to sustainable growth with minimal environmental impact,” Stroh said, “we also help our customers meet their environmental protection and sustainability targets.”

Oxiteno’s Unique Portfolio of APE-Free Surfactants

Oxiteno, a leader in the production of surfactants and specialty chemicals in the Americas, was selected to give talks concerning new product launches for water-based architectural paints. Juliane Pereira, Ph.D., Specialist for Coatings, discussed the company’s latest innovations in reactive surfactants and how they can help increase the water resistance of latex. Bruno Dario, M.Sc., Senior TS&D for Coatings, addressed the effects of APE-free surfactants on the emulsion polymerization of vinyl-acrylic latex.
 
 For Silmar Barrios, Oxiteno’s Global Business Head for Coatings, the event was a great opportunity for the company to showcase its large portfolio of APE-free surfactants and innovative solutions that optimize coatings formulations. He noted that one of the company’s pillars is a commitment to creating products that follow sustainability trends, understanding that this agenda is core nowadays. “It is part of our commitment to develop, in partnership with our clients, new solutions with fewer environmental impacts, to achieve efficiency in the use of resources focused on reducing waste, and to contribute to the technological evolution of increasingly durable and resistant coatings,” he said.
 
 Oxiteno’s coatings portfolio includes:
 
• OXITIVE® 7000 Series APE-free wetting agents for water-based coatings. These surfactants are designed to decrease interfacial tension between coatings components, allowing for high pigment and filler load of mill-base during grinding, high compatibility of colorants in tinting systems and improved substrate wetting.
 
• Newly launched OXITIVE 8000 Series dispersing agents for waterborne pigment concentrates. These products comprise a broad range of dispersing agents designed to maximize pigment load and tinting strength of waterborne pigment concentrates, ensuring compatibility with different paint systems, performance and stability under different temperatures.
 
• OXIMULSION 9000 Series emulsifiers, which were created to promote the emulsification of long-in-oil alkyd resins. These surfactants allow the formulation of water-based alkyd enamels with the same properties in the final application as solvent-based formulations.
 
• ULTRAFILM 5000 is a patented technology designed to be a more compatible coalescing agent for acrylic, vinyl-acrylic and styrene-acrylic latexes, delivering performance benefits. Its technology makes it possible to develop high-performance formulations with a low odor and low VOCs.
 
• ULTRATINT® Series alkoxylated polyols
 On April 4, 2022, Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, completed its acquisition of 100% of Brazil-based Oxiteno S.A. Indústria e Comércio. The acquisition of Oxiteno, formerly a subsidiary of Ultrapar Participações S.A., was announced in August 2021. Through the acquisition, IVL extends its growth profile into highly attractive markets in Latin America and the U.S., becoming the leading surfactants producer in the Americas, with additional potential to expand in Europe and Asia.

Solvay’s Reactive Waterborne Emulsifier for Solid Epoxy Resins

Featured at the ACS was Solvay’s recently developed Reactsurf® 0092, an alkylphenol ethoxylates-free (APE) and non-ionic reactive water-based emulsifier for solid epoxy resins mainly for use in industrial coatings and paints or binders.
 
 The unique and versatile technology allows for the formulation of high-performance waterborne epoxy-based coatings that can match or exceed that of solvent-based coatings but with an appreciably lower level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
 
 The new, cost-effective, environmentally and processing friendly emulsifier offers easy handling by combining both characteristic external and internal emulsification phases with no additional chemical modification required.
 
 “Solvay’s Reactsurf 0092 emulsifier incorporates a highly reactive functional crosslinking group, a perfect balance and synergy between emulsification and epoxidation to achieve a highly reactive emulsifier,” said Dr. Rong Er Lin, Research & Innovation Manager, Solvay Novecare Coatings Asia-Pacific. “This offers good particle size control for optimum emulsion coalescence and consistency without reduction in strength and provides excellent application performance and emulsion stability of paints and coatings.”
 
 Waterborne epoxy emulsions that incorporate Solvay’s Reactsurf 0092 exhibit excellent freeze-thaw (F/T) resistance and are still flowable under -10 °C (14 °F) at up to 5 F/T cycles. Results of salt spray tests (ASTM B-117) on cold steel rolled plates coated with epoxy emulsion paint with both high and low pigment volume concentrations display a combination of high corrosion resistance, superior wet adhesion, and no peel off, contrary to test benchmarks. Additional characteristics such as MEK (methylethylketone) Rub Test (ASTM D5264), impact resistance and pendulum hardness are equivalent to conventional waterborne epoxy coatings but with the significant benefit of very low VOCs.
 
 High-performance waterborne epoxy resin paints and coatings are used in a wide variety of end-use industrial applications such as railway freight and passenger rolling stock, rail tracks and fittings, storage tanks, shipping containers, pipes, and structural steelwork.
 
 The company also exhibited:
• Rhodoline (sustainable solution): a range of specialty additives that are designed to improve stability, wetting and dispersing performance in a wide range of coatings systems.
• Sipomer®: a range of specialty monomers that are designed to improve performance in waterborne architectural coatings, waterborne industrial coatings, and waterborne adhesives for architectural coatings.
• APE-free additives.
 
 Caption: After 500 hours salt spray test (ASTM B-117) on cold rolled steel plate, epoxy emulsion paint with Solvay’s Reactsurf 0092 and high pigment volume concentration shows better corrosion resistance than all benchmarks. Photo: Solvay

SONGWON Confirmed Commitment to North American Coatings Industry

SONGWON’s Business Units Coatings and Tin Intermediates/PVC participated in this years’ ACS, where they highlighted the company’s expertise and high-performance portfolio as well as confirming SONGWON’s commitment to the North American coatings industry.
 
 Combining customer service and technical support with a regional warehouse and the expansion of its strong distribution network, SONGWON is well-positioned to serve its North American customers with high-quality antioxidants, UV absorbers and light stabilizers. Participating in the ACS offered a platform for its strong industry-experienced team to meet key customers but most importantly, to highlight that SONGWON is doing its best to ensure a stable supply to this important market despite the currently turbulent global environment.
 
 "For SONGWON, the American Coatings Show 2022 has been very valuable, and we were very happy to be able to meet our customers, partners and suppliers in person again. This really accelerates the relationship between suppliers and customers. We enjoyed seeing new technologies and developments in the market, which show that the coatings industry is vivid and dynamic and will continue to develop, grow and innovate to be able to contribute to important topics such as sustainability, durability and energy savings," said Rosanna Telesca, Leader Business Unit Coatings, prior to the event.
 
 SONGWON is a global leader in tin oxide stabilizers. It has responded to market growth and strengthened its position by investing in additional DOTO (Di-Octyl Tin Oxide) production capacity, which is mainly sold in the electrostatic automotive coatings market and as an intermediate for other octyl tin catalysts.
 
 Commenting, Arie Kooij, Leader Business Unit Tin Intermediates/PVC, said, “The ACS offers us a good opportunity to highlight to customers in the North American automotive coatings market that SONGWON is able to meet their needs and particularly the increased demand for DOTO.”

Troy and Arxada Make Great Chemistry Together

Troy invited attendees to their booth to see how Troy and Arxada (formerly Lonza Specialty Ingredients) are making great chemistry together. Following the combination of these two leaders in antimicrobial protection and specialty materials, the companies presented their combined portfolios and resources, as well as the many benefits to customers that this joining of forces will bring.
 
 “ACS 2022 is the first major tradeshow to debut the newly combined companies,” said Frank Cangelosi, Troy’s Vice President, Marketing, prior to the event. “This is an exciting time for Troy and Arxada, and more importantly, for customers.”
 
 “This year, we will be presenting our combined product portfolios, which together form one of the broadest in the industry,” continued Cangelosi. With the comprehensive dry-film and wet-state preservative portfolios from Troy and Arxada, customers will benefit from a wide selection of advanced chemistries for optimum performance, formulating flexibility and regulatory compliance. The companies will also feature the complete range of performance additives and driers. “As such, customers will have one source for complete control of their coatings, from antimicrobial protection to surface property and application control,” said Cangelosi.
 
 In addition, Troy and Arxada presented their premier services, which also are enhanced by the combination of the two companies. These include regulatory support and full technical service, including microbiology, field testing, analytical, and the unique TMMA process hygiene program.

Univar’s Safer, Stronger, Longer-Lasting Coating Solutions

Univar Solutions’ Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers, and Rubber and Plastic Additives (CASE) team helped customers address market challenges in a variety of areas, including architecture, automotive, construction, supply chain and sustainability.
 
 During the ACS, the company talked technical with customers and suppliers about next-generation coating solutions, hosting its Formulators Corner with scientists from the CASE team’s specialized formulation labs. Technical experts were ready to discuss what it takes in 2022 to deliver on performance and sustainability and bring an innovative edge to products.

Westlake Epoxy’s Lower-Yellowing Epoxy System

Westlake Epoxy (formerly Hexion Inc.'s global epoxy business) featured its lower-yellowing epoxy system for concrete protection that the company reports is significantly better than standard cycloaliphatic amine-cured flooring systems.
 
 The INFINIUM™ lower-yellowing epoxy system is EPON LY™ Resin 1810 combined with EPIKURE LY™ Curing Agent 3801. This two-component, ambient-cure system offers up to five times lower yellowing while providing excellent epoxy performance and overnight cure.
 
 “The INFINIUM system can be used as a single coatings layer to potentially replace two-layer coating systems, thus enabling faster application,” said James Bellinger, Business Director Epoxy, Americas. “A single-coat layer allows our customers to save time and money by significantly reducing application costs, and provides an opportunity to increase margins.”