The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Ecology Coatings, Inc. with a patent for "Environmentally Friendly Coating Compositions for Coating Composites, Coated Composites Therefrom, and Methods, Processes and Assemblages for Coating Thereof."

Delta Foremost Chemical Corp. has entered into an agreement with ACCESSA Coatings Solutions in which ACCESSA will serve as the sales and distribution partner of Delta Foremost’s Dust Command line.

The Sherwin-Williams Co. has acquired Becker Powder Coatings Inc. in North America, a subsidiary of AB Wilh. Becker based in Sweden. Simultaneously, AB Wilh. Becker has acquired the North American coil coatings business of Sherwin-Williams and related assets.

Dr. Clifford K. Schoff, formerly of PPG Industries and now a private consultant, will receive the Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings for 2008. Dr. Schoff is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in the area of coatings defects, electropaint-substrate interactions, paint flow and rheological measurements, mechanical properties and cure of coatings.

CertaPro Painters Commercial Services has appointed Pete Cobb to director of business development. In his new position, Cobb will be focused on designing and implementing programs for all customer segments, as CertaPro continues to expand market share for its quality commercial painting services.

Van Air Systems’ Model MD-35 mini compressed air dryer literature is now available. The new literature lists the features and benefits of the system, as well as complete specifications with simple maintenance procedures.

COLORTREND® 808 no-VOC colorants from Evonik Industries contain no VOCs (as per US EPA Method 24), contain no free-formaldehyde and are APE-free, yet they reportedly maintain the coloristic properties and high quality standards required in the industry.

Polyurethane sealants are known for their fast reactivity, good adhesion to substrates and ease of application. Two-component (2K) polyurea sealants from Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC can also stand up to moisture, provide superior UV and color stability and offer the option of low-temperature cure with a wide latitude of gel times.

RELIUS coatings from BASF Coatings provide corrosion protection for steel ships and prevent algae, mussels, barnacles, and microorganisms from adhering to the hull. This “antifouling” capability helps ensure smoother, faster sailing and lower fuel consumption.

Permeate™ HS-200, developed and manufactured by D&D Corp. in Japan, is an inorganic silicate sealer paint containing a special chemical that enhances the corrosion resistance of metal surfaces, increasing the life of the coated metal by decades. Greenstone Holdings, Inc. is the exclusive U.S. agent for this product.