Antique Brown® M38 solution or gel from Birchwood Casey reportedly makes it easy to achieve oil-rubbed bronze and leather brown finishes. The liquid product can be applied as an immersion browning solution or as a brush-on. The gel is a thickened version of the product designed for application on large flat surfaces or for components that are already installed, such as wall panels, handrails, sculpture, etc.

HolyStone International has introduced a new coating process designed to prevent surface arcing or flashover on X7R multilayer ceramic capacitors. The material coats the surface of the dielectric without encroaching on the termination material, creating a nonporous surface that prevents moisture and dirt from being trapped, which reduces the surface resistance and arcing voltage of the capacitor.

Houston Plating & Coatings (HP&C), a Houston-based provider of corrosion prevention services, has been awarded the first Houston-area license for InnerArmor™, a new, proprietary interior coating process developed by Pleasanton, California–based Sub-One Technology.

Sensory Analytics has been issued the company’s third patent, U.S. Patent No. 7,274,463, for the non-contact measurement of coatings using proprietary sensor technologies. The company has a number of additional US and international patent applications pending and on file.

John Simpson at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a super-water repellent (superhydrophobic) material that is easy to fabricate and uses inexpensive base materials. The patent-pending process could lead to the creation of a new class of water repellant products, including windshields, eyewear, clothing, building materials, road surfaces, ship hulls and self-cleaning coatings.

The European Commission and the Canadian Competition Bureau have approved Akzo Nobel’s merger clearance request with regard to its proposed acquisition of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). The transaction had already been cleared by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Fusion UV Systems, Inc. has restructured its distribution operations in the United Kingdom. Fusion will transfer the sales and service of Fusion customers in the Benelux countries and the UK/Eire from Fusion UK to an independent distributor UVio Ltd., founded by Scott FitzGerald, who was formerly with Fusion UV Systems, Inc.

PPG Industries, through a European subsidiary, has agreed to purchase the bodyshop distribution business of Unipart Automotive. The transaction is expected to close on or about January 31, 2008.

Three custom-finished Ford vehicles at the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, received “Best of Show” awards and an L.A. Auto Show selection from Ford’s judges. All three vehicles featured vibrant colors by Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes – SWAFC Planet Color™.

Needle Roller Bearings Co. Ltd (NBR), a leading manufacturer of needle roller bearings targeted for use in motorcycle engines, outboard motors and other high rotational speed engines, has chosen Victrex plc’s VICOTE® 804 Blk coating to replace copper and silver plating. The coating is believed to reduce the wear on the outer surface of the roller bearing, and thus can enable longer life of the actual cage.