This is our first Green Issue, which focuses on perspectives on our industry’s role in sustainability and new technologies designed with the environment in mind. Some of the technologies featured include waterborne self-crosslinking acrylic emulsions that are a suitable alternative to solventborne finishes for industrial wood coatings, a sustainable cosolvent that exhibits an improved HES profile relative to NMP, and ultrasonic acoustically assisted inline drying, which provides energy savings, increased throughput and a reduced footprint.

We also interviewed two R&D directors at -AkzoNobel to get their perspectives on the powder coatings and biobased markets, and the challenges coatings manufacturers face in developing environment-friendly products. Our monthly blogger, Tony Mash, is also featured in this issue with a detailed article on going beyond “business as usual” efforts to achieve sustainability in the coatings industry.

We specifically targeted this issue for the European Coatings Show (ECS). Show organizers have identified sustainability and green coatings among some of the top trends that are pushing coatings innovations that will be featured at ECS. The European Coatings Congress will also feature a full session on biobased coatings.

Other hot trends to be featured at the event include nanotechnology, functional coatings, radiation-curing coatings and new applications for TiO₂. With over 1,000 exhibitors on the show floor and 144 presentations at the Congress, the ECS is sure to provide attendees with a wealth of new information on the latest developments in fundamental research as well as the newest technologies available to coatings manufacturers.

The Congress runs April 20-21, and the Show is April 21-23 in Nuremberg, Germany. For more information on the ECS and a preview of what some companies will be exhibiting, turn to page 24 for our pre-show coverage. We also offer complete coverage of the ECS on our website at www.pcimag.com/europeancoatingshow and in our daily show eNewsletter.

 I look forward to seeing many of our readers and industry suppliers in Nuremberg later this month. Be sure to stop by PCI’s stand in Hall 1 (1-148) to say hello or give us your thoughts on how we can better serve you.