Sustainability and regulatory pressure drive innovation in architectural coatings
Sebastian Quapp, Head of R&D at Maleco Farbwerk, spoke with our European Coatings editor Bettina Hoffmann about the significant shifts currently impacting the architectural coatings segment. The industry is facing evolving regulations and sustainability efforts, leading to a stronger focus on preservative-free façade paints and the growing importance of wood protection.
What current trends in the architectural coatings segment are you currently
observing?
Sebastian Quapp: We have been observing in the industry for many years that legislation is having an ever greater influence on products. As a result, a large proportion of development capacity is continually being channelled into laws and regulations that appear at shorter intervals. This inevitably leaves less room for real innovation, orientated towards the needs of the processor. One of the ever-growing trends is therefore also linked to labelling. Paints and plasters for façades without (film) preservatives will be more in demand in future than conventional products. It is still difficult to predict what regulations such as the Green Deal and the Microplastics Regulation will ultimately lead to thereby creating artificial trends. The coating or protection of wood or wood-based materials will increase in the future. Truly sustainable construction will replace cement with wood in many areas, even if the cement industry has recently entered the market with “zero-emission products” or additives that reduce demand, there is still a lot of potential for CO2 storage in wood as a building material. This needs to be protected for as long as possible.
Where do you see the greatest growth potential for architectural coatings?
Quapp: The required versatility of the products will increase, as new materials and installation situations on the property mean that substrates with new requirements are increasingly available and demand more from the products. Universality is required here in the interests of the installer and simple products are the key rather than the tenth special solution. The topic of sustainability should also be thought of from the end and the value of long-lasting products should be focussed on. This will help consumers and the environment more than a “mass-balanced” proportion of 30 % in one of the many additives or similar calculation games. Every step in this direction is right and important, which is why honest products continue to be of increasing interest.
