ACE: “The move to low VOC-coatings is a challenge in itself
Agriculture, construction and earth moving equipment is a business that generates a high demand for coatings. We spoke to Fernanda Tavares of Cardolite about the challenges of this particular market and what the raw material industry can contribute.
The trend towards low-VOC coatings is also very notable in the ACE sector. What are you doing to achieve this goal?
Fernanda Tavares: Cardolite has launched and continues to develop very low viscosity high-solids, solvent-free and water-borne products that enable zero and low-VOC coatings. ACE coatings manufacturers already have options in the market to formulate low-VOC systems, but there is typically a compromise in either cost or performance. In the case of epoxy primers, slower cure speed and inferior corrosion protection are just a few examples of issues commonly faced by companies moving to low-VOC coatings.
Products recently released by Cardolite are designed to work well in standard coating formulations without the need of expensive additives or resins and can be applied by conventional methods. They provide fast recoatability, good intercoat adhesion, and the same excellent corrosion protection offered by medium solids systems. Furthermore, Cardolite has introduced new products that help lower viscosity of the coating system and address regulatory concerns that go hand in hand with the move to low emissions. Among these products, a new line of renewable, non-toxic diluents can be used to replace substances of concern such as nonyl phenol.
There are a lot of very different requirements that ACE-coatings have to deliver and quality is getting more and more important. In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges in the next 5 to 10 years?
Fernanda Tavares, Global Marketing Directorat Cardolite.
Tavares: The move to low VOC-coatings is a challenge in itself. Not only formulators need to eliminate solvents, but they also need to comply with new regulations. As the European REACH comes into effect and new toxicity studies are conducted in the industry, some of the materials used to help lower VOC or deliver high performance are being banned or have changed to a worse label. Even when technical solutions are available, they might not be as cost effective or they might require a switch to a new technology and coating application line setup.
The second challenge comes with the need to increase throughput while maintaining or improving performance and durability. Increase in throughput requires faster drying and recoatability combined with good adhesion to various types of substrates and top coats. Moreover, these coating systems are expected to withstand harsher environment conditions by providing higher levels of corrosion protection, and abrasion and chemical resistance.
The interview was conducted by Jan Gesthuizen
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