Paige Marie Morse C&ENHouston

The U.S. paints and coatings industry is best described as both mature and dynamic. Although this may

sound contradictory, these terms aptly characterize an industry increasingly dominated by strong competition and nearly overwhelmed with environmental concerns.

At the same time, consumer e x n | | g j | tions about paint p e r f o r m a n c e # | ^ ^ ^ ^ to rise, spurred by fierce^^^^^^^^^B paigns of c o m p e t i ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ g Hectic lifestyles a i ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ P of repainting l e a c ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ m i tractors to d e m a j ^ | ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ P ^ ^ ^ t i n g s that last longer.

Producers' c ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ f f o r t s to over­come these j g ^ ^ p ^ s , combined with the eage rne^^^faw material suppliers to participatéln this huge market, ensure that this industry is always far from dull.

U.S. sales of paints and coatings to­taled $17.5 billion in 1997 and are growing by 3.5% per year, _ according to a recent report by the market research firm Frost & Sullivan, Mountain View, Calif. Architectural coatings ac­counted for 37% of the market, followed by original equipment manufacturer coatings (which include automobiles) at 30%, and special-purpose coatings with 27%. The much smaller powder coatings and radiation-cured coatings segments ac­counted for 5% and 1% of sales, respectively.

The consolidation t rend that began in the 1980s contin­ues, fueled by ever-growing de­mands for technology improve­ments and ever-shrinking profit margins for producers. The number of paint companies has declined by nearly one-third in recent years, and the

concentration of sales among fewer com4 panies continues to rise. -'

In 1990, 35 paint companies had sales of more than $50 million, accounting fo | 71% of all shipments in the industry, ac­cording to the "1998 Rauch Guide to the U.S. Paint Industry," published by Impact Marketing Consultants, Manchester Cen­ter, Vt. By 1996, the paifiber of compa-nie^with more tlpn $50 million in sales hac^^clined to 23, yet their control of mà^^^ shipments had increased to

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ newly formed industry giants | |apM&ve the advantage of economies of PÉfcale, but problems with logistics and business coordination often challenge them. And that most companies are grow­ing and managing their businesses on a global scale exacerbates these issues.

"The competition is stronger now," says Theo Bouwens, general manager of architectural coatings for Akzo Nobel. "But on the other hand, you get more companies with the same problems that

Industry indicators give mixed results for 1997. Page 46

Colorants for architectural coatings require careful formulation. Page 49

Global consolidation of producers conflicts with varied consumer preferences in architectural coatings market. Page 54

Coatings for backyard decks do not meet consumer expectations. Page 59

New technologies begin to meet the demands of specialty exterior coatings. Page 61

we have." Akzo Nobel ismâë^&^m^^^ largest industry acquisi t ions-fc ;^iéë | i^ months, purchasing Courtaulds firf i y ^ ^ | 5 $3 billion (C&EN, June 15, p ^ é i i ^ S ^ ^ combined fibers business OJf theH^pug^ companies is being spun off as AiSldfeS (C&EN, Sept. 28, page 14), leaving AfapT% with coatings, chemicals, and health care businesses. Coatings accounted for 35%w; of Akzo Nobel's sales in 1997.

Some leading companies have also t

used the industry consolidation to con­centrate their efforts on certain coatings segments while divesting assets in oth­ers. PPG Industries, for example, partici­pates in the architectural market in North America only. Likewise, to focus on industrial and product finishes in Europe, PPG recently sold the architec­tural coating assets from a 1997 Europe­an acquisition, Max Meyer Duco, to the French company LaFarge.

BASF is also targeting product finish­es. Earlier this year, the company sold its European architectural products to Akzo, and it swapped its container coating products for PPG's surfactant products last fall (C&EN, Sept. 1, 1997, page 16).

As the number of paint companies has decreased, so has the number of po­tential customers for the chemical com­panies that supply this market. Choosing the right customers and focusing on their needs is an important necessity, says Mark McCusker, U.S. business direc­tor of additives for coatings at Ciba Spe­cialty Chemicals in Tarrytown, N.Y. "You cannot service all of the major and minor

companies at the same time to _ _ the same level. You just don't

have those kinds of resources," he explains.

Suppliers' resources are in demand in this highly competi­tive market, with paint compa­nies continually demanding new technologies to differenti­ate themselves from their com­petitors. However, the long development time of many coat­ing systems means that suppli­ers often have to wait several years for commercial sales.

"A development usually takes five to seven years from start­ing in the lab to becoming a commercial product in the marketplace," says Ron G. Eri-tano, technical manager for maintenance and architectural paints at Bayer Corp. The com­pany does not offer systems for the general market but in-

4 2 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

!ΡΑίιΜΤ£> 'Λ dOATIiMGli;

co-iiiv Houston

>( 7i%i!accp| How^^fr;:

achieving solvem~base$ newo* techno! and elusive

Environmental $t coatings are the tnost U.S., stemming from Act and local and regtoi Robert Nelson, directoro^ affairs at the National Paints sociation (3NPCÀ), Washington, V^mjs the variations in regulations ^throughout the U.S. cause significant logistical prob­lems for many paint companies, especially as they expand their regions through con­solidation. He adds that non-U.S.-based paint companies have a particularly diffi­cult time understanding and preparing for these differences.

NPCA is working with several regula­tory groups throughout the U.S. to limit regulation of the paint industry. The group's position is that "market forces and changes in technology" will work to decrease the environmental impact of paints, Nelson says, but that message has not been well received.

A long-awaited amendment to the Clean Air Act—covering volatile organic compound (VOC) content of architectur­al and industrial maintenance paints— was released last month. Paints manufac­tured after Sept. 13, 1999, must meet the new guidelines, which call for a VOC emissions reduction of about 20% from 1990 levels. Similar limits are already in place in parts of New York and New Jer­sey, Nelson says. Firms have the option of paying an "exceedence fee" if they find that the cost and effort of reformula­tion are too great.

Many companies anticipated these new

requirements and have reformu­lated to meet them. NPCA con­ducted a survey of 92 member companies this spring—before the new rule was issued—and found that 40% of the respon­dents had completed the refor­mulation of their products that would be affected by the rule. More than half, or 60%, reported that they were currently selling products that met the anticipated requirements. Overall, the com­panies have reduced the VOC content of their products by an average of 24% since 1990.

NPCA is holding two seminars in the next few weeks—on Oct. 29 in Raleigh, N.C., and Nov. 19 in Chicago—to allow members to discuss the new requirements with Environmental Protection Agency representatives.

Southern California has the most re­strictive VOC-reduction requirements in the U.S., under the authority of the South Coast Air Qyality Management District. Paint companies and NPCA have been

^toiitesting amendments to the district's -j&Ée 1113 that significantly reduce VOC content for several paint products.

Last fall, NPCA lost a battle there to stop the required VOC reduction in lac­quers from 680 g per L to 550; this re­quirement took effect on Jan. 1, and the permitted level will drop to 275 g per L by 2005. In July, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Jaffe ruled against NPCA in its lawsuit to stop the required VOC content for flat paint from falling to 100 g per L in July 2001 and then to 50 g per L in 2005. In comparison, the VOC content levels set by the new federal rule, to take effect next year, are 680 g per L for lacquers and 250 g per L for flat paints.

"We have one more shot at [challeng­ing Rule 1113]," Nelson says. "There will be a review in 2001, before the rule goes into effect, when we will attempt to show that the technology is not there." Compa­nies are very concerned that regulations that take effect in California will eventual­ly become national requirements.

Several other environmental issues are pending, Nelson says. The Ozone Transport Commission, which regulates ozone precursor chemicals for 12 north­eastern states, is considering tighter reg­ulations on the VOC content of paints. Also, EPA is considering a broader study of the paint industry to determine if addi­tional regulation, beyond the recent rule

More than one-third of paints sold are for architectural uses

Powder 5%

Radiation cured

1% Special purpose

27%

Architectural 37%

Original equipment manufacturer

30%

1997 U.S. sales = $17.5 billion

Source: Frost & Sullivan

concerning architectural and industrial maintenance paints, is needed. Nelson notes that additional federal require­ments for original equipment manufac­turers are also being discussed.

Another issue for paint companies in recent months has been the impact of the Asian financial crisis. Demand is down 15 to 25% in the region, say most suppliers, but with per capita paint con­sumption running 10 to 20 times less than that in mature markets, the financial impact for most U.S. companies has not been great.

For example, at Millennium Inorgan­ic Chemicals, the Asian demand for tita­nium dioxide is off by 20 to 25%, but that market represents less than 3% of its business, says President Robert E. Lee. "That can be dealt with," he says, considering the strong demand from other regions.

"Most companies are cautiously pull­ing back on decisions to build new plants or implement new marketing plans" in the region, says John F. Martin, senior manager at the consulting firm Arthur D. Little, Cambridge, Mass. "It is a wait-and-see attitude before they make large expenditures."

The Asian market will gradually re­cover, say most suppliers and produc­ers, eventually returning to growth lev­els that are two to three times that of Europe and the U.S. And companies ex­pect that the region, as well as other developing regions, will move rapidly into advanced high-performance prod­ucts as major global producers from other regions begin to supply those areas. M

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 4 3

J^&d develops new products with paint ||||mpanies for specific applications. Φ%Μφ^ technologies are also required to ^ ^ i ] i e coinpliance with expanding envi-i^^^kmà ^regulations. Although often ^ ^ ^ ^ à | g ifeufden, many chemical com-^^^^JçfaiQwIèdge that the regulations ^^^φ$^φ significant technology ad-â f l w ^ ^ ^ J ^ T ihe industry. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ i ç ^ : â n d high-solids products ^^^^^^ | | t y : ; | ep l ac i ag solvent-based ^^^^^^^8ïMppl iça t ions , . In particu-^^^^^^Μφ^φχ%ά^ with acrylic poly-i ^^^^^^ f t l ^ f e^ r s " t eve made signifi-^é^^^^^^Mè^S. architectural mar-i^^^^^^^^^s^996f< water-based ? J ^ p ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ | f e ^ ^ d \ t h e i r market ^ s i t ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ t f ^ 4 ^ ^ i d < exterior wa-^tmé^0^^^^^mté from 60% to ; ? | % ; ^ € ] S ^ P ^ ^ ^ | | L ' Guide. - ^ ^ K p ^ y f r l ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ W f e r a ^ n i t that ' achieving Ϊ Ι ^ Ρ ^ ^ ^ Κ ^ ^ Μ Ε tfâdàtional s o l v e n t ^ ^ ^ i ^ ^ É ^ ^ ^ ^ ; m&W gh.$se newer téçÉBù^^^^^^^0^ïâl^ciut and d i j s ^ ^ ^ X ; ^ ? ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ */- „„">

Bnvik>t |paentf%^f^^^^^ |^^^d coatings a r e : t t e ; ^ o ^ j ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ r % e " :

OS,, stemming Ao&tiS^^^^^^^"^: „ Act aiid^tocal and Tegfe1^|^^^Ô§^4, Rot>ert Kelson, d fe^^ :o jR . fn^^^ |^^ f affairs at tjhe National^pàî^S|Ô0f|^f^.

Exactly your chemistry.

Your local

03Ti3nt

business

Clariant offers as a globally leading company a broad range of chemical specialties for all important applications. With affiliâtes in more than 80 countries we are every where near to you. Our customer-oriented research and development the high adaptability of oyr prediction facilities to changing trends in local markets and the extended marketing, distribution and services network are the pillars for customer partnership all over the globe.

Clariant International Ltd. Rothausstrasse 61, CH-4132 Muttenz/Switzerland, Phone +41 61 4696989, F j a x ^ 1 8 ^ ^ ^ i ^ lftternetwww.clariant.com

CIRCLE 7 ON READER SERVICE CARD

product repor t

Mixed Results For '97

Β I y most measures, 1997 shaped up to be a mixed year for the paints

'and coatings industry, according to data compiled by the Department of Labor and the Census Bureau. Although shipments and prices increased in some segments, no single segment saw increas­es in both figures. And raw material pric­es were up for the year, limiting any sig­nificant producer profit gains through in­creases in prices.

The industry is increasingly con­cerned that the varied results for 1997 and early 1998 are a transition leading to an apparent downturn for all of 1998 and the next year. "Disappointing" was the word used by Sherwin-Williams, the largest U.S. paint company, in a recent statement on its preliminary third-quar­ter results.

Although these data may suggest cer­tain trends, Steven J. Nerlfi, a director at the marketing research group Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney, North Caldwell, N.J, cautions against drawing any significant conclusions. Government figures are of­ten incomplete compared with other studies, he warns, because only tradition­al coatings segments are included. Also, with the numerous mergers and acquisi­tions that have occurred in recent years, participating companies often make er­rors when reporting their sales to gov­ernment agencies.

According to government figures, to­tal shipments of paints and coatings for 1997 were valued at $16.4 billion, down less than 1% from the previous year. In the architectural segment, which repre­sents about 40% of the total market, ship­ment volumes, totaling 647 million gal, were slightly above 1996 values, but to­tal sales, at $6.15 billion, were lower. Wholesale prices for this segment were down nearly 3% from 1996 to 1997, to an average of $9.51 per gal.

One factor contributing to lower paint prices is the increasing volume of architec­tural paints sold through large warehouse stores. Nearly one-third of these paints are now sold through outlets such as Home Depot and Lowes, says Thomas Mach, se­nior industry analyst at the market research firm Frost & Sullivan, Mountain View, Calif, up from just 10% in 1988. Paint compa­nies often compete in fierce bidding wars to ensure that their products are displayed in these stores, pushing prices lower.

Paint production employment held steady in 1997 Thousands 80

60

40

20

0

Total

Nonproduction workers

Production workers

• • ' • • 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1

1987 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97

Source: Labor Department

Maintaining profit margins is particu­larly difficult in this market, which de­mands frequent product improvements.

"In absolute terms, the price of paint has been relatively flat for a number of years," says Maurice V. Peconi, vice pres­ident of architectural coatings at PPG In­dustries. "This has challenged the chem­istry of the supply community to be able to reformulate to address environmental issues and make a better performing product, all at the same cost."

Waterborne paints continue to dis­place solvent systems in the architectural paint market, especially in exterior paints. Nearly three-quarters of exterior paint shipments in 1997 were water-

borne products, with waterborne ship­ments increasing 10% compared with 1996. In the same period, solvent-based shipments decreased by 4%. The growth of waterborne products was less pro­nounced in interior paints, with an in­crease of less than 1%, but solvent-based paint volumes declined almost 14%.

Shipments were up for product finish­es in 1997, with volumes rising 6.5% and revenues up 5%. Most of the large-volume applications in this segment-automotive, wood furniture, and metal-building products—grew, except for container coatings, which declined 11% in volume and 3% in total sales. Prices overall were down slightly for the year.

Special-purpose coatings were off markedly in 1997 to 182 million gal and $2.9 billion. Shipments were down 13% in volume and 11% in sales, following several years of growth. Interior industri­al maintenance paint sales dropped sig­nificantly, with volumes more than 50% lower than 1996 levels.

Wholesale prices increased to $15.93 per gal in this segment, primarily owing to a shift to higher quality paints, ex­plains Jay R. Willner, principal at the market research group WEH Corp., San Francisco. Labor expenses represent about 80% of the cost of painting in the maintenance market, primarily because of expensive surface preparation meth­ods, so customers are using higher quali­ty and longer lasting paints.

Prepared paint and paint material prices increased slightly in 1997, to in­dex levels of 152.1 and 141.5 (1982 = 100), and have continued to rise in the early months of this year, according to the Department of Labor. Price increases for polymer resins and titanium diox­ide—the largest components and most

Prices of prepared paints rise, paint materials slip Price index, 1982 = 100 160

140

120

100

80

60

] Paint materials I Prepared paints

1 -11111 I 1 1 m 1 |l ι 1 1 1 1 ils m m 1 I Ι Ρ li l Ι ΙΊ II 1 I m m m I mm m IBM H M H H m m M 1 I I 11 lu II S I I I I I ils I M I • H Ν H m 1 id l i 11 l i l i l i I I I I l i l l l i I I 1 l i 1 l i fa ï 1

1987 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97

Source: Department of Labor

4 6 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

1998

Follow the sign to success. At the beginning of 1998, Rhône-Poulenc's Chemical operations joined

forces with its Fibers and Polymers Divisions to become Rhodia.

While our company name may be new to you, the names of our products

remain as familiar and dependable signs of the functional attributes and

quality performance that you have come to rely on.

(Rhodia Home, Personal Care and Industrial Ingredients

CIRCLE 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD

P U / 3 / V E - ΡOULFNC

Rhodia

prod wcliiiUi^^B

Coatings shipments showed mixed results in 1997 Architectural coatings Shipments, millions of gal 700 1

600 l·

500 I

400 l·

300 I

200 I

100 L

OL

-

-

Shipments, $ billions 7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

-

- -

-

$ per gal

1 10Γ

J 6 l ·

1 4 i 2h

J o l 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Product coatings3

Shipments, millions of gal

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

500

4 0 0

300

200

100

0

-

-

Shipments, $ billions β

5

4

3

2

1

0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Special-purpose coatings Shipments, millions of gal Shipments, $ billions 250

200

150

100

50

0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

a Original equipment manufacturers. Source: Bureau of the Census

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

$ per gal 14

12

10

δ

6

4

2

0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

$ per gal 20

15

10

5

0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

expensive raw materials for most paints—are reflected in the producer price index for paint materials. Several ti­tanium dioxide price increases were im­plemented in recent months, returning market prices to levels not seen since the large price drop in 1996, according to James Fisher, president and chief exec­utive officer of International Business

Management Associates, Princeton Junction, N.J.

Meanwhile, employment in the paints and coatings industry showed little change in 1997, after several years of de­cline. Total employment has dropped nearly 20% in the past 10 years as the in­dustry consolidated and producers sought to gain cost improvements by

combining administrative functions. Em­ployment of production workers de­clined only 12% over the same 10-year period.

Most paints are considered commodi­ty products and, as such, the strength of their market tracks closely with major economic indicators. Although moder­ate growth continued in 1997 and the

4 8 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

Major segments in each coating classification Architectural coatings

Exterior house paints Interior house paints Stains and varnishes Undercoats, primers & sealers

Product coatingsa

Appliances Automotive Coil coatings Electrical insulation Factory-finished wood Machinery & equipment Metal containers Metal furniture & fixtures Paper, film & foil

a Original equipment manufacturers.

Toys & sporting goods Transportation (nonautomotive) Wood furniture & fixtures

Special-purpose coatings Aerosols Arts & crafts Automotive refinishing Bridge maintenance High-performance

maintenance Marine Metallic coatings Roof coatings Swimming pool coatings Traffic paint

Sources: SRI Consulting, Department of Commerce

early months of 1998, a sense of uncer­tainty about the economy's strength permeates most predictions about the future.

Assuming there are no major changes in the economy, Frost & Sullivan's Mach predicts a 3.5% annual growth rate for sales over the next seven years for the paints and coatings industry. A significant economic slowdown would

reduce or eliminate growth overall, but he notes that some segments of the paint industry—in­cluding automotive refinish and do-it-yourself architectur­al paint—can be helped by a reces­sionary economy.

Significant chang­es in environmental regulations can also have a major effect on the growth of this market, says Mach, particularly if regula­tions significantly lower the allowable content of volatile or­

ganic compounds (VOCs) for architec­tural or automotive paints. Most paint companies are prepared to meet the re­cently released architectural VOC limits, to be enforced beginning September 1999. But proposed regional and nation­al regulations that would not take effect until 2001 or 2003 could affect market growth—particularly for automotive coatings.^.

Variety, Flexibility Key To Colorants Market

Shopping for house paint is seldom a speedy exercise for most con­sumers, especially when it comes

to selecting a color. Instead of deciding quickly between a few colors, consum­ers can now peruse hundreds of color choices from a variety of manu­facturers. And if the desired shade is not listed in a brochure, often a custom color can be prepared in the store—a practice called "point-of-sale tinting."

"It is a better way to market paint to the consumer," says Robert J. Poemer, director of marketing for colorants at Creanova, a subsidiary of Huls. Archi­tectural paints make up the bulk of Creanova's colorants business, with 85% of its sales in that market.

One pigment supplier to this market jokes that "all the other components of paint are really designed just to hold the pigment in there." In this market, his assessment is largely accurate.

Color choice has become an impor­tant requirement in the architectural market, where consumers are particular­ly interested in the aesthetic at­tributes of paint. Paint companies and retail outlets have also bene­fited from the use of point-of-sale tinting systems, because only a few base paints have to be stocked, tying up less inventory in potentially obsolete colors.

In industrial applications, most colorants are formulated ei­ther in the paint manufacturing plant or by a local colorant sup­plier. These colorant dispersions are typically developed for a spe­cific paint and are used soon af­ter they are prepared. In con­trast, pigment formulations for architectural applications are blended with a variety of paints at the time of purchase, and shelf

stability and compatibility with many dif­ferent paint systems—including both sol­vent-borne and waterborne paints—are now key requirements.

Developing the products that pro­vide this freedom of choice is a chal­lenging task, requiring the combined ef­forts of many different raw material suppliers—including pigment produc­ers, surfactant manufacturers, and addi­tive suppliers. All of these companies work with the colorant manufacturer to prepare a product that can be used in most paints. Major colorant compa­nies include Creanova, Degussa, and Tikkurila.

The primary pigment used in paint is titanium dioxide. Although it does not provide color to the system, this white pigment makes the paint opaque and can significantly affect its durability. The architectural coatings market is the largest market for titanium dioxide, consuming nearly 2 million metric tons in 1996 (C&EN, March 9, page 10).

"With point-of-sale tinting, most of the titanium dioxide is in the base paint," explains Peter C. Compo, global market manager of white pigments and mineral products at DuPont. Light-colored base paints typically have more titanium dioxide than dark base paints because the darker pigments also add some opacity.

A tinting system for architectural paints uses a standard list of 12 colo­rants, which are made with a variety of inorganic and organic pigments. Com­mon pigment loadings in colorants range from 60 to 75% solids, with wa­ter, solvent, and surfactants making up the remainder.

"Colorants use mostly iron oxide pig-

Iron oxide pigment is most

WÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ. WÊÊÊÊÊÊ

• M i

Complex inorganic

1% lIBesSB M M

i l lpiS l i f t

• I 1996 paints & coatings pigment ^^consumption = 73,900 metric tons

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 49

commonly used colorant

Source: SRI Consulting

product repor t

ments," says Ray Will, senior consultant at SRI Consulting, Menlo Park, Calif. In a recent report on pigments, he writes that the combined segments of the paints and coatings market consumed 31%, or 73,900 metric tons, of the col­ored pigments used in the U.S. in 1996. Nearly three-quarters of that volume was iron oxide pigments. The use of these pigments is split across market segments, with 46% used for product finishes, 37% for architectural coatings, and 17% for special-purpose coatings.

Organic pigments provide the brightest colors, and their use has been growing in recent years. In 1996, these pigments accounted for about 14% of the pigments used for paints and coatings, divid­ed among product finishes, with 55%; architectural coatings, 30%; and special-purpose coatings, 15%.

Chromium-based pig­ments and complex inor­ganic pigments, which give a variety of colors, account for the remaining volume used in coatings, at 12% and 1%, respectively.

"There are trade-offs to both inorganic and organic pigments," says Creanova's Poemer. "Organic pig­ments give bright, clean colors, but they are expen­sive and their lightfastness is not good. Inorganic pig­ments are cheap and have good lightfastness," he says, "but the colors are muted earth tones."

Regardless of the type of pigment, it must be well dis­persed in the paint to pro­vide maximum color and durability to the paint. And the efficiency in dispersing a pigment contributes to the final paint cost. An efficient dispers­ant, or surfactant, requires less pigment to achieve a desired color and less me­chanical energy to mix the dispersion.

"Surfactants are vital in the pigment dispersion process, " says Fred A. Giles, coatings application chemist for Triton and Tergitol surfactants at Union Car­bide. The company offers a broad line of surfactants to disperse a variety of pigments. Nonionic surfactants are typi­cally used to coat the pigment particles to prevent reagglomeration, he says.

Colorants demand a lot of surfactant to ensure their stability. "The colorant

manufacturer provides a concentrated pigment dispersion to the paint store," Giles says. "The stability of that disper­sion is critical because it may sit around for weeks or months."

"You want to impart color, but not af­fect the paint properties" when adding a colorant, Creanova's Poemer says. "The challenge is developing something that has compatibility in both types of chem­istries—water and solvent," he adds.

Accomplishing this, especially in waterborne latex paints, has become more difficult in recent years because of the type of surfactants that are com­monly used as rheology modifiers, or thickeners. Most latex formulators have

Technician determines the durability of additives and pigments through weatherometer testing.

shifted away from cellulosic surfactants to associative surfactants as paint thick­eners to achieve better paint perfor­mance. Brush marks are often visible in cellulosic systems because the paint does not flow well after it is applied. A much smoother paint surface is made using associative thickeners, giving a coating that looks much like a solvent-based paint.

Cellulosic thickeners, which are de­rived from cotton or wood bark, cause thickening by swelling as they absorb water. In contrast, associative thicken­ers are typically urethane-based poly­mers with hydrophobic sections that loosely associate with various compo­

nents in the paint. Many of these thick­eners are hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethanes and are referred to by the acronym HEUR.

The mechanism of associative thick­ening results from a carefully balanced system, and that balance is easily dis­rupted when other components are added. "Colorants bring surfactant with them, which tends to disrupt the asso­ciative mechanism," explains Patrick M. Finegan, Rohm and Haas's coatings group market manager for North Amer­ica. The result is a rapid drop in the paint viscosity, which causes the pig­ments to settle out or the paint to drip down a wall.

Paint companies often formulate their base paints to higher viscosity, says Car­bide's Giles, to accommo­date the viscosity reduction caused by the colorant, but they can also use other for­mulation techniques.

Rohm and Haas has a new line of surfactants, re­ferred to by the acronym HASE—for hydrophobical­ly modified alkali-soluble emulsions—that show less tendency to lose viscosity with the addition of a colo­rant compared with other associative thickeners.

The shape of a pigment particle can also affect the viscosity of paint. Bayer is offering a new yellow iron oxide pigment that has spherical particles. "You get better flow properties with these yellows," says Erwin Ratajczak, technical service manager for pigments at Bayer. Overall, the viscosity

is lower at higher pigment loadings, so more pigment can be used to achieve a strong color.

Ratajczak notes that these particles also offer another performance advan­tage: The particle shape eliminates a common problem in color variation on wood surfaces, called silking, that arises when more typical needlelike pigment particles align with the wood grain. Many coatings companies are testing this pigment, but mostly for its rheolo­gy characteristics, he adds.

Other components in paint can also af­fect the color appearance. "A binder changes the whole chemistry of the sys­tem," says Donald C. Mann, sales director

50 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

Surface tension, that is... with DuPont ZonyI Fluorosurfactants

DuPont Specialty Chemicals offers Zonyl®—a full line of nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric fluorosurfac­tants. For more than thirty years, Zonyl® has a proven track record for reducing surface tension and improving finish quality, even in the most demanding systems. They are ideal for applications that require wetting power, leveling, spreading and low foam generation.

DuPont has the capability and the commitment to supply Zonyl® Fluorosurfactants for use in various products

such as coatings, films, cleaners, polishes and more. Just name it.

So relax. Put DuPont Zonyl® Fluorosurfactants to work for you.

You can find out more on the DuPont family of fluoro­surfactants, receive product samples or request techni­cal service by calling 1-800-255-4596. Or fax us at 609-540-2437 or e-mail us at zonyl@usa.dupont.com

thank γοιί«* i8«tinflUs\nBe«rf ,th659

iiDHBD; Zonyl* Fluorosurfactants Only by DuPont

CIRCLE 13 ON READER SERVICE CARD

atthelÇESho*

Reduce

Tension

A newly-built US plant in full swing

Magic with

Silica sol!

·% · · # * Colloidal Silica dispersed in organic solvent.

Type

MT-ST MA-ST-S IPA-ST IPA-ST-S EG-ST NPC-ST-30

MEK-ST MIBK-ST

DMAC-ST

Si02%

30 30 30 30 20 30

30 30

20

Dispersant

Methanol Methanol Isopropanol Isopropanol Ethyleneglycol Ethyleneglycol-mono-n-propylether Methyl ethyl ketone Methyl isobutyl ke­tone N,N-Dimethyl acetamide

Particle Dia. (nm)

12 9 12 9 12 12

12 12

12

Available product is much more.

5 ^ «v%* V*£?*A

# 3? *-m ÎSÀi

Type ST-UP MA-ST-UP

Si02% 20 15

Dispersant Water

Methanol

chain molecules of silica. 5-20nm in width 40-300nm in length

ST-0 negatively charged small particle sol (ca. 12nm), not including anion and cation without stabilizing ion

For prompt reply, please contact directly by fax now:

Q NISSAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD. Chemicals Division

Tokyo Head Office:

Phone:03-3296-8065 Telefax:03-3296-8360

New York Office: Contact person: M.Ma'sumura

Phone: 914-332-4745 Telefax:914-332-4808

Houston Office: Contact person: Sam Kondo

Phone: 281-474-2820 Telefax: 281-474-9175

Dusseldorf Office: Contact person: H.Masuda

Phone: 3211 -363591 Telefax:0211 -162243

http://www.snowtex.com

CIRCLE 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD

5 2 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

Designer paints grab the eye . . . and the wallet

Walk into most paint stores or home centers these days and you can easily recognize the names on cans of paint. Whether the label lists a famous clothes designer, like Ralph Lauren, or an inte­rior decorator, like Martha Stewart, paint manufacturers are trying to lure consumers into buying specialty prod­ucts to coat the walls of their homes. In this mature market that has seen little differentiation in recent years, such va­riety is offering some welcome relief to producers and consumers.

"Paint manufacturers are trying to dif­ferentiate themselves in the market," says Patrick M. Finegan, coatings group market manager for North America at Rohm and Haas. "The designer paints are targeted at the upper end of the do-it-yourself market, adding decorative colors and textures and providing de­signer assistance to give people confi­dence that they are putting the right two colors together."

Although the marketing is definitely slick, it is not clear if what's inside that designer paint can is any better than less notably labeled products. Certainly the "designer" price, which is typically 20 to 80% higher than standard prod­ucts, suggests that these paints will give improved performance. Several raw material suppliers tell C&EN that their products are included in these formula­tions, but not all are convinced that the specialty paints are any better.

"You may be able to get special color matching or an interior design by

matching fabrics," says one supplier, "but as far as quality, it is no better than a good quality paint."

Another supplier suggests that paint companies are just trying to link their name with a well-known consumer im­age to increase the sales of all of their products.

Other suppliers dispute these views, noting that only their high-perfor­mance raw materials are used for these paints, imparting better quality than standard products.

Even if designer paints are more about image than substance, it is not necessarily detrimental to the market, notes David L. Vercollone, senior vice president at Millennium Inorganic Chemicals. "The designer paint trend is an indication that paint producers recognize their success is not just from operating efficiently, but it is also their ability to market creatively. My hope is that architectural paint producers real­ize that more profit is available by put­ting more energy and effort on market­ing than in driving costs down."

Also, these new paint finishes may help to expand the slow-growing archi­tectural coatings market, says Robert J. Poemer, marketing director for colo­rants at Hiils subsidiary Creanova. "Faux finishing is becoming a replace­ment for wallpaper. It is seamless and can be easier and cheaper to apply," he says. "Overall, it helps our business be­cause people are putting more color on their walls."

at Ciba Specially Chemicals. "We try to de­sign our pigment to minimize its sensitivi­ties to the different systems."

Ciba offers both organic and inor­ganic chromatic colors—red, blue, green, yellow, and purple—through its new colors division. Its products are used mostly in the automotive mar­ket—"which likes bright colors," Mann says—but they also have some use in the exterior architectural paint market. However, Mann notes, the recently in­troduced designer paint products favor the use of Ciba's pigments and may in­crease the company's sales in the archi­tectural market.

Currently, the U.S. architectural coatings market is the main outlet for colorants, but the trend to point-of-sale tinting seems to be catching on in oth­er regions. Helma Jotischky, business intelligence coordinator at the Paint Re­search Association, Teddington, En­

gland, reports that some colorants are being used in Europe, especially in the U.K. She notes that this trend seems to be linked to the growth of home im­provement centers, suggesting that in­ventory management is an important factor for growth.

Poemer reports that Creanova has made inroads into Latin America with several major accounts. The company es­timates growth at 3 to 5% in the U.S. and 8 to 10% in new geographic markets.

"Part of the problem [in moving into a new region] is changing the mind of the consumer," Poemer says. Creanova currently does not advertise at the con­sumer level, but it is considering that for the future. Based on the response in the U.S., consumers need only to hear about the possibility of a broad color choice before they eagerly flock to the local paint store to select their favorite shaded

product repor t

Buy Globally. Source Locally.

J" ^-

4*i

Κ ΤΓΪΙι

*f~

^ÊÊÊÊÊÎP

"-•ΐ4Γ

ν •

;{>

r' - ί

Urn

\XÙÏS^*&* "•*"??:. "^^g^i^^ySi^Éfei^M^

Aeeftesters BiïlylCEIi.OSOtVE

doivent 8i%lCÂBBîT0L

Solv i t Isopr^puriol àStSK EtN&rsol Bytanoi

WBBBBBBBaaHgaWaBWwWw» 4 Κ ;

Biitf I âeefife I VMM I Butyi Aeryliite . t UCABBMtyf , I

Proptocwt» ' 1 UC&RfNïfSt^ ' i

Ϊ^ορΪοϊΐΛ ' Ε 24SthylH«xyl . Ι

Acryis^ : §

mmmmmmmmmmm

i 3 ? S ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ι ^ ' ^ ^ Ζ ! '

Union Carbide solvent and monomer capabilities where you need them· The requirements for a global partner in solvents and monomers seem clear enough.. .a wide breadth of products, leading edge technology and a worldwide production, sales and distribution system.

Union Carbide has the broadest product range with world-scale facilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In Malaysia, our joint venture with PETRONAS is building a fully integrated petrochemical complex.

With coverage in 89 countries, let us show you how our investment in solvents and monomers can help maximize your resources.. .anywhere in the world. Contact your local Union Carbide representative today or call 1-800-SOLVENT.

Union Carbide Corporation CELLOSOLVE, CARBITOL and UCAR are trademarks of Union Carbide Corporation

39 Old Ridgebury Road, Danbury, CT 06817-0001 http://www.unioncarbide.com © Copyright 1998 Union Carbide

CIRCLE 28 ON READER SERVICE CARD

product repor t

Architectural Market Challenges Producers

The paints and coatings industry has changed drastically in recent years, swept by a major wave of mergers

and acquisitions. Spurred by sharehold­ers' demand for rapid growth in a slow-growing market, companies are joining forces at all levels of the industry—from raw material suppliers to paint compa­nies to retail stores. And this change is happening on a global scale.

"Globalization and consolidation are speeding the change needed in the paints and coatings industry to remain profitable," says Peter C. Compo, global market manager of DuPont's titanium di­oxide business. Profitability for titanium dioxide producers has been weak for the past few years, fostering much merger activity within the industry (C&EN, March 9, page 10).

As part of their cost-cutting efforts after acquisitions, many large paint producers are rationalizing their product lines and even considering moves toward single glo­bal formulations for major paint applica­tions. Eager to oblige, raw material suppli­ers join this effort, hoping to help convert new regions to formulations based on their products. However, such ac­tions clash with the diverse inter­ests of expanding customer bases throughout the world. This con­flict is particularly strong in the ar­chitectural market, where con­sumer paint preferences are often based on such varied factors as climate, culture, and economic development.

"It is quite a problem," agrees Helma Jotischky, business intelli­gence coordinator at the Paint Re­search Association (PRA), Ted-dington, England. "Paint compa­nies want to push one way and customers pull another. Compa­nies have to formulate differently for different markets, and this is not always recognized."

The architectural market is the largest segment of the paints and coatings industry. About half of all paint consumed is used in this segment, with slightly more than half of that volume used for interior applications and the re­

mainder for exterior paints on residential buildings. Many considerations factor into a decision about paint, from a per­sonal choice for a homeowner to a sim­ple economic decision by the owner of an apartment building.

One obvious variable is the assortment of substrates used throughout the world, especially for exterior paints. "In the U.S.," Nicholas F. Mittica, coatings market man­ager at Air Products & Chemicals, says, "a large percentage of exterior architectural coatings are applied to wood. In Europe, on the other hand, much of the paint is being applied to masonry. These sub­strates require specific formulations in or­der to provide long-term durability."

Substrate differences have been high­lighted as a reason for the development of very different paint formulations for the U.S. and Europe. For example, vinyl esters, which are components in many European architectural paints, are not used appreciably in the U.S. Instead, acrylic latex paints are particularly popu­lar in the U.S., for both interior and exte­rior applications.

"Acrylics give the right balance of

properties for this market," says Patrick M. Finegan, coatings market manager for North America at Rohm and Haas. Some of the reasons for choosing an acrylic are climate related, some are sub­strate related, and also there "is just iner­tia," he adds.

In fact, many different polymers are used as binders for architectural paints-including acrylics, vinyl acrylics, vinyl es­ters, styrene acrylics, and alkyds.

The U.S. architectural market has al­ways been very focused on cost, says Theo Bouwens, general manager for ar­chitectural paints at Akzo Nobel, in con­trast to several countries in Europe. "Ar­chitectural coatings are considered to be somewhat higher in value in Europe than in the U.S., particularly regarding their protective properties."

He adds that the perception of lower value may correlate to the strong do-it-yourself market in the U.S. "The Ameri­can paint industry has made architectur­al coatings for the general user and made it look like an easy product," he says. "In Europe, the focus has been on perfor­mance, durability, and protection."

"It is a very price-driven market," re­sponds Maurice V. Peconi, vice pres­ident of architectural coatings at PPG Industries. Products are often formu­lated around established price points, he explains, with raw materials chosen accordingly.

Consumer preferences, particularly regarding gloss, are also rather different between the regions. In general, the U.S. gloss re­quirements for architectural paints are lower, says PRA's Jo­tischky, but she cautions against making general statements about the preferences for all of Europe. "There is quite a bit of regional difference, even within Europe. Consumers in England expect higher gloss, while Ger­man consumers are less con­cerned about gloss."

The region's slow conver­sion to waterborne paints is driven by consumers' prefer­ence for glossy paints, says Akzo's Bouwens. "Europeans are used to the high-perfor­mance, solvent-based alkyd products" that give high gloss, good flow, and scratch resis­tance. "That kind of perfor­mance is still not available in acrylics [latexes]. As soon as the paint industry can copy the

54 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

alkyd performance [in water-based for­mulations], the transition to waterborne products will go quickly."

Strong environmental regulations have pushed the U.S. paint market to­ward waterborne products. Restrictions on volatile organic compound (VOC) content for paints exist in few other countries, and such limits have a major impact on paint formulations. Most waterborne paints contain some solvent as an aid in film formation; restricting the use of solvents, or removing them alto­gether, affects such performance factors as gloss, freeze-thaw stability, and film hardness.

"Determining if a product is a VOC [contributor] depends on where you are, who is doing the measuring, and what method they are using," says Eric De-Loach, coatings business director at East­man Chemical. The company's primary product for the architectural market, the commonly used solvent Texanol ester al­cohol, is considered a VOC contributor in the U.S., but not in most other parts of the world.

Currently, Europe does not have any VOC regulations, but most suppliers ex­pect they will come soon. A pending Eu­ropean Union directive for coatings re­stricts the emissions of facilities in which product finishes are applied—where abatement equipment can be used—and does not cover architectural coatings.

One large retail supplier in the U.K., B&Q, has begun to label the paint prod­ucts it sells to show the relative level of solvent they contain, says Jotischky. The program was started early this year, so it

Pastel-toned PPG Industries paints add charm to the airport in Savannah, Ga.

is too early to know if the labeling has af­fected product sales, but she does not be­lieve consumers will pay attention to the label.

Despite these dif­ferences, paint com­panies remain fo­cused on achieving the cost reductions that come from run­ning unified business­es. "The companies are trying to leverage the efficiencies that come from the con­solidation of their

paint formulations, production processes, raw material purchases, distribution, and branding," says Rohm and Haas's Finegan. "All of that comes with trying to run a business on a global basis."

Regional consolidation efforts often begin by involving raw material suppliers in the rationalization of raw materials, particularly immediately following an acquisition.

Union Carbide views this exercise as a service that they can offer to their cus­tomers. "We bring expertise in raw mate­rial consolidation," comments Hazel A. B. Kruez, surfactants market manager, "be­cause we offer several different products to the industry."

Not surprisingly, this rationalization also leads to significant price pressures on raw material suppliers, and most have seen at least some of their prices fall as the size of their paint company custom­ers has grown.

In an additional effort to consolidate, some paint companies are pushing sup­pliers to develop general grades of their products so they will need fewer raw materials to make paint.

For titanium dioxide producers, this request led to the development of a uni­versal pigment. Instead of having differ­ent products that excel in either gloss or durability, the producers combined the

Want details? Intermediates

CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3

poly-(p-hydroxystyrene)-Novolak Grade

Get the details on PHS-N and other chemical intermediates.

www.TriQuestLP.com Or call Bill Wilkison at +1.972.720.5010.

@ TriQuest, LP A ChemFirst Company

CIRCLE 26 ON READER SERVICE CARD

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 55

ΤΗΡΕ

HPMC

PsoAEP

PHS-E

PHS-PG

PHS-BZT

PHS-N,

P R O D U C T

A New PARR Reactor Catalog New fixed-head laboratory reactors with self-sealing closures and new high pressure stirred reactors have been added to the Parr line. All are described in a completely revised and expanded 9th Edition of the Parr Laboratory Reactor and Pressure Vessel Catalog. Optional stirrers, charging systems, catalyst holders, condensers, windows and other attachments for all Parr reactors and pressure vessels are included in the new 134-page catalog. Call, write or FAX for your free copy.

R*RR INSTRUMENT CO. ^ ^ ^ 211 Fifty-Third Street

*r!r<sb^ Moline. II. 61265 USA Λ L i l m Phone: 309-762-7716 β tThhW 800-872-7720 ^^ÊÊ^ Fax: 309-762"9453

Web: http://www.parrinst.com E-Mail: parr@parrinst.com

CIRCLE 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD

CONTRACT BULK ACTIVE MANUFACTURING

Specializing in small molecule based anti-cancer

drugs and other highly potent compounds.

• cGMP Bulk production for pre-clinical, clinical and commercial supply

• Process development/process validation

• Full analytical support/method development

• Carbon-14 and tritium labeled drugs for ADME Studies

• cGMP Radiosynthesis Drug Master File preparation

tChemSyn L A B O R A T O R I E S «/ogi'es Division, Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.

(800) 233-6643 · Fax (913) 888-3582 www.chemsyn.com

CIRCLE 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD

p r o d u c t r e p o r t WEE

Acquisitions continue among largest coatings companies

Sherwin-Williams

PPG Industries

ICI

Akzo Nobel

BASF

RPM

DuPont

H. B. Fuller

Valspar

Courtaulds

Market segment

Architectural Product finishes Special purpose

Architectural Product finishes

Architectural Product finishes

Architectural Product finishes Special purpose

Product finishes

Product finishes Special purpose

Product finishes Special purpose

Product finishes

Architectural Product finishes

Architectural Product finishes Special purpose

1997 U.S. market share (% by sales)8

20%

12

9

8

6

6

5

4

4

4

Recent major acquisitions (region)

Thompson Minwax (U.S.), Grow Group household products (U.S.), Sunshine Quality Products (U.S.)

Orica technical coatings (Australia), Courtaulds architectural (U.S.), Max Meyer Duco (Italy), swapped surfactants for BASF container coatings (worldwide)

Superior Paint (U.S.), St. Clair Paint & Wallpaper (Canada), Rutz & Huber (Switzerland)

Courtaulds (worldwide), BASF architectural coatings (Europe)

Salchi SpA. (Italy)

Tremco (U.S.), Multicolor S.A. (Argentina), Chemrite Coatings (South Africa)

Carr's Paint auto coatings (U.K.)

Master Builders floor, wall coatings (U.S.), Coates Coatings (Australia), swapped maintenance coatings with Ameron (U.S.)

Purchased by Akzo

a Total U.S. market in 1997 was $17.5 billion, according to Frost & Sullivan

performance in one product. "We have designed these universal pigments for maximum dispersion, improved opaci­ty, as well as balancing gloss with dura­bility," explains David L. Vercollone, se­nior vice president for sales and market­ing at Millennium Inorganic Chemicals.

"Universal pigments are not a com­promise," stresses DuPont's Compo. Both DuPont and Millennium offer a uni­versal pigment product for some applica­tions, but they note that previous prod­ucts are still required for the producers using older, regional formulations.

Some additive suppliers point out that customers are requesting products that perform multiple functions, like surfac­tants that provide good wetting while also reducing foam or giving better freeze-thaw stability. Whether these uni­versal products can be used to make a formulation for worldwide use is not clear.

"In the architectural paint market, a global formula is not that valuable be­cause you do not ship most of the raw materials," says Compo. Generally in these paints, he points out, local fillers

are used and are poorly processed, re­quiring that paints be formulated to match them. "You must design around what you have," he says.

"There will always be regional differ­ences—there is no doubt about that— because of economic differences and [consumer] preferences," Rohm and Haas's Finegan says.

Paint companies and their suppliers are eager for growth to return to the developing markets of Asia and South America, as all predict it will. But their predictions about the paint choices of those consumers are less resolute—and more varied. Companies suggest key drivers that range from technology to cost to education to personal wealth. Finding a single paint, or even a few se­lect paints, to satisfy such diverse needs is improbable.

Although these new markets may quickly move to the most recent tech­nologies from Europe and the U.S., get­ting the consumers to adopt the same preferences is a much more difficult challenge.^

Continued on page 59

PROSPECTUS

n e w products • • • ^ i S I ï

• Chemicals and materials

201 Nitrous oxide. Electronic grade gas is guaranteed to have total impurities of less than 1 ppm; is available in 6-and 40-lb aluminum and 20-and 60-lb steel cylinders. Airgas

202 Creatine-sucrose biend. Aggregates of microsized crys­tals have spongelike appear­ance and high surface area; provide directly compressible and soluble compound for ap­plications such as tablets and liquid and solid food products. Pfanstiehl

203 Nonionic surfactants. Liquid products have functional chemistry that will impart foam boosting and stabilization, vis­cosity control, emulsification, wetting, and other properties to personal care products; contain no secondary amines. Mona

204 Imaging dry film. Photo-polymer resist offers high dura­bility, adhesion, andfine-line res­olution performance down to 1 mil; withstands long dwell times in harsh chemistries. DuPont

205 Isotope standards. Ref­erence materials for boron, lead, strontium, copper, and zinc are available at concentra­tion of 10 μg/mL in 100-mL bot­tles and come with certificate of analysis that provides com­prehensive information. Spex CertiPrep

206 Coatings catalyst. Sur­factant-stabilized, water-based dispersion reduces cure times in coatings applications; can be incorporated into formulations during compounding stage to enable solvent-free technolo­gy. Baxenden

• Literature and services 207 Fluoropolymers. Bro­chure features ultrapure prod­ucts specifically designed for laboratory, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology markets, such as fluid-handling compo­nents, tubing, bottles, and fit­tings. Norton

208 Ion-exchange resins. Pa­per describes procedure that stops degradation of fire-resistant triaryl phosphate es­ters by controlling acidity and moisture levels; discusses prod­ucts and technology. Purolite

209 Software. Catalog offers products for chromatography and separation science, quality control, mass spectrometry, databases, inventory manage­ment, molecular drawing and modeling, laboratory informa­tion management, and training and education. ChemSW

210 Pesticide standards. Cat­alog lists more than 620 pesti­cide and 202 metabolite refer­

ence materials including fungi­cides, insecticides, herbicides, plant-growth regulators, and nearly all banned and most dis­continued chemicals. Chem Service

211 Liquid nitrogen instru­ments. Data sheet highlights biological equipment and sup­plies, ranging from storage ves­sels to small dewars and acces­sories, for use in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Air Products

212 Laboratory supplies. Catalog presents appliances, fixtures, and other items need­ed to furnish new lab or refur­bish existing one; full lines of plasticware and glassware; ventilation, air-monitoring, and biosafety equipment; and per­sonal protection gear. Lab Safety Supply

213 Film resins. Directory lists metallocene-based concen­trates and essential additives with specifications for carrier-resin requirements, product properties, and regulatory sta­tus. Ampacet

• Instruments and labware 214 Infrared microscope. In­strument provides continuous optical quality view of sample, even during data collection, and enables use of wide vari­ety of IR and visible optics to

enhance IR microsampling; can be upgraded to fully auto­mated system with chemical imaging. Nicolet

215 Chromatograph/spec-trometer. LC/MS hardware and software provide rapid mo­lecular-weight confirmation of individually synthesized chemi­cal entities and can be used by chemists of varying expertise. Hewlett Packard

216 Analytical balance. Unit features large, high-resolution backlit liquid-crystal display, user-selectable stability levels and filters, auto-zero tracking, and standard computer inter­face; is suited for wide range of laboratory and quality control applications. Alliance Scale

217 Electrophoresis. Two clear acrylic mini-assemblies with UV-transparent, no-tape gel trays are connected to power supply to provide results for up to 48 samples at one time. Safety and reproducibility are ensured with regulated con­stant-voltage output. Fotodyne

218 Water analyzer. Model tests potable water, sewage, industrial waste, and environ­mental standards; provides di­rect readouts in field or labora­tory; performs more than 35 measurements, including tests for trace elements, pH, turbidi­ty, and color. Kernco

219 Fermentor. Customizable benchtop unit for microbial, in­sect, and mammalian cell cul­ture can be used for applica­tions ranging from process development to small-scale

production. Capabilities include rapid temperature shifts for heat induction and oxygen-transfer rates up to 350 mM 0 2 per L per hour. New Bruns­wick Scientific

220 Chromatography col­umns. Glass solid-phase ex­traction columns are enhanced for low-level, contaminant-free

analysis; have low detection limits; and contain narrow par­ticle size distribution packings to provide uniform flow. Jones

221 Thin-film maker. Unit can use various polymers to make consistent films of reproducible thickness for applications such

as prototype semiconductor coatings, FTIR sample prepa­ration, coatings for electron mi­croscope grids, and X-ray fluo­rescence sample-holding sub­strates. International Crystal

• Plant equipment and materials 222 Industrial loggers. Bat­tery-powered instruments are weatherproof and can record more than 65,000 temperature and humidity measurements with an accuracy of ±3% from 0 to 100% relative humidity and ±0.5 °F from 0 to 160 °F. Onset

223 Level sensor. Continuous noncontact ultrasonic instru­ment controls levels or mea­sures inventory in tanks con­taining liquids, slurries, or slud­ges. Measurements are indicated as height, volume, or weight on backlit liquid-crystal display. Sparling Instruments

224 Steam recovery. Low-pressure system effectively re­cycles heat from carbon-bed regenerative steam and cuts fresh consumption by as much as 50%; can be retrofitted into solvent-recovery plants. Dedert

225 Agitators. Portable units offer choice of impellers for diffi­cult suspensions, viscous fluids, and dispersion gases. Housings can be combined with variety of motors, gear boxes, seals, and couplings to provide custom-de­signed mixer. ABS Pumps

For information on these items or numbered ads, see Reader Service Card

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 5 7

Mm TECHNOLOGY

belfa SOLUTIONS

PEOPLE

REICHHOLD specialty polymers, adhesives and polymer systems

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N C USA CHEMICAL www.reichhold.com

800.431.1920 EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

r\ Λ r\ r\r\r\ ~7cr\r\ 1998 Chemical Education Foundation V I V . W U . / O U U Product Stewardship Award Winner

CIRCLE 34 ON READER SERVICE CARD

product repor t

Decks Require Higfi-Performance Coatings

W ooden decks are becoming a common feature in backyards throughout the U.S. Many home­

owners install a deck—either by them­selves or with the help of contractors-dreaming about years of relaxation in their yard or around their pool. Unfortu­nately, the poor performance of many commercial coating products means that homeowners are often busy painting and repainting their decks to maintain their appearance and structural integrity.

Following a Consumer Reports article in June about the performance of these coatings, producers are offering several new and reformulated products in this market in the hope of adequately addressing the demanding re­quirements of coatings for decks.

Wooden decks are unique to the North American market. Decks are almost unknown in Europe—a European supplier jokes that the closest related things he could think of were the balconies on cha­lets in Switzerland or Austria.

The performance demands for coatings to protect wooden decks are exceptional. Consumers prefer transparent or semitransparent coat­ings, which show the wood grain but provide minimal ultraviolet pro­tection. Weather changes cause the wood to swell and contract, eventu­ally causing cracks. Because deck floors are a horizontal surface, dirt and water collect in the wood grain and between the slats, leading to mil­dew and degradation of the wood. The dirt also contributes to the surface abra­sion caused by foot traffic.

Also, a deck's location, typically slightly above ground level, contributes to the warping and degradation of the wood by trapping ambient humidity and making it more difficult for water to evaporate from the surface.

"Consumers probably have unrealistic expectations" for the performance of these coatings, says John F. Martin, senior manager at consulting firm Arthur D. lit­tle, Cambridge, Mass. "They expect clear or semitransparent exterior coatings to perform as well as clear coatings designed for interior floors."

Many suppliers note that this end use is growing quickly, although it remains a specialty market. Martin agrees, pointing out that only a few years ago it was less than $50 million and now he estimates its size at $200 million to $400 million.

The Consumer Reports article rated the performance of several commercial deck coating products as poor. The au­thor noted that it would take a "feat of chemistry" to make an adequate coating for a wooden deck and, judging from its review, such a "feat" is a rare event.

The magazine evaluated 36 commercial deck coatings applied to a large, pressure-treated, yellow pine deck in Yonkers, N.Y.

Tests of deck coatings showed that many commercial products did not perform well.

The study included waterborne and sol­vent-based products of varying chemis­tries. The reviewers applied the products to small sections of the deck in 1996 and planned to record their performance over a five-year period. However, nine products failed after less than a year, and, after 20 months, slightly more than half of the orig­inal products performed well enough to continue in the study. After less than two years of exposure to sun, shade, rain, and snow, the deck was "a collection of cracked, warped, and blackening boards," according to the article.

Of the products tested, the clear for­mulas performed the worst when rated

for their resistance to dirt accumulation, color change, and mildew. These coat­ings do not contain any pigment to help block UV light and reduce the degrada­tion of the coating and wood. Toned and semitransparent coatings contain varying levels of pigments and show better UV resistance, according to the test results.

The reviewers note that nine of the original products have been discontinued or reformulated since the testing began and several others may have joined that list since they published their report.

Not surprisingly, some reformulating efforts have been directed to UV-resistant additives, says Mark McCusker, business director for additives at Ciba Specialty Chemicals. "That report has stimulated a lot of activity in the evaluation of light stabilizers to help these companies im­prove their products, especially those that did not fare so well."

Ciba has a new UV-absorbing additive called Tinuvin 99 that provides "improved

color retention—in pigmented and semitransparent coatings—and helps the coatings retain water-repellency for longer periods," Mc­Cusker says. The product can be used in solvent-based coatings but was developed for waterborne sys­tems, which currently are less com­mon than solvent-based systems for deck coatings. However, McCusker expects that, as in exterior paints, water-based systems will come to dominate.

One product that performed well in the test was a toned coating from Akzo Nobel. Theo Bouwens, general manager for architectural coatings at the company, says this product is based on an old system.

"We took the technology we have for vertical structures and ad­justed it to horizontal applications with changes in rheology, wear re­

sistance, and UV resistance," he explains. "Also, we considered adhesion and pene­tration. Overall, you have to be more criti­cal than on vertical substrates." Akzo's product requires the application of multi­ple layers of two different coatings.

Vianova Resins, the coatings resins operations of Hoechst, has recently be­gun to offer new resin systems for deck coatings, sold under the trademark Resy-drol. Its products are based on core-shell latex technology that is relatively new in the U.S. but has been used for wood coatings in Europe for more than 10 years, says Michael O'Shaughnessy, the company's U.S. vice president of sales. A

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 59

product repor t

stepwise emulsion polymerization of two different polymers effectively creates a latex particle that has one polymer as the core and another as an outside shell.

These latexes can be used to formulate systems with lower solvent levels because, upon drying, the softer polymer can help the flow characteristics of the harder polymer, says O'Shaughnessy. The combination forms a continu­ous film with the durability of the harder polymer. Also, these latexes are composed of very small particles that penetrate further into the wood than stan­dard latexes, making the sur­face more durable.

Vianova Resins President David LeBlanc says the company has high hopes for these products in the U.S. mar­ket, with its demanding environmental regulations.

Rohm and Haas has several products that are used in deck stains and coatings, says Patrick M. Finegan, coatings group market manager for North America. He

agrees that many current products do not offer long-term durability.

"The semitransparent stains don't pro­tect well and go down as a thinner coat, making it easier to wear away the top film," he

Brilliantly colored deck paints can be achieved through use of

Resydrol emulsions, which are compatible with most colorant systems.

explains. "The opaque stains, which are basically a dark color paint, are very sim­ilar to exterior house paints. They pro­

tect the wood because no light gets through. "

Conventional acrylic latex technology can be used to make the opaque deck stains, Finegan says, translating to a good opportunity for Rohm and Haas prod­ucts. Although acrylic coatings are not

usually used for flooring—epoxy and urethane systems are more com-

^ mon—their abrasion resistance typically is adequate for light foot

traffic. Rohm and Haas also offers core-

shtll latexes similar to Vianova's prod­ucts, Finegan cautions that "a lot of things need to be balanced carefully with core-shell polymers." Achieving the right bal­ance is a common challenge in most coating systems.

Consumer Reports has given strong cus­tomer feedback to the manufacturers of deck coatings, and it seems many have heard the message. New coatings have been added to the magazine's test deck in recent months, and the study will continue to monitor performance to see if reformulation efforts have been successful.^

Attention Job Seekers Easy On-Line Access

J <D The ACS Job Bank is a service provided FREE—exclusively to ACS members. Now you can check out top job availabilities across the nation—without ever leaving your desk!

The ACS Job Bank includes:

• Classified and display ads from the two most recent issues of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN)—positions open and situations wanted.

• Links to other on-line job banks

• World Wide Web pages of major companies

• ACS calendar of career service programs, including National and Regional Employment Clearing Houses.

Note: ACS cannot download Job Bank information for you. You must be an ACS member to access the Job Bank yourself on the Web. Have your

membership ID handy when you enter the system.

Questions? E-mail b_palubinskas@acs.org Or call 1-800-227-5558, ext. 6204

ACS Career Services We'll help you manage your career.

ACS Job Bank http://www.ChemCenter.org

60 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

r%L^%^ Job Bank

Visit the ACS Job Bank today at htφ://www.ChemCenter.org

Then click on Professional Services

Maintenance Coatings Demand Rugged Performance

M ost commercial and industrial structures demand high-perfor­mance coatings formulated with

a variety of chemistries. The coating sys­tems are complicated and often include multiple layers of different formulations, each providing a specific performance characteristic. This combination of layers ensures that the coating is durable—by covering any defects in the individual lay­ers—and provides thorough protection in demanding structural applications.

Several recent advances in technology have helped create new systems that have greater durability, adhere better to old paints, and often require fewer coats to achieve the necessary performance. Also, the performance of coatings for ma­sonry surfaces is improving as suppliers learn to formulate products for these harsh alkaline surfaces.

The U.S. commercial and mainte­nance coatings market was $2.1 billion in 1997, according to Jay R. Willner of market research firm WEH Corp., San Francisco, with a large majority of that in exterior coatings. The market is growing at 4% per year, with higher rates of growth for segments such as bridges and highways; oil, gas, and chemical facili­ties; and institutional buildings.

Metal is the major substrate for the commercial and maintenance market, Willner says, with 55% of the sales, fol-

Epoxies are most widely used polymer for exterior coatings

Other 27%

Epoxies 30%

Acrylics 12%

Alkyds 15%

Urethanes 16%

Multicomponent polyurethane coating system protects the structural features of the Florida Aquarium in Tampa.

1997 sales = $2.1 billion

a Includes zinc-rich primers, chlorinated rubber, bitu­mens, phenolics. coal tar epoxies, and silicones. Source: WEH Corp.

lowed by masonry, with 35%. Coatings for wood and plastic substrates make up the remaining 10% of the market.

Less than one-third of the coatings in this market are waterborne—compared with about three-quarters of the residen­tial exterior market—but their use is in­creasing. High-solids systems and dual-component spray systems each repre­sent 25% of the market; the remainder is solvent-borne systems.

Preparing a formulation to coat any structure creates partic­ular technical challeng­es. Obviously, large structures cannot be heated in ovens to cure coatings. Instead, coat­ings must cure, usually through cross-linking of the polymer, at ambient temperature in an un­controlled environment. Most other high-perfor­mance coatings—used in the original equip­ment manufacturer mar­ket, for example—are cured in ovens where the temperature, gas va­

pors, and exposure time are carefully monitored and controlled.

Maintenance coatings often use multi­ple layers to ensure that the final paint has good exterior durability. Typical maintenance coating systems consist of three layers, each formulated using dif­ferent chemistries. Epoxies are the most common maintenance coatings, fol­lowed by urethanes, alkyds, and acryl­ics. These coatings must be applied carefully, and they usually are applied by contractors.

Maintenance primers prepare the sur­face and provide adhesion to the sub­strate and are often made with epoxy systems. Subsequent layers use a variety of chemistries that build the thickness of the coating. The top coat provides pro­tection for the whole system and is typ­ically based on acrylic or modified acrylic resins.

"In the imperfect real world outside of the laboratory, you have dust, wind, and rain," says Ron G. Eritano, technical manager for maintenance and architec­tural coatings at Bayer. "These natural el­ements affect the substrate. A multilayer coating system gives you insurance."

Some companies are developing new systems that require fewer layers to achieve the necessary performance. Dow Corning, together with one of its coatings customers, Ameron, has devel­oped a two-coat industrial system that uses an epoxy-silane hybrid coating over an inorganic primer.

"The custom-modified siloxane inter­mediate plays a critical role in weather-ability and gloss retention," says Colin Hull, vice president of advanced technol­ogy at Ameron, Pasadena, Calif.

Three-quarters of the coatings in the commercial maintenance market are used on existing structures that have been painted previously, says WEH's Willner, with the remainder used on new structures. Surface preparation is a significant consideration when putting on a new layer of paint, especially for metal substrates that may have rust spots through failure of the original coating. Complete removal of the old coating is a time-consuming and expensive process. Also, concern about the potential toxicity of the original coating often requires the use of specialized equipment to minimize dust and environmental contamination.

Bayer has developed a new overcoat technology—based on one-component, moisture-cured polyurethanes—that ef­fectively encapsulates the old coatings, Eritano says. The system uses an aromat-

OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN 61

product repor t

The bridges of Allegheny County Bayer Corp.'s main R&D lab sits at the edge of Pittsburgh, in a very hilly region of western Pennsylvania. The local ter­rain as well as the many waterways in the area require the region to have many bridges. In fact, Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, has more than 2,000 bridges. To researchers in Bayers pory-urethanes coatings area, those bridges are the proving grounds for many coat­ing products that they develop with their customers.

Ron G. Eritano, a technical manager at the R&D facility, fondly recalls his first project as a scientist at Bayer, near­ly 20 years ago. He worked on a new urethane overcoat technology for a bridge over the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh. "I spent my first summer on that bridge," he recalls. The coating was

ic polyurethane protected by an ultravio­let-resistant top coat.

"The coatings are in a very mild sol­vent, which does not lift the old paint," says Eritano. "Also, the polyurethane has a fairly low molecular weight, so it can flow underneath the crevices and devel­op much better adhesion to the old paint." Many of Bayer's coatings are used on bridges and other demanding struc­tures with varied substrates.

Cytec Industries, West Paterson, N.J., also has a new product that enhances ad­hesion to old coatings. Cylink C4 is a wet adhesion monomer that can be copoly-merized into latex systems to help latex paints adhere to aged alkyd or chalky sur­faces under wet or humid conditions, says Wayne P. Weiner, global business manag­er for specialty monomers at Cytec.

"Cylink C4 is more compatible with typical latex systems than other wet ad­hesion monomers," Weiner says, "so it is incorporated into the latex better." The proposed mechanism indicates that the polar monomer uses electrostatic adhe­sion to bind the latex to polar sites on the old coating.

For new structures, the substrate has a significant impact on what coating is appropriate. More than one-third of com­mercial structures are masonry, which requires coatings that can withstand a highly alkaline environment. Also, efflo­rescence—the surface migration of metal salts caused by water degradation of the substrate—is a problem on masonry, causing an unsightly buildup of crystals at the base of exterior walls.

Dow Corning offers a 100% silicone

fe;;c"-·

expected to last five to seven years, but it is still in use today.

In another project, a low-temperature Bayer polyurethane primer was used in the repair of a major traffic bridge a few years ago. A structural crack was discov­ered in the bridge in February, and the primer was used to protect the spot-weld repair until the bridge could be completely repainted in the spring.

Bayer products were also used in the restoration of the historic Smithfield Street Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh. A three-coat polyurethane system— composed of a moisture-cured zinc-rich polyurethane primer, a two-com­ponent polyurethane intermediate coat, and a two-component acrylic aliphatic polyurethane top coat—was used to re­turn the bridge to the original colors

elastomeric coating, called AHGuard, which is particularly effective on con­crete surfaces. The rubbery coating ex­pands and contracts with the substrate, says Jill Jankowski, market manager for building products at Dow Corning, pro­viding a protective seal against water leaks. However, the coating is "breath­able," she says, allowing water vapor to escape without causing the paint to blister. And the coating is impervious to the alkaline environment of concrete surfaces.

Dow Corning recently reformulated AllGuard to extend its shelf-life beyond six months and to allow for the incorpo­ration of a greater variety of pigments.

Several latex emulsions available from Air Products & Chemicals were devel­oped for masonry substrates. Coatings market manager Nicholas F. Mittica rec­ommends latex terpolymers of vinyl ace­tate, vinyl chloride, and ethylene be­cause they have "excellent caustic and efflorescence resistance."

Some additives can boost the overall performance of a coating system or can address a particular deficiency in a for­mulation. Ciba Specialty Chemicals' Ir-gerol 1071 is a biocide that reduces the growth of algae in exterior coatings. Such growth is not just an aesthetic con­cern because algae can cause the coating and substrate to degrade, according to Mark McCusker, Ciba's additives busi­ness director.

The biocide is based on technology derived from the agricultural industry that involves a disruption of the photo-synthetic process of the algae. Despite

painted in 1995 to match the colors specified by the architect in 1883, thanks to a Bayer polyurethane coating system.

specified by the architect when it was built in 1883.

, I the highly selective toxicity of Irgerol, - the Environmental Protection Agency - registration process still took several , years to complete. McCusker notes that r recent changes in the EPA review of bio-H cides—to separate them from pesti-r cides—should reduce the review period ι- for subsequent products. ) Union Carbide is offering a unique ) product to the coatings market: a line of ) "splittable" surfactants called Triton SP. ; These products are based on new patent­

ed chemistry that allows a product to be-1 have as a surfactant during the formula-1 tion steps, and then, with the addition of κ a strong acid, be split into its hydropho­

bic and hydrophilic components, ι "A surfactant can cause detrimental or - unwanted effects in the final coating," s such as poor water or weathering resis-- tance, says Hazel A. B. Kruez, marketing - manager for Triton and Tergitol surfac-- tants. "You can deactivate the surfactant 1 when you are through needing its surfac-

tancy or for environmental purposes 1 when treating waste," she notes, ι Union Carbide did not originally tar-- get its Triton SP products at the coatings - market, Kruez admits, but several coat-* ings companies are testing them in paint

formulations. L- The success of these new products in I extending the life of maintenance coat-) ings will have a major impact on their

acceptance in this market. Most of the products currently are being tested, but

γ it will be a few years before enough data γ are collected to determine if their perfor-h mance is adequate for this demanding ι I application. Λ

62 OCTOBER 12, 1998 C&EN

Pittsburgh's Smith field Street Bridge was