Summary
• Performance and environmental credentials are driving product development.
• EU legislation on VOC content comes into force on January 1, 2010.
• Coatings that reduce lifecycle costs of building maintenance are being developed.
“Our motto is ‘innovate or die’,” said Dr Steve Snaith, marketing director for Dulux Trade. “We need to give people a reason to buy things. If nothing new happens, they will retrench.”
And in the wood coatings and finishings market there are new things happening, with a raft of product developments in the last 12 months designed to keep brands front of mind and give users a wider, more effective and more environmentally-friendly selection to chose from.
In this market there seem to be two key factors driving product evolution: performance and, of course, ‘green’ credentials.
With the EU legislation in place calling for a reduction in the VOC content of decorative coatings, in turn driving significant changes in formulations, particularly solvent based coatings, manufacturers have been keen to steal a march and make sure their products are compliant – before the January 1, 2010 deadline.
AkzoNobel, for example, launched its Dulux Trade Ecosure range of ‘eco paints’, which have significantly lower levels of embedded carbon and VOCs than conventional products.
“There are signs that wood is making a return into the construction industry due to its sustainability credentials and as a fashion statement,” said Dr Snaith. “The use of natural materials in the home is growing amongst consumers and the natural beauty and feel of wood makes it an increasingly popular choice.”
He said that the relaunch of the AkzoNobel woodcare offer uses the Sikkens, Dulux Trade and Cuprinol Trade brands to provide “a total solution with an efficient product range”. “This provides a simple solution to the client and applier and a sales generating range for merchants who will capitalise on this trend,” he added.
Steve Grimwood, managing director of Osmo UK, agrees that there is a strong desire for products to satisfy the performance criteria, but to also take into account being eco-friendly. “We have just launched UV-Protection-Oil which meets these standards. It is an external use product that is supplied with or without biocides. The initial response from the market is very positive.”
Mr Grimwood believes that natural oil finishes out-perform water-based ones and that there is a natural tie-in between this sort of product and the increasing demand for certified timber, particularly material bearing the FSC logo. “I certainly believe that all manufacturers of finishes are making their products greener and more ecologically sounds,” he said. “We all now generally meet the demands of the 2010 VOC directive.”
Crown Paints meanwhile highlights the launch of its Sadolin Ultra range last year. “We wanted to provide the trade with a really translucent type of product that would give them up to seven years in terms of maintenance and also that was 2010 compliant,” says Julie Olsson, marketing manager of Sadolin.
The company has also introduced some stainable fillers, with the main emphasis on speed of preparation and application. “With the unpredictable English weather, these allow you to do all your preparation on day one and then, thanks to their quick-drying properties, you can overcoat on day two,” said Ms Olsson.
Becker Acroma has also unveiled a water-based lacquer, developed for a very fast production line of 2.5min with IR and IRM lamps. ”This kind of line usually creates problems of ‘mudcracking’, but this product is not affected and other benefits include clarity and very good levelling,” said John Woolmore, managing director. “We are also continuing to develop our PyroLac fire protection lacquers to provide certification on further substrates. When we launched the range we felt that it was important that regular re-tests were made in order that the product maintained its integrity and credibility in such a critical market/application.”
With so much innovation, what can customers expect in the future? AkzoNobel’s Dr Snaith believes that sustainability will continue to drive coatings innovation as their performance increases and their environmental impact decreases.
“Coatings will become ‘active’ rather than ‘passive’,” he said. “Coatings that reduce the lifecycle cost of building’s maintenance, and coatings that increase the productivity of the industry will also be important, as will new finishes to transform the appearance of buildings.
“Over the longer term, the market will see coatings that interact with the surroundings – such as Light & Space from Dulux Trade where the coatings reflect more light back into rooms, potentially saving clients up to 20% on lighting energy requirements.”
