For Immediate  Release

SOURCE: Irfab Chemical Consultants

Waterborne Coatings creating global opportunities for Coatings formulators, Raw Material suppliers and Equipment manufacturers

HOEILAART (Brussels), Belgium, Tuesday, March 6, 2001 –

By the year 2010, penetration of waterborne industrial coatings will reach a level of over 30% according to a new study by Irfab Chemical Consultants.  The European Waterborne Industrial Coatings Industry was over 500,000 Tonnes in 1999 and will reach the one million Tonnes mark by the year 2010.  Overall, the penetration of Waterborne Coatings in the Industrial Paints sector is currently around 20%. When considering individual market segments, penetration varies from 3% to 70%. Irfab reports there is still plenty of room for increased penetration of Waterborne Coatings in the world paints arena. The CAGR of waterborne coatings will outpace that of the overall industrial coatings industry by at least four times. Selected market segments will experience a CAGR of 15%.  Penetration of waterbornes in the General Metal industrial sector will double by the year 2010.  Selected industrial coatings sectors, having low penetration of 3% in 2000, will reach up to 15% by the year 2010 at the expense of solvent borne paints and other non-environmentally-friendly systems.

The study also covers an in-depth analysis of the competitive technologies to waterbornes, including powder coatings and radiation cureables.

Leading multinational companies and SMEs are heavily involved in developing  global strategies to exploit renewed growth in the waterborne coatings arena.  The study, based on primary research includes exhaustive analysis of these strategies, and the benchmarking of the major Coatings companies. The study also covers the new developments in environment-friendly waterborne products of the Architectural and Decorative paints sector, including high gloss, silicone, alkyd emulsion paints and other.

Architectural/Decorative, Automotive OEM, Vehicle Refinishing, Wood Finishes, Plastics Coatings, Can and Coil Coatings, Protective and Marine Coatings, ACE, Commercial Transport and several other market segments are carefully studied for supply and demand of the main waterborne resin systems analysed that include: acrylics, epoxies, alkyds/polyesters, polyurethanes (PUDs, 2K-PU), alkyd emulsions and other.

These are among some of the striking conclusions presented in the strategic market and technology assessment study“WATERBORNES 2000 – Trends in Waterborne Coatings 1999-2009 -Looking for New Markets”, conducted by Irfab Chemical Consultants ( http://www.irfab.com ), and sponsored by major Chemical, Paint, Powder Coatings, Resin, Additive and Pigment manufacturers companies worldwide. The report contains detailed forecasts by market segment for the years 1999, 2000, and 2009.

In 1995 Irfab published the renowned study “New Technology Products in Surface Coatings W. Europe 1994-2004” that is the accepted standard used by the Paint and Coatings Industry. Other recent studies were “Powder Coatings 1998-2008 -Is Past Growth Sustainable-A Global Comparison”, “DataCoat ®)- European Coatings Relational Database'' and “New Technology Products in Surface Coatings Japan 1992-2000.''

These historical analyses are now followed by “WATERBORNES 2000” that builds on Irfab’s databases and current research to present the most reliable source of intelligence for the European  Waterborne Coatings Industry.

Resin, chemical intermediates and additive manufacturers have been developing novel raw materials for waterborne paints and coatings.  Reportedly, pigment manufacturers are lagging behind in the development of products for waterborne coatings applications (and also for powder coatings).  This study will be an important strategic and development tool for this kind of Industry.

The report is a document for decision makers: general managers, corporate planning officers, responsibles for business development, marketing and sales, product management, R&D and purchasing managers and provides tools for strategic decision making to identify untapped opportunities and explore new geographical markets.

Irfab Chemical Consultants is an international and global marketing consultancy company, since 30 years involved exclusively in highly specialised market assessment and long-term technology forecasting in the Paint and Coatings sector and related raw materials.

Report publication date, February 2001; 800 pages, 188 tables, 138 figures, graphs and charts and 47 case studies.

For further information contact Mr. Franco Busato, Managing Partner at Irfab Scrl: franco.busato@irfab.com.

Tel: + 32 2 657 35 85

Fax: + 32 2 657 90 21.

SOURCE: Irfab Chemical Consultants