Sustainable Surface & Coatings Industry Offers Sustainability, Aestheticism and Functionality
23 February 2023
- The sustainable surface treatment and coatings industry is growing to become the mainstream industry that capture the hearts of eco-conscious consumers.
- Governments around the world have issued rules and regulations that drive entrepreneurs to accelerate their research and development of environmentally friendly coating substances.
For some time now, "surface coating" has become the value-added feature for various materials and finished products. It has become almost indispensable in work pieces that require refinement, aestheticism, value and performance. As the global business trend is heading towards sustainability, these features are no longer sufficient because the demand for sustainable surface & coatings is becoming stronger and is expected to become the major factor of innovative development very soon.
The coatings industry is one of the most innovative and dynamic manufacturing industries with several new technologies in the past few decades. This has resulted in exciting applications in various industries including the aerospace, automotive, and industrial and residential constructions.
This industry is highly competitive and the players are very diverse because there are many large manufacturers while quality and price are considered important factors that influence buyers’ decision. At the same time, product developers have to consider the environmental policies or requirements mandated by different governments. For example, the regulations on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions by the European Union which is expected to spur the demand for green products that consequently drive the growth of sustainable coatings. Such policies are also expected to encourage researchers to develop coating substances that are not harmful to the environment while simultaneously deliver other positive features.
The so-called ‘green’ or sustainable coatings are not only developed in response to regulations on VOCs and chemical pollution, but also as part of the attempt to promote energy and resource efficiency by minimizing waste disposal, optimizing the coating processes, reducing carbon footprint of the supply chain, and promoting the use of renewable materials.
At present, sustainable coatings are being developed to serve multifaceted purposes, including the better ecological efficiency. An example is the powder coatings for architectural structures. There is also a development of process to use less layers of powder coatings that can still produce the same result. There is also a development of hydrophilic self-cleaning coating based on a photocatalytic process where substances break down impurities when exposed to sunlight and then can be washed off with water. Meanwhile, the durable water-repellent coating with extra hydrophobic function provides excellent results for a wide range of applications such as decoration in the construction industry, electronic instruments, leather products, vehicles, wooden furniture and even the preservation of historical sites.
According to a report from MarketsAndMarkets, the value of the coatings industry is forecast to grow from USD102 billion in 2021 to USD116 billion in 2026, or a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%.
For those interested in the latest news on the surface treatment, paint and coatings industry, please stay tuned to future ME Blogs. Also, don’t forget to mark the dates to meet with over 130 brands of international manufacturers who will showcase the latest innovations and environmentally friendly technologies in this industry, and exchange insights with the experts at "Surface & Coatings 2023" built by RX Tradex during 21-24 June 2023 at BITEC, Bangkok.