This edition of the newsletter contains:

News features.
The Powder Coating Manual (Part 23)
Exhibitions and Conferences in December 2003 and January 2004


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Soybean Powder Coating
COLUMBUS, OH (September 30, 2003) 
Ohio soybean farmers may soon be encountering their crop in ways that they never imagined. The Battelle Memorial Institute, with funding from the Ohio Soybean Council and the Ohio soybean checkoff, is actively researching a soy-based powder coating that can be used on everything from park benches to bathroom fixtures. 

For many years, the powder coatings industry has relied upon the use of petroleum-based ingredients. However, the choice of substrates or building materials has recently switched to plastic and wood composites. This development has created a need for a coating that can be cured or baked at lower temperatures that would not warp or damage the plastic substrates. 

"We have found in preliminary testing that our soy resin coating has reacted at temperatures as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit while the petroleum based powder coatings have needed 350 degrees Fahrenheit in order to cure," says Dr. Bhima Vijayendran, director of commercial development for the Battelle Memorial Institute. "Those results are encouraging for use with plastic and wood substrates and have shown the flexibility of the soy-based formula." 

The overall market for paints and coatings in the United States tops 1.2 billion gallons, and the procedure of using powder coatings produces fewer volatile organic compounds and has proven itself to be a more lucrative procedure than traditional painting techniques. This has put a great deal of pressure on the powder coatings industry to become more flexible in terms of its usage on a variety of substrates. 

"With the need for an alternative coating already in the marketplace, soybean oil presents an effective option as a base for powder coating," says Steve Miller, chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council and a soybean grower from Crawford County. "Ohio soybean checkoff investments will continue to help develop this new technology through Battelle." 

Headquartered in Columbus, the Ohio Soybean Council is governed by an 18-member volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The program’s primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development programs through the investment of farmer contributed funds. 

Further update from IPC on Soybean Powder Coating.

We asked Bhima Vijayendran, director of commercial development at Battelle, about these developments. Mr Vijaendran informed IPC "We are working on developing industrial products derived from soybeans and as part of that effort we have made some good progress in demonstrating technical feasibility of formulating powder coating resins from soybean oil. The work is in the early stages of development."

Battelle is also testing and developing a soy-based readily deinkable toner. Testing has shown that black toners, made with soy resins, produced good copies in a common office copier, and the toners could also be used in magnetic and waterless lithographic printing. Studies also indicate that printed copies made with soy toners could be more easily deinked than conventional toners. 

Marion Star of Ohio USA states that, Jeff Palmer, spokesman for the Powder Coating Institute, said other powders have been developed that can be cured at lower temperatures. He said he has not heard of the soybean research and couldn't offer an opinion on whether it holds promise. 

In his email to IPC Mr. Ravi Marphatia said "This is an interesting development. However, basic data is required before one can give an opinion." 

Nirmalya Chakravorty, General Manager, Akzo Nobel Industrial Coatings Sdn Bhd, Malaysia comments, "I have not heard about this type of coating so far. If this is possible, it will be a good breakthrough. If it needs low temperature then it will be ideal for wood and plastic. But being a product of natural source the consistency has to be ascertained as soybeans produced in different parts of the world may have varying compositions. Please let me know some more about the coatings. Sounds very interesting."


CHINACOAT 2003 The choice of Exhibitors and Visitors.
Press Release
CHIINACOAT 2003- the eighth event in its series has been completed with a tremendous success in Shanghai on Nov 5-7. The show held in the hottest market of the world has witnessed again to break the following records.

Throughout the 3 days exhibition a total of 526 companies from 26 countries/regions were represented to exhibit. The total net and gross exhibit space was 6,200 sq. m. and 12,400 sq. m. respectively.

The figures recorded by the visitors management System were as follows.

The next event of CHINACOAT will be staged  in  a brand new exhibition venue-Gangzhou Int'l Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Gangzhou on Nov 9-11, 2004.


COATING 2003 
Making it’s Midwest debut in Indianapolis, IN from October 28 – 30, 2003, COATING 2003 drew an unprecedented number of new attendees to the show. 
More than 68% percent of the pre-registered attendees (not including exhibit personnel) had not attended either of the past shows in recent years. COATING 2003 drew over 3,300 registered attendees at the three-day event. Attendees came to COATING 2003 from 36 different countries, 47 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and six Canadian provinces. 

India was represented by Mitsuba Systems (india) Ltd. Powder Spray Equipment, manual and Automatic, Corona and Tribo guns, Portable Lab Equipment, Efficiency Meter, Gun Movers and Electrostatic Cloud Chambers were displayed in their booth no 1904.

COATING 2005 will return to Indianapolis from September 20 – 22, 2005.

Lower sales for Jotun
Jotun generated sales of NOK 3764 million (1 EUR = 8,24 NOK) in the second four months of 2003, compared to NOK 3953 million for the same period in 2002. The group generated a profit on ordinary activities before taxation of NOK 390 million against NOK 492 million last year. Jotun was affected by stagnation in the global markets, and results in all three divisions were lower compared to last year. The work in reducing costs in order to improve results and strengthen competitiveness will continue with increased intensity, according to Knut Almestrand, President and CEO. Based on the economic developments this year, the expected result for the group for 2003 will be lower than last year.

Jotun paints to focus on mega projects
http://newstodaynet.com/15nov/bu2.htm 
Norwegian multinational paint company, Jotun, has introduced its international standard paints for interior designs through its first exclusive showroom in the city. Speaking to presspersons here yesterday, Pradeep Lakshmanan, country head - India, Jotun paints, said India is a high potential market and Jotun paints would concentrate on the huge project segment where their products would be directly imported from its manufacturing plant in Oman. 

Their rich experience at the global level has helped the company to design products in their regional laboratories in Dubai to suit climatic conditions, enabling the paints to last for five to 15 years, Lakshmanan said. The company had more than 30 years of experience in computerised tinting technology and are pioneers in operating with decorative, marine, protective and powder coating segments of the paint market, he added. 

As part of its exterior painting segment, the company has introduced new products which include metallic and teak wood finished paints. Also the company has come out with a paint school targeting its end consumers where seminars are held to highlight the qualities of Jotun paints. 

City gives land to components maker for plant expected to employ 320
In one of the largest Metroplex industrial deals this year, the city of Mesquite will basically give 30 acres to a startup cabinet components maker for a $60 million manufacturing plant that it hopes will result in 320 jobs. 

Privately held Trio Industries L.L.C. of Dallas plans to build a 500,000-square-foot plant and showroom, expandable to 600,000 feet. Trio will apply its patented, vinyl-like powder coating to furniture components it makes from medium-density fiberboard -- a building material made of wood and synthetic fibers and pressed into stiff sheets. 

An emerging technology, powder coating of wood products is considered revolutionary by the finishing industry. 

In contrast to traditional laminating, the sprayed application of powder coating is touted as a one-step, quick-drying finishing process. Furniture can be coated automatically, reportedly with fewer rejects because the powder coating doesn't run, drip or sag, according to the industry trade group, The Powder Coating Institute in Alexandria, Va. 

Powder coating also is considered durable and able to resist impact, abrasion, heat, stains, extreme weather and fading from sunlight. The institute says it's the fastest-growing furniture finishing method in North America. 

Up until a couple years ago, powder coating was limited only to aluminum and steel, said Jeff Palmer, spokesman with the institute. 

"Medium density fiberboard is the only wood surface that it works on at this point," Jeff Palmer said, but added that the industry hopes to see it expanded to other woods. The industry considers the process the wave of the future, although demand isn't that strong yet, he said. 

"It's getting powder into a market where it's never been," Jeff Palmer said. 

Trio was founded in 2000 by Robert E. Gyemant, now CEO, and Evan R. Daniels, now president. Gyemant, a Dallas lawyer, was legal counsel to Modular Office Solutions Inc. in San Bernadino, Calif. Modular is the largest remanufacturer of Steelcase modular furniture products in the United States. Daniels was founder and president of Modular. 

While Trio has no production or customers yet, company officials say they'll fund construction of the Mesquite facility with capital from institutions and private investors who already have expressed a desire to supply financing. 

Reichhold Introduces Three New FINE-CLAD Powder Coating Resins 
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. & PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2003--
Reichhold unveiled three new FINE-CLAD(R) powder coating resins during talks with customers at the recent Coatings 2003 show, held in Indianapolis, IN. FINE-CLAD M-8762, M-8792 and M-8911 are the newest additions to Reichhold's line of specialty polyesters for powder coating applications. 
FINE-CLAD M-8762 is a pre-catalyzed carboxyl functional polyester resin designed to cure with bisphenol-A epoxy curatives at 50/50 ratios. The resulting hybrid systems offer high reactivity and good flow and are ideal for general metal applications as well as coatings for machinery and equipment, office furniture and major appliances. 

FINE-CLAD M-8792 is a carboxylated polyester designed to cure with beta-hydroxyalkylamides (or Primid(R)) to produce coatings with excellent exterior durability. Typical applications include lawn and garden equipment, automotive parts and aluminum profiles and fencing. In addition to outdoor durability, powder coatings based on M-8792 offer high flexibility, good degassing as well as good flow and are also gas-oven stabilized, blooming free and Tribo safe. This resin is especially beneficial to the European marketplace given the growing popularity of Primid(R) curatives due to their environmentally-friendly properties. 

FINE-CLAD M-8912 is a super durable carboxyl functional polyester designed to cure by PT-910 crosslinkers for powder coatings featuring excellent weathering resistance, excellent mechanical properties and good storage stability. Key applications include exterior metals, outdoor furniture and general metals. 

Bayer plans stock market flotation for chemicals activities 
Coatings Flash - November 17, 2003
Following its reorganization, the Bayer Group intends to maintain its focus on its core businesses and in the future concentrate on health care, nutrition and innovative materials. For this reason, Bayer Chemicals (excluding H.C. Starck and Wolff Walsrode) is to be combined with certain parts of the polymers business in a new company with the provisional name "NewCo". The aim is for this company to be listed on the stock market under a new name by early 2005 at the latest. CEO designate of the new company is Dr. Axel Claus Heitmann (44), currently a member of the Executive Committee of Bayer Polymers and head of that company's Asia region, headquartered in Shanghai.
In the future Bayer aims to concentrate all its financial and management resources on developing and expanding its core activities in health care, nutrition and innovative materials, which are predominantly research-intensive areas. Bayer CEO Wenning sees high growth potential in these areas but also a corresponding need for investment. "This means we do not have sufficient resources available to maintain or enhance the market positions of our chemicals business or all of our polymers activities," said Bayer's CEO. The separation should trigger the necessary entrepreneurial impulses and create the conditions for optimizing the strategies of each company according to their different business needs. 

Valspar to record earnings charge
Coatings Flash - November 17, 2003
The Valspar Corp. said it will record an after-tax charge of $15.2 million in the company's fourth quarter for costs associated with estimated future service claims related to its furniture-protection plans, which are sold through U.S. furniture retailers. The company's fourth quarter ended Oct. 31, with financial results for the quarter and fiscal year to be announced on Nov. 24. The furniture protection plans are service contracts for furniture repair offered at the retail level, the company said.
Chairman and CEO Richard M. Rompala said the company's coatings product lines are "performing well," but its furniture-protection plans "have experienced higher-than-expected claims." He said the company has responded with operational changes, including the discontinuation of sales of a comprehensive furniture-protection plan that Valspar assumed with the acquisition of Lilly Industries Inc. The earnings charge is related to anticipated costs due to future claims involving the discontinued program, Rompala said.

Corro-Coat income up 27% in Jan.-Sept.
Nov. 18, 2003 Inq7money
INQ7money is the financial and business news section of INQ7.net,
Publicly listed manufacturing firm Corro-Coat's net income for the January to September period rose 27 percent to 37 million pesos from 29 million pesos in the same period last year, the company said in a statement. 

Last June, the company paid dividends of 2.5 centavos to its shareholders. 

Revenues for the first nine months of the year reached 151.9 million pesos from 131 million pesos in the same period last year, an increase of 16 percent. 

Sales of powder coating to the domestic appliance industry continue to be severely affected by the economic crunch as local appliance manufacturers decrease their production. 

Increased competition from imported low-cost appliances from countries such as China and Korea also affected the appliance sector, the statement said. 

Powder coating is used widely in the appliances, furniture, car accessories and construction industries. 

Corro-Coat obtained its powder coating manufacturing technology from Norway, a technology that keeps its products free from solvents (unlike liquid paint) and no volatile organic compounds (VOC's). 

Corro-Coat was the only company to list on the first board of the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2000. 


News in Brief:

Painting A Brighter Picture 
Investor interest in the stocks of paint companies has witnessed a steady rise. The boom in housing and the pick up in industrial and auto segments has boosted the prospects of these companies and that is reflected on the stock prices of these companies <more>

Shalimar Paints in talks to rope in overseas ally
The management of the beleaguered paints company, Jenson & Nicholson, had approached Shalimar Paints for an alliance, but the latter was not interested in the proposal.<more>

British council award for Asian Paints plant 
The manufacturing facility of Asian Paints at Ankleshwar near Bharuch recently bagged the British Safety Council’s (BSC) ‘Sword of Honour’ safety standard. BSC is a leading occupational health, safety and environmental organisation.<more> 

Nerolac launches a new marketing campaign with Big B 
MUMBAI: Goodlass Nerolac Paints limited has decided to reposition its exterior paint brand Nerolac Suraksha. The company launched a new ad campaign as a platform to promote the brand on 10 November featuring brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. 

Moving away from the comparison with cement paints, the new mandate emphasises the brand's attributes for protecting and creating beautiful exteriors for homes. <more>

Powder coatings market set for growth
October 2003 e-epoxy.news: Your e-source for epoxy news
As Kerry Pianoforte, associate editor with Coatings World, points out, the powder coatings market was not immune to the effects of the economic downturn over the past couple of years. However, less waste, no VOCs, improved durability and more color options are making powder a viable alternative to liquid coatings for a wide variety of applications. 

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