This edition of the newsletter contains:

News features.
The Powder Coating Manual (Part 14)
Exhibitions and Conferences in and April and May 2003


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Advertisement Feature Powder Coatings are cost effective solution for coating a diverse range of products. Electrostatically or Tribostatically applied and oven cured, the process produces a tough durable finish with minimal impact on the environment. Since their introduction powder coatings have continued to maintain a position as the fastest growing sector in industrial finishing.  Free of VOC's - low impact on environment · Chemically cured & cross linked coating films are tough & durable · Recovery & re-use of overspray powder gives a high material utilization · ease of automation facilitates, efficient, low cost application · Simple, controlled application possible · Post-formable & machineable qualities available · Complete range of finishes & shades including metallics, structures, textures & other specials. Akzo Nobel is the world's leading coating company manufacturing general industrial coatings, powder coatings, electro-deposition coatings, plastic coatings, aerospace coatings, wood finishes, coil coatings, marine & protective coatings, yacht paints, car refinishes and decorative paints. Akzo Nobel is the world's largest producer of powder coatings with over 20 manufacturing locations and Interpon the truly global brand. Interpon powder coatings are developed and manufactured at the state of the art plant located at Hoskote outside Bangalore. Being one of the latest powder coating facilities, its layout and equipment incorporates all that we have learnt in more than 20 years in the business. With technologies and products being replicated consistently across the world, we are in a unique position to tailor our products to our customer needs. In addition we have developed patented technologies in powder materials and process which in turn can significantly benefit our customers. Wherever our customers operate they have access to the full support of our global network. This makes us the ideal partners for global multi nationals. We are committed to providing quality products and services and strive for continuous advanced and versatile range of high quality powder coatings. Product Range Interpon 100 Epoxy based powder coatings designed to give optimum mechanical performance and good chemical resistance. Interpon 700 Epoxy Polyester hybrid powder coatings offering improved colour and heat stability, while maintaining an optimum combination of decorative and protective qualities. Interpon 600 Polyester based powder coatings designed for exterior environment, offering excellent light and weather resistance. Interpon MC High Performance and high quality appearance for use on domestic appliances. For further information please contact us at the following address : Akzo Nobel Coatings India Pvt Ltd Plot # 62P, 62A, 62B, 43E, Hoskote Industrial Area Bangalore 562 114, India Tel : +91 80 7971502- 5,/306 +91 98440 57360-2, Fax : +91 80 7971305 e-mail : ancipl@uk.akzonobel.com

New Product from EPSI Epsi's easy to use and economical Expendable Plug line (patent no. 6,419,109) helps solve many common masking applications. Plugs designed for fit easily into various tubes size and expand with flip of the handle. Once engaged, the plug will prevent liquid, gases, moisture, dust, steam from entering a hole. Some of the benefits of this plugs are: Excellent sealing capabilities in e-coating, plating, powder coating, washing etc. Exchangeable component allow for easy and economical replacement after repeated uses. Saves precious time during masking due to their ease of use and implementation. Rugged and durable, resistant from -70 to 600F Delivered in Standard and metric sizes. For further details contact EPSI N90 W14700 Commerce Drive Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051 USA Tel  1 262-253- 3774 Fax 1 262-253 3775  Toll Free numbers (866) ASK EPSI                                   (866) FAX EPSI email : sales@epsi.com website : www.epsi.com http://www.epsi.com

Advertisement Feature Mitsuba Systems introduces new Electromechanical Oscillator  FEATURES Multiple guns can be mounted on arms extended from the carriage which are capable of performing same or various motions.  There is a facility to attach fixed guns which can be angled to access difficult coating areas.  The carriage is programmed to move the vertical mounting bar at variable stroke and speeds.  The carriage moves up and down through AC geared motor. The carriage is supported by a very sturdy frame structure. The entire waggler is on castor wheels to facilitate easy movement during colour change SPECIFICATIONS Stroke Speed 0 - 28 cycles / minute (Infinitely Selectable) Angle of Swing Adjustable upto 90 deg.  Max No.of Guns To Suit Application Control Variable Frequency Drive Motor Geared Half HP. AC Motor  Input Voltage  Single Phase 230 V AC (Other voltages on request)  Power   0.37 KW (1/2 HP) To know more about MITSUBA products please visit  www.powdergun.com  Or contact:  Mitsuba Systems, 34/H, Laxhmi Industrial Estate, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053 Tel : 0091-22-26318633/26334735/56924151/52/53/54 Fax : 0091-22-26316565

Paint companies gain from duty cut
(Economic Times)
Domestic paint companies will benefit from a 5 per cent reduction in customs duty since they import a part of their raw material requirements such as titanium dioxide and other pigments.

Paint industry sources said that raw material costs are likely to come down, which could lead to a decline prices of paint products. However, the impact will be visible only after the new customs duties become effective.

However paint companies say that the recent sharp hike in raw material prices may prove to be a stumbling block in passing on the benefits to consumers. Internationally raw material prices have increased by 5-6 per cent. Titanium dioxide is currently ruling at $17 per tonne. Paint companies are yet to increase prices in India.

Further dertails

Links to more stories from "The Economic Times"
Berger stumbles on pricing in Snowcem deal
Asian Paints to delist from seven regional bourses
ICI recasts top deck, chairman Ganguli to step down
Asian Paints topped FMCG sector: Templeton
New tinting system from MRF Paints
Asian Paints Q3 net up 27% to Rs 44 crore
Goodlass Nerolac Q3 NP at Rs 11.25 cr, plans unit in N. India
Three in race for Asian Paints a/c

Storming the Great Wall
The (Indian) paints industry is making in roads into the Chinese market. Asian Paints recently bought Berger International, which has a plant near Shnaghai.

Asian Paints plans to use the Chinese market as a stepping stone. Says Manish Mehra, CEO, Berger Paints, China: "Once we have achieved considerable size we will then look at catering to the Asia Pacific countries."

Read more on that on http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/feb/08spec.htm  


Global R&D base in India?
It may sounds like a ridiculous idea to some, but India's finance minister, Jaswant Singh, doesn't think so. "Knowledge is industry," Singh said in a speech late February while presenting India's 2003 budget, adding, "and this is particularly so when our imperative is to be the best in all respects in general."

To prove his resolve, he went a step further and proposed a tax holiday in the country up to March 31, 2004, for all companies that earn revenues and profits by undertaking R&D in India.

According to Hans Juffermans, technical director of R&D operations, Akzo Nobel India, "There is a high potential of very good technical people in India and the cost to the company is almost a fourth."

Read more on that on http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030305-115211-6218r 


Record profit for Jotun
European Coatings Flash - March 17, 2003
"The Jotun group recorded sales of NOK 5,580 (1 EUR = 7,95 NOK) million in 2002, down NOK 235 million on 2001," reports CEO Knut Almestrand. "Pre-tax profit rose from NOK 157 million in 2001 to NOK 462 million and was the best in Jotun's history. "The decrease in sales was due to the strength of the NOK against the USD and other currencies used by Jotun's international businesses. Sales in volume terms were 6.5% up on 2001. The sharp increase in earnings was due partly to substantial provisions for restructuring in 2001, but the results for 2002 also include an increase of almost NOK 100 million in ordinary profit on underlying activities.
There were considerable variations in earnings in 2002. Decorative products performed well in most markets. There were improvements for marine coatings and corrosion-protective coatings for industrial and offshore use but profitability in these segments is still not good enough, especially in the case of marine coatings. Jotun Powder Coatings has carried out a major turnaround operation and reported satisfactory results for 2002 after several poor years. In recent years a great deal of work has been put into increasing efficiency and competitiveness, and Almestrand expects these measures to result in further improvements. However, 2003 has got off to an uncertain start with several weak signals in the international markets. Provided that activity levels are not influenced too strong, Jotun's target is to repeat last year's earnings in 2003.

Akzo Nobel opens new Powder Coatings facility in Vietnam
(RADIO THE VOICE OF VIETNAM,ADD: 58 QUANSU STREET, HANOI, VIETNAM)
Multinational Akzo Nobel has announced a plan to build a powder coating factory in HCM City under a joint venture contract with Chang Cheng Securities of Taiwan. The one-hectare factory, which will be the 12th plant of Akzo Nobel in the Asia-Pacific, expects to generate more than 80 jobs. It will meet the demand for powder coatings rising in Vietnam.

The multinational group operates in more than 80 countries, manufacturing medicines, chemicals, powder coating materials and power coatings. It posted total revenue at 14 billion euro last year..

Vietnam: Jotun ready to brush up investment 
(European Coatings Flash - March 31, 2003)
Norwegian owned paint producer Jotun Paints Vietnam plans to invest additional 5 million USD this year to expand its production facility and subsequently, its capacity to produce 10 million liters annually, up from its current 1.3 million liters, the official Vietnam News Agency reported from Hanoi 25 March. The company will this year diversify its products to include paints for residential housing. Currently, it offers paints for use in the marine and industrial sectors. At Jotun Vietnam's 5th anniversary celebration late last week, general director Martin Chew boasted that Jotun is a pioneer in using a computerised automatic colour-mixing system and its technology gives customers the ability to choose among 16,000 decorative paint colours in matter of minutes. Jotun paint first entered the Vietnamese market in 1992 as an import. In 1997, the producer put its 6.3 million USD factory into production in Binh Duong province.


Natural paint market in Europe at 7m litres
(European Coatings Flash - March 31, 2003)
So called 'natural paints', derived from renewable and natural mineral raw materials, are estimated at 7M litres in Europe. They are totally free of solvents and VOCs. Nonetheless their growth has recently suffered - down by 3% in 2002 and estimated at zero in 2003. The major manufacturers - which enjoy an aggregate market share of 50% - are Auro, Biofa, Leinos and BioPin. Second tier players include Livos, Aglaia, Ecotec, Naturhaus and Kreidezeit. DIY customers are mostly supplied by specialised distributors. Apart from eco-stores, an increasing number of conventional chain stores stock such products today.  


Powder Coating On Wood, An Impeccable Finish
Over the last twenty years, powder coating has revolutionized the finishing industry by providing a superior, durable, environmentally friendly finish, particularly for metal products such as appliances, automotive parts, sporting goods and countless other products.

Now a second powder coating revolution is under way. Technological advancements in powder coating materials and application and curing methods have brought the advantages of powder coating to heat sensitive substrates. Powder coating is now used on a variety of products that were thought impossible just a few years ago. 

One of the biggest breakthroughs for powder in the heat sensitive substrate market is on medium density fiberboard, or MDF, a combination panel bonding particles of wood with a synthetic resin. MDF is very suitable for powder coating application because of its low porosity and homogeneous surface. MDF products include office furniture, kitchen and bath cabinets, doors, store fixtures and displays, barbecue trays and ready-to-assemble furniture for the office and home. 

In addition to successfully penetrating the MDF market, powder has proven to be an effective finishing choice for other heat sensitive substrates such as plastic parts made of nylon and polycarbonate and assembled or partially assembled products such as appliances, electric motors or automotive radiators. Because of advancements in low temperature cure powders, plastic parts and wires and rubber seals and gaskets are not damaged in the powder coating process. 

And the revolution has just begun. Successful testing has occurred on hardwoods such as beech, oak, ash and walnut. Research engineers are studying the use of powder on paper-laminated MDF, laminated flooring and particleboard. Research is also being conducted on countertops, wood moulding and trim, all of which will increase demand for, and use of, powder coatings in more new markets.


Borchers Launches Cobalt-free Driers
http://www.pra.org.uk/publications/newsofthemonth/nom-index.htm 
In the wake of the ecological controversy surrounding cobalt, Borchers GmbH, part of the Bayer group, has launched a line of cobalt-free driers. The new manganese-based formulations, which also contain other metal compounds are: - Dry VP0133, a white drier specially designed for white and light-coloured paint systems with reduced yellowing effect;
- Dry 0246, designed for a speedy cure, maximum effectiveness and economical use;
- Dry VP0237 HS, is a VOC-free drier based on co-crosslinked fatty esters for use in high solid systems.(Phän Farbe, Dec 2002/Jan 2003, 22/23 (12/1), 32)


Crown Launches Indiacoat Pink-White Paint
http://www.pra.org.uk/publications/newsofthemonth/nom-index.htm 
Painting white over white can easily result in missed areas. To allow consumers to see exactly where paint has already been applied, Crown has launched Indicoat, a brilliant white emulsion which is applied in pink but dries in white. Other new products include Crown suede emulsion creating the textured effect of suede, and Crown Shimmer Coat in six new irridescent shades. ICI has introduced a similar pink-turned white paint for home decorators. (DIY Week, 7 Feb 2003, (5379), 15)


Glow-in-dark powder coating system
(http://www.dialinfolink.com.au) 
NEWCASTLE-based company Delnorth has achieved what it claims is a world first with the development and release of a unique, patented "glow in the dark" two-coat, powder coating system.

Delnorth sees the development of this product, and the system for applying the coating material, as a major breakthrough which will not only help Delnorth in its business activities, but other powder coating companies throughout the world.

Director David Campbell said Delnorth had been a market leader in the development and powder coating of steel and flexible roadside traffic and marker posts over the past ten years.

The range of products currently powder coated by Delnorth is used extensively throughout Australia, UK and Europe and Mr Campbell said the company had been able to diversify and adapt its expertise to develop this system.

The GID coating, as it is called, can be applied to products manufactured from black steel, galvanised steel or aluminium substrates.

It needs only to be excited by sunlight, artificial or incandescent light (1,000 lux) for a minimum period of 10 minutes and it will "glow" for a period in excess of 10 hours.

The powder is completely safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly as it contains no radioactive materials, only rare natural earth ions, known as alkaline earth aluminate.

It has ten times more brightness and glow time than that of the traditional luminosity of zinc sulphide. It has exceptional stability and weatherability. Excitation and light emission can be continually repeated.

Independent tests, carried out to test for long term UV degradation, resulted in negligible change after 1,000 hour QUV accelerated weather testing.

The powder is now available and can be purchased from Delnorth.

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