Welcome to the January 2009 edition of the IPC e-newsletter. The IPC e newsletter is distributed free to more than 3000 people around the world.

This edition of the newsletter contains:

News features.

Exhibitions and Conferences in   January and February 2009

In an attempt to unite the finishing world into a single virtual community we have initiated a new portal Let's finish it .  As the name suggests, it will be an open database on the entire finishing industry of the world.  However, the database is not owned or created by a single person or an organisation. It will be created by you, the people. Let's finish it will provide a search facility to the database which will grow day by day. Some basic data is which is shared by India Powder Coating is already added but its incomplete, We started it....  now Let's finish it . We have tried to provide a common platform to all of you in the finishing industry. Add your details to it. All the listing is free. We have launched a Beta version.  Your feedback will help us to make it a perfect search engine for the finishing industry. We need your support to keep this project running. You can display your company's logo and banners in the ad scroll bar at the bottom of each search results. All the ad banners slides will be displayed in a rotating format. More the slides you choose to display, more are the chances of its display. Soon all the slides will have key words attached to it and will be displayed according to the data being searched. As the popularity of Let's finish it grows, more and more features and contents will be added. So go ahead and visit Let's finish it ,  search and be searched. Your comment suggestions and remarks are most welcome

The ipc e newsletter is sent through yahoo groups. Do not reply to this email. If you want to send a feed back use the email ids given at the end of the newsletter.

 
 

Infomercial from Nordson               Nordson India Private Limited inaugurates its expanded facilities in Bangalore   Nordson facilities in Bangalore, India BANGALORE, INDIA, November 3, 2008 – The expanded facilities of the South Asia headquarters of Nordson was inaugurated at Bangalore by Mr. Bradley C. Davis, Vice President, Asia Pacific Group of Nordson Corporation and Mr. Suprotik Das, Managing Director of Nordson India Private Limited. Celebrating its 18th year of direct presence in the market, Nordson India has strengthened its infrastructure by adding a substantial amount of space to its facilities in the Bommasandra Industrial Area in Bangalore. This expansion adds to Nordson’s capabilities in South Asia and to deliver a high level of support to our growing customer base in this important region. In addition to increased manufacturing space, the new facilities will house expanded laboratories for Adhesive Application Systems, Industrial Coatings Systems & EFD precision dispensing solutions. The new space also hosts the offices of the Product Development and Embedded Systems Development teams and their respective development and test labs. Mr. Bradley C. Davis and Mr. Suprotik Das, cut the ribbon to inaugurate Nordson’s new facilities With 55,000 square feet of built area, Nordson’s Bangalore facilities reach out to all our customers in the South Asia Region. Staffed by a team of qualified engineers and equipped with one of the best Industrial Coatings and Adhesive Systems laboratories in the region, the Bangalore Centre has the capability to support our customers' every need. In addition, Nordson India’s Branch Offices in New Delhi, Chennai and Pune, along with a network of agents are strategically located to enhance the ownership experience of Nordson customers. Nordson India Private Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nordson Corporation USA, the world’s leading manufacturer of equipment used for precision dispensing, testing and inspection, surface preparation and curing. Headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, U.S.A., Nordson has more than 4,100 employees worldwide and direct operations in 30 countries. Seventeen years into the surface coating business in India, Nordson has led the industry with its advanced, high quality equipment and the industry’s best customer support. Today, Nordson India boasts of many satisfied customers in this region. Nordson India Private Limted 143 A, Bommasandra Industrial Area, Bangalore – 560099 Tel: +91 80 4021 3600 Fax: +91 80 4021 3601 Email: nordsonindia@nordson.com Website: www.nordson.com

Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq: NDSN) today reported record fourth quarter and full year sales, net income and diluted earnings per share. For the quarter ending October 31, 2008, sales reached $298 million, an increase of 2.4 percent over sales in the same period a year ago. Growth consisted of a 2.2 percent increase from organic volume, a 0.6 percent increase from the first year effect of acquisitions, and a 0.4 percent decrease from the unfavorable effects of currency translation. Net income for the quarter improved to $31 million, a 4 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Fourth quarter diluted earnings per share increased 3 percent over the same period a year ago to $0.90, inclusive of a $0.10 per share charge related to previously announced severance and restructuring activity.

“Nordson delivered another record quarter to shareholders while also taking the decisive actions necessary to position the company for continued strong operating performance,” said Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Edward P. Campbell.<more>

Global Watch
Nordson Corp. recently inaugurated its new customer lab near Shanghai, China, with events and training for industry partners and customers. The 86,000-square-foot office facility houses 190 employees and operates as a Center of Excellence to demonstrate Nordson's capabilities to customers in a variety of industries, including appliance, automotive, container, nonwovens, electronics, furniture and wood assembly, life science, packaging, powder and liquid painting, product assembly, and semiconductor. "These investments strongly support our long-term growth strategies and initiatives in the fast-growing markets of the Asia-Pacific region," said Bradley C. Davis, Asia-Pacific Group vice president. "The strength of our growing and experienced local organization in these areas, coupled with the world-class capabilities of our new facilities, allows Nordson to better serve our customers worldwide." In 2008 alone Nordson invested nearly half a million dollars in global upgrades to its Industrial Coating customer demonstration labs.

Nanotechnology rust-proofing - without chromium
(Nanowerk News) For a long time, chromium plating protected car bodies against rust – but this has been prohibited since 2007. However, chromium-free coatings are not suitable for universal use; they have to be adapted to the respective application. A new chromium-free coating can help.
Years ago, the ice-cream van used to drive through residential areas, ringing a bell to entice people out of their houses. Today their place has been taken by scrap metal collectors. Whether it be refrigerators, washing machines or car parts – the dwindling natural resources mean that scrap metal is worth money. To ensure that the recycling of old cars, for example, does not pose a risk to human health and the environment, the European Parliament has issued a guideline: The use of toxic and carcinogenic chromium(VI) compounds in car manufacturing has been prohibited since mid-2007. Until then, a chromate layer underneath the paint protected the car body against corrosion. Since that time, several chromium(VI)-free protective coatings have made their way into industrial halls – but they do not afford the same degree of protection as chromium(VI) plating, and cannot be used on all types of metal surface.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg and for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in Chemnitz, along with colleagues at the Institute for Corrosion Protection Dresden GmbH, have developed an alternative – based on nanocomposites.
“The new nanomaterials we developed using the sol-gel method adhere very well to most types of galvanization that we examined,” reports ISC project manager Dr. Johanna Kron. To produce them, the researchers dipped galvanized steel sheets into a coating sol and applied a powder coating. They subjected the coated sheets to a variety of load tests. One such test was to keep scratched steel sheets in a chamber filled with atomized brine for 360 hours, or 15 days, at a temperature of 35 degrees. They also placed the metal sheets in an environment chamber with a relative humidity of 100 percent for 240 hours, or 10 days.
“These coatings protect most galvanized materials almost as well as commercial yellow chrome plating. Indeed, the new coatings are often even more effective than the chromium-free system and chromium(III) passivation currently on the market,” says Kron.<more>

Edison wetlands groups holds protest
EDISON —Activists from the Edison Wetlands Association rallied Saturday against two companies they say are discharging carcinogens into the Raritan River.

The Wetlands Association says the Akzo Nobel/Basell industrial site is releasing chemicals into the waterway. The factory is located 100 yards upstream from the Edison Boat Basin fishing and swimming spot.

A lawsuit was filed in January by the Wetlands Association and the Eastern Environmental Law Center, charging the two companies with violating federal environmental laws.

According to the Wetlands Association, sampling has found high levels of the carcinogens 4-chloroaniline and asbestos. They also say that sampling by Akzo Nobel's consultant, Sovereign Consulting, found the carcinogens benzene at over 860 times acceptable state levels and arsenic at over 550 times above New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's surface water criteria.

Activists plan to continue hosting rallies against the companies through the winter, including Christmas caroling scheduled for Dec. 22. <more>

What's Behind The Mystery Cancer Cluster?
CBS) Forty-six year old Sandy Wierschke, a once energetic, healthy woman with a career, husband and a child, is dying from brain cancer.
"I don't know what the future holds for me anymore," she said. "I am just living three months to three months and hoping that I can make it another three months."
That's how her neighbor Bryan Freund is living, too. He also has brain cancer. Neighbors on either side of his home have also developed brain cancer, CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts reports.
"And at that point between us and the Branhams and the Weisenbergers, we just knew that something was far out of the ordinary," Freund said. "You live MRI to MRI."
And there are more cases. More than a dozen cases.
"I am John Smith," said another patient. "I am on my second brain tumor."
An amateur video shows residents in McCullom Lake Village. It is a community of a thousand people - but every person in the video either has a brain tumor, lives with a relative with one or lost someone to brain cancer.
There, in a community of about 1,000 people, 14 residents have developed brain cancer. Nationally the rate is roughly seven out of 100,000.
Coincidence?
Attorney Aaron Freiwald says "absolutely not." He represents the McCollum Lake Village residents in their lawsuits against multi-billion dollar chemical company Rohm and Haas. Rohm and Hass has had a plant there since 1963. It makes specialty chemicals that are used in a variety of industries - from plastics to pesticides. It has 140 facilities in 27 countries. <more>

Chemical Leak Poses No Immediate Hazard, Says Dupont

The Director of Emergency Services for Kanawha County says phosphoric acid leaked in the water treatment area of the plant.
BELLE -- Officers with the Department of Environmental Protection and DuPont are investigating an afternoon leak at the plant in Belle.

Dupont confirms approximately 48-hundred gallons of 35% phosporic acid spilled when a tank leaked. A large portion of the spill was contained in the storage tank dike, however, some product leaked into the ground and the nearby Kanawha River. <more>

 

Infomercial from Mitsuba Systems            Mitsuba Automatic Gun Movers – Reciprocator     Mitsuba Automatic Gun Movers – Reciprocator Mitsuba presents the servo driven ultra smooth reciprocator for swift, clean and jerk-free gun movement. The Reciprocators are capable of operating at different speeds in the same stroke giving you the flexibility to coat even the most complex parts without powder wastage. Save up to 99 different configurations for various parts and minimise labour intervention for your powder coating process. The control panel incorporates a most user friendly touch screen which self explains the operations. Two reciprocators can be operated on one panel. Use Mitsuba's Electromechanical Reciprocators to mount Corona and Tribo powder guns as well as liquid spray guns. The reciprocators are available in different stroke lengths and can load up to 8 automatic guns. The Patented Infiniti™ Automatic Corona guns paired with a wide range of powder spray nozzles will give you the best finish. To view a video of the Reciprocators operating please click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9ZfSSaBsQ To find out more about how Mitsuba can offer you the best equipment in the powder coating industry please feel free to contact us on the address / email id given below. Mitsuba Systems (I) P Ltd, 34/H, Laxmi Indl Estate, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053 Tel: 2631 8633 /66924151/2/3 Fax-66924154 Email: mitsuba@vsnl.com  Website: www.powdergun.com

Infomercial from Vijay Enterprises Pvt. Ltd Vijay Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Vijay Enterprises is a leading manufacture of powder coating materials (PCM) in India. VIJAY COAT today stands as a Reliable source of High Quality and Durable Powder Coating materials at very reasonable prices. Vijay's PCM find extensive application for industrial and other demanding applications. Vijay enterprises was incorporated in 1995 with a view to supplying quality PCMs to Indian industry. Vijay's manufacturing set up is equipped with best machines from M/s Buss AG Switzerland who are world's largest manufacturer of Powder Coating Machines. Vijay has now established itself and earned a name for its quality supplies and prompt delivery at very economic prices. VIJAY has multi-locational production facilities near Ahmedabad in western India and at Silvassa in the U T of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, 200 Kms off Mumbai. This makes it a competitive source of PCMs to all customers.  Vijay Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Admin. Office : 103, Gita Bhavan, 1st Floor, Opp. Vijay Transport, Narol Char Rasta, AHMEDABAD 382 405. GUJARAT. INDIA. Telephone: +91-79-2532 9057, 25329374,Fax: +91-79-2535 9481 Email: vijaycoat@gmail.com   web: vijay-powdercoat.com

Asian Paints : Losing some colour
The growth in profits at Asian Paints, the market leader in decoratives, may be a shade lower in 2008-09 than it was last year. To begin with the base is high because the growth in 2007-08 was strong 46 per cent. But that apart, key consuming sectors such as construction and automobiles are in bit of a slump, putting pressure on revenues at the Rs 4,404 crore firm.

Moreover, with consumer sentiment weak in a slowing economy, revenues earned from re-painting in existing homes could also be hurt. Already, higher raw material costs affected the net profits in the six months to September 2008—they were up just 21 percent. That’s despite revenues having grown at a strong 30 per cent, driven by a 20 per cent increase in volumes. Thanks to its strong brand portfolio, the company has been able to pass on most of the increase in the prices of inputs. While the raw material bill could be lower in the second half of the year, since several products are derivatives of crude oil, the revenue growth may lose some momentum.<more>

Duplicate Asian Paints plant unearthed in Haryana
A plant manufacturing duplicate paints in the name of Asian Paints has been unearthed by the Shivaji colony police and the company's officials. Officials of Asian Paints alleged that duplicate Asian paint was being sold in the market at higher rates.. 
THE POLICE along with the officials of the Asian Paints Company has unearthed a plant making duplicate paints near Sunariya village under Shivaji colony police station. The police also seized a large quantity of duplicate paints from there. Some persons related to this plant were also reportedly rounded up for interrogation by the police.

According to information, the officials of the Asian Paints had lodged a complaint against the plant with the superintendent of police (SP), Alok Mittal, on Friday night and alleged that duplicate paint in the name of Asian Paints was being sold in the market at higher rates after being produced in the local plant.

The Shivaji colony police station in-charge, following the direction of the SP, carried out a raid on the plant in Singhpura village along with the officials of Asian Paints. The police recovered a large quantity of duplicate paints and other paraphernalia being used in making the paint. The police has registered a case under various sections of Indian Penal Code in this regard.<more>

Kansai Nerolac launches TVC for new varient
NEW DELHI: In an attempt to build the brand proposition of its new product- Excel Total, Kansai Nerolac has unveiled its latest television commercial, 'Ab Ghar Kare Khud Ki Hifazat'.

Says Kansai Nerolac general manager - marketing Venugopal C, "Our newly launched product, Excel Total protects a house from the vagaries of nature like heavy rain, dust or sunlight. Thus, keeping these attributes of the product in mind we launched the commercial which further proves the point that with the application of Total Excel, a house can easily protect itself from heavy rain, dust or even harsh sunlight."<more>

Jotun Paints to expand retail network in India
Meanwhile, the paint manufacturer is expected to close the current calendar year with a turnover of Rs 200 crore and is set to double in the next two years. One of the main focus markets for Jotun Paints is the decorative market, which at present is dominated by brands including Asian Paints, Berger, Kansai Nerolac and ICI.

The company inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in April 2008 at Ranjangon in Pune with an investment of Rs 110 crore. The total capacity of the plant is 50 million litres of paint and 10,000 tonnes of powder.

In the next 4-5 years the plant will run on full capacity, and by that time the company will set up a manufacturing unit in North India, Percy Jijina, general manager - Decorative, Jotun India told Business Standard. <more>

Paint maker PPG slashes outlook as slump spreads
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 22 (Reuters) - PPG Industries Inc (PPG.N), the world's second-largest paint and coatings maker, pared back profit expectations for the current quarter due to the deepening and spreading global economic slump.

Shares of PPG fell 5 percent to a month low in a broadly weaker U.S. market after it said it expected a fourth-quarter profit of 35 cents to 45 cents per share, against an average 69 cents anticipated by analysts, according to Reuters Estimates.

"Market softness seen initially in the U.S. industrial markets is now prevalent on a global basis," Chief Financial Officer William Hernandez said in a statement on Monday, adding that PPG customers were cutting production and inventories due to lower consumer demand and tighter credit markets.

He said the Pittsburgh-based company had made additional moves to curtail operations and furlough workers, beyond the facility closures it announced in September. [ID:nN24439988]

U.S Industrial; Production dips 0.6% in November
A newly released report from the U.S. Federal Reserve showed industrial output fell slightly less than expected in November as manufacturers continued to suffer from weakness in autos and many other areas. 

GM, Chrysler to idle plants
The General Motors Corporation and Chrysler recently announced plans to idle all of its assembly plants as part of short-term cost-cutting measures. 

Cut at ING as Chemical Makers Operate in ‘Earthquake Zone’
Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- BASF SE had its stock rating cut to “sell” at ING Groep NV after a sudden slump in demand for plastics and additives left the chemicals market resembling an “earthquake zone.”

ING cut its price target for BASF, the world’s biggest chemical producer, to 21 euros from a prior 26 euros. Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF fell 2.2 percent to 22.73 euros in Frankfurt trading today. Heerlen, Netherlands-based Royal DSM NV and Brussels-based Solvay SA were also cut to “sell.”

“We see the chemicals arena today as analogous to an earthquake zone,” London-based ING analyst Paul Satchell wrote today in a note to investors. “The breadth and depth on demand dislocation are profound, and we expect another round of estimate downgrades, threatening stock prices further.” <more>

U turn
Just a few weeks ago the experts still predicted that Europe's largest economy would deliver modest growth next year. Now they're forecasting the worst recession since World War II.

The financial crisis is paralyzing world trade and no country is set to suffer more from that development than Germany, due to its reliance on exports. The economists of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development predict that Germany will be "hit hard", and that the number of people out of work will surge by 700,000 over the next two years. The downturn has already begun. Daimler plans short-time working for four German plants, steel giant ArcelorMital wants to axe 6,000 jobs in Europe, and chemicals group Akzo Nobel is bracing for a decline in demand by between 10 and 20 percent. It could turn into a downturn matching that of the Great Depression following the 1929 crash

DuPont to Cut 2,500 Jobs and 4,000 Contractor Positions
An Industrial Info News Alert(Wilmington, Delaware) announced plans to restructure the organization in order to reduce capital expenditure and increase cash flow. In a news release discussing the intended restructuring, DuPont stated, "A steep global decline in construction and motor vehicle sales and consumer spending has resulted in declining industrial production, intensified by inventory reductions across most supply chains. These conditions have precipitated a sharp downturn in demand during the fourth quarter." Central to DuPont's restructuring plan is the elimination of about 2,500 jobs, most of which will be in sectors related to construction and automobile-manufacturing in the U.S. and Western Europe. <more >
Putting on the brakes
In recent months, manufacturers and technology firms from makers of paint and windows to computer, software and digital-memory companies have pulled back their 2009 forecasts, cut jobs and closed plants as the global economy stalled in the second half of 2008.
Company Industry Recent actions
Apogee Enterprises Inc. Building glass Total construction spending was down more than forecast in October.
Toro Co. Lawn & garden hardware Expects weak market conditions well into 2009 with annual sales off 5 percent.
Valspar Corp. Paint & chemicals Anticipates a global recession, trims 2009 forecast.
3M Co. Manufacturing Announced 3,500 job cuts since September and sees more job cuts next year.<more >

Henkel closes four adhesives plants in Europe
Henkel is streamlining its expanded adhesives production and is to close four adhesives plants in Europe, following a major purchase. The integration of National Starch into the Düsseldorf-based Group will be accompanied by the closure of the Kleve plant, two in France and one in the UK... <more>
Sherwin challenges local paint biggies
Mumbai, Dec. 14: Sherwin- Williams Company Ltd, one of the largest paint companies in the US, is looking at consolidating its position in India. The company plans to distribute ancillary products through retail stores. In 2007, Sherwin acquired Mumbai-based Nitco Paints for an undisclosed sum.
Nitco is a manufacturer and seller of exterior paints and coatings used in offices, high-rise apartments, malls and hospitals.

Founded in 1866, Sherwin sells coatings and related products under brand names such as Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Krylon and Minwax.

Initially, Sherwin used to import its products and now has a manufacturing facility at Taloja in Maharashtra. Recently, it approached the Foreign Investment Promotion Board for marketing ancillary products.The board gave a go ahead to the proposal on the condition of Sherwin setting up production facilities along with test marketing. It also stipulated that the manufacturing would be done by its Indian subsidiary and not a third party.The company has been permitted to do test marketing for two years

Sherwin is not the only overseas company vying for a share of India’s paint market, dominated by Asian Paints, Berger Paints, Kansai Nerolac and ICI. Norwegian paint company Jotun Paints, which opened its first unit in April this year in Pune at an investment of over Rs 100 crore, plans to set up another unit in north India. According to reports, it intends to strengthen its retail network in the country. The size of the domestic paint industry is estimated at around Rs 14,000 crore. More than 60 per cent of the industry comprise organised players.

Nippon Paint of Japan is already present in the country. Its product range includes automotive, decorative, industrial, marine and road-marking paints. The company has drawn up an investment plan of over Rs 400 crore for expanding its operations over the next two years. <more>

Feature of power coating and powder spray system 2008
Focus on the development of low temperature cure coating in terms of saving energy cost
Total service including paint and equipment is key word for the promotion
Total sales of thermosetting powder coating in 2007 was estimated 32,500-33,000 tons, it grew 8-10% against last year. Until the end of 2007, the market had been running well based on positive effect by industrial machinery for export such as metal furniture, machine tool. Home electric appliance and switchboard for architectural use positively grew as well.

However, in 2008, the economy turned down and market situation became critical. Therefore, end users pursue severe cost management, require more saving of energy, resource and manpower and seek for efficient process. The following is the proposal by paint and equipment suppliers to meet the market requirement.

According to active economy boom, last year sales of electrostatic spray gun for powder coating was 2,530 units, went up 30.3%. It was record high. Equipment investment was positive, gun producers operated at full capacity.
However, after new fiscal year starts domestic economy entered a recession phase due to soaring crude oil prices and US economic decline caused by subprime loan crisis, therefore, equipment market faced serious situation. Equipment supplier said, "Until early May we have pending orders, but after mid of June we could not forecast the outlook of the market clearly." The rethink and postpone of equipment investment plan at end users bore out that comment.
<more >

Friday night fire destroys business, damages another (6)
OLYMPIA — Fire destroyed one business and damaged another after a powder-coating oven caught fire Friday night at 310 South Bay Road, resulting in an hourlong blaze that was extinguished by multiple fire departments, the Olympia Fire Department reported in a news release.

The fire started about 7:30 p.m. Friday at Roy’s Design when two employees discovered that a fire had started in an oven used for powder-coating, a type of painting process used on metal objects, such as fencing or railings, Olympia Battalion Chief Doug Hewell said.

From there the fire spread to Richard’s Upholstery, an adjoining business that shares building space with Roy’s Design, he said.

The fire destroyed the interior and exterior of Roy’s Design and burned part of the roof at Richard’s, but didn’t advance beyond that, Hewell said.

A damage estimate hasn’t been determined and the fire still is under investigation, although fire officials have been unable to enter Roy’s Design because of an unstable roof, he said. A city building inspector was expected to visit the burn site today, Hewell said. No injuries were reported, he added.

Nine fire engine companies fought the fire, including from Olympia and neighboring fire departments, the news release said.<more>

Norwegian paint manufacturer Jotun Paints is planning to strengthen its retail network in the country by doubling its retail chains from the current 130 through the franchise model. The expansion will happen on a pan-India basis by the end of next year. The proposed expansion plan would require around Rs 25 crore of investment.


Rohm and Haas Powder Coatings
The Rohm and Haas Powder Coatings business has announced it will discontinue its distribution relationship with ChemPoint on Dec. 23, 2008. According to Volkan Goren, general manager for Rohm and Haas, Americas, Rohm and Haas believes the future needs of its powder coatings customers can be best served through a direct market channel, supported by a robust web purchasing site. Customers that have historically purchased Rohm and Haas Powder Coatings products from ChemPoint should continue to do so until Dec. 23, 2008 as the company prepares for this transition, Goren said.


First piezoelectric paint that responds to mechanical stress by emitting light
Nihon Tokushu Toryo, a Tokyo-based maker of speciality paints and automotive components, has developed, jointly with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Technology and Science, the world’s first piezoelectric paint that responds to mechanical stress by emitting light that is faint, but visible in darkness. The company says that the paint - a solvent-based, two component acrylic silicone paint that contains stress-responsive luminous material - can steadily emit light when subjected, after coating, to repeated mechanical stress over a long period of time.

Although the amount of light generated by the coated paint depends on the strength of the mechanical stress, the emitted light is always bright enough to be seen in darkness, with the brightness greater at the centre of the stress and weaker on the periphery, the company says. It adds that the ability of the coated paint to emit light remains intact even after 100,000 times of stress application.

The appropriate hardness of the coating, which is said to be the key to the light emission, is attributed to the use of acrylic silicone resin as a binder. Needing no undercoat, the paint shows strong adhesion to metals or inorganic materials such as glass and cement. The paint is solvent-based because the stress-responsive luminous material lacks water-resistance.

To take advantage of the paint’s unique property, the company intends to develop applications in the areas of automobiles, aircraft and railway cars, as well as bowling alleys and amusement park facilities. Another potential use is as a defect marker in the non-destructive inspection of bridges, tunnels and other constructions. (Source: Japan Chemical Week, 4 December 2008)


A Ghost town
On a visit to townships that were once abuzz with industrial activity, Parimal Bhattacharya meets people who no longer dare to hope
Every night, at 11 pm, Moumita Pan waits in the dark with her schoolbooks for the electric light to come on. A student of Class XI, she has to race through her studies before the light goes out again at two in the morning. Moumita is the only girl in the workers’ quarters of the Jenson and Nicholson plant at Naihati, closed since 2004, who has cleared the Madhyamik and has not dropped out yet. “When the supply of water and electricity stopped, we pleaded with the authorities and this is what we get: ten minutes of trickling water twice a day and three hours of electricity late at night,” said her father. These, and a derelict two-roomed tenement, are the only things provided by the company where he has worked as an electrician for 22 years. As there has only been a ‘temporary’ suspension of work, not a formal closure or lay-off, the workers are not getting back their dues or other stipulated allowances. Many have left and the staff quarters wear the look of a ghost colony. Others, like the Pans, cling on as hope runs thin and a question gathers urgency: will the factory ever reopen?

At around 3.30 am, when Moumita has gone back to bed, her parents are up and about. Her mother lines up pots and pans before the tap to collect water, while her father prepares for the long trek to Jagaddal, a jute mill cluster 8 km away, in search of casual or thika work. Morning will find the mother-daughter duo plucking nylon threads from used car tyres. Two pairs of nimble hands working for a couple of hours can pluck 10 rupees worth of thread. By then, it is time for the mother to do household chores and the daughter to leave for school.

For nearly 400 workers’ families of the closed paints factory, this is a daily ritual. And yet, this is but a small chapter in the larger story unfolding around here. A stone’s throw away is the Gauripur Jute Mills, locked out since 1997. Set up in 1885, the mill once had its own thermal power generation unit and employed 22,000 people. Beside the jute mill is Containers & Caps Limited, also locked out, that had 900 workers on its payroll. Nearby, Indian Paper & Pulp Ltd, with about a thousand employees, stopped production in 2003. Nuddea Jute Mills, another large mill, suspended work indefinitely since October this year. A few thousand acres of land between the towns of Naihati and Halisahar in the North 24 Parganas, east of the river Hooghly, bear witness to a century-old story of industrialization gone horribly wrong. The economic impact of this on the region is severe; the social and political impact, too, is no less stark. The Shilpanchal Banchao Mancha, a local non-political forum of teachers, social workers and civil rights activists, has come forward to assess the enormity of the problem and organize awareness campaigns <more>.


Akzo Nobel breaks ground in India
Akzo Nobel is set to break ground on a new coatings production plant in Hoskote near Bengaluru. The new facility, which will produce coil and specialty plastic coatings for industrial applications, is part of Akzo Nobel's ambition to establish itself as one of the major industrial players in India.
"We are convinced that India will develop into one of the world's economic powerhouses and it ranks very highly on our list of priority countries for growth and investment," said Hans Wijers, CEO, AkzoNobel. While the company is already well-represented in India – Akzo Nobel currently employs 1,500 people in India at six manufacturing plants, which produce decorative paints, industrial coatings and polymer chemicals, two research laboratories and around a dozen sales offices – the company is determined to expand its presence further.
The new plant is being built on an existing Akzo Nobel site, which produces marine and protective coatings, powder coatings and coil coatings. The first phase of the project should be complete by early 2010, said Binoy Chakraborty, general manager - Industrial Finishes Business, AkzoNobel India.
The coil coatings produced at the new plant will mainly be used for high performance steel and aluminium for the construction markets in India and neighbouring countries. Demand for specialty plastics and associated coatings meanwhile is booming, due to rapid rise in local demand for lifestyle goods like mobile phones. <more>


BASF expands coatings business in ASEAN
BASF has expanded its coatings business in ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations), with Thailand at the center, to serve the large coatings market in the region for motorcycles, industrial coatings and the automotive industry...