Research & Development
How inorganic zinc-rich coatings work
Inorganic zinc-rich coatings: How they work, and how they can work better
Drone painters take flight
Florida-based Apellix and AkzoNobel are collaborating on a computer-controlled spray painting drone. Apellix’s custom-built drone is tethered to the ground for its power and coating supply, but has the freedom to fly autonomously depending on the area to be coated....
Lasers to defeat barnacles?
Anti-fouling, 'hydrophobic' metal or plastic surfaces, engraved by a new laser technology being developed by European scientists, could soon replace the toxic varnishes used in ship coatings to stop algae or barnacles sticking to hulls - reducing maintenance costs,...
Liquids and powder colour-matched for Boston skyscraper
Coatings on One Dalton Place, a new skyscraper in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, have recently been completed using special colour-matching between the liquid and powder coatings provided by PPG. Designed by Henry Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Gary...
Manufacturer briefing: Equipment for explosive atmospheres
In the marine and oil & gas industries, a whole raft of equipment is used for applications such as pipe cleaning, surface preparation, fluid transfer, painting and lubrication. Equipment supporting these applications can be found on oil tankers, cargo ships, crude...
New coating kills microbes in low light
A new coating that activates in low intensity light to kill bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli has been developed by a UCL-led team of researchers. To stop the spread of disease, it could be used to coat phone screens and keyboards, as well as...
PPG acquiring US Powder maker
PPG have announced that it has completed its acquisition of Alpha Coating Technologies, LLC (“Alpha”), a manufacturer of powder coatings for light industrial applications and heat sensitive substrates. Financial terms were not disclosed. Founded in 2000, Alpha focuses...
Fast curing with cold light
Extremely matt, scratch-resistant and a very energy-rich emission with low penetration depth – these are the core characteristics of Excimer technology, which is making its way into more and more industrial sectors and applications. The technology is to be showcased...
Hempel back in growth
Hempel delivered 14 per cent growth and grew 2.5% organically in 2019. With the European decora-tive acquisition, J.W Ostendorf, fully integrated, Hempel is looking for new acquisitions in order to double in size. Hempel’s revenue grew by 14 per cent, of which 2.5...
Coating landmark for loaders
In just eight years, worldwide coating manufacturer Hempel has painted 20,000 mining containers for Intermodal Solutions Group (ISG). The milestone 20,000th coating was completed in January 2020. ISG is a global supplier of container rotation systems and container...
New Product Manager appointed for Elcometer
Elcometer Limited, a leading manufacturer of high quality NDT, Coating Inspection and Blasting Equipment, has announced the appointment of Tracy Salt as Product Manager. Having worked alongside Elcometer’s Senior Management team for more than 20 years Tracy not only...
Coating challenges in the chemical tanker market
The demand for chemicals shipped on a global basis is ultimately driven by global GDP and population growth, both of which are forecasted to continue to grow in the coming years. Outside of the macroeconomic are some microeconomic and technical drivers affecting the...
Largest ever concrete repair completed on viaduct
The UK’s largest ever concrete repair project has been jointly completed by Concrete Repairs Limited (CRL) and VolkerLaser. Valued at over £100m, the M5 Oldbury Viaduct Major Renewal Scheme was recently announced as the Concrete Repair Association (CRA) ‘Repair and...
What’s hiding below
A gleaming superyacht is an impressive thing, easily admired for its gorgeous exterior lines and sumptuous interior. However, behind all the polish and beauty is a whole other, equally extraordinary, world of remarkable technical spaces, ranging from the engine room...
The power of powder coatings
On one hand, powder coatings are characterised by ever stricter quality requirements and the trend towards more extensive individualisation and, on the other hand, by increasing cost pressures. This balancing act can only be managed by consistent process optimisation,...
Nippon paints secure Norwegian hulls contract
Nippon Paint Marine has beaten European competition by signing a long-term supply contract with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (Norwegian). Nippon will be providing antifouling systems to 13 cruise ships operating under the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and...