40 | Sector Focus: Coatings & Finishes
Remmers UK also reported a larger presence in the exteriors market but said its interiors market was growing “thanks to new innovative technology”.
Meanwhile, Osmo’s top selling product in
2021 was an external finish, although Paul Thompson said that “overall, there is still higher demand for the interior, based on our top 30 selling products”.
Customers’ demands and expectations haven’t changed a great deal over the last year – although the relatively new global focus on anti-bacterial/anti-virus products has perhaps sharpened.
“The awareness of continued hygiene and cleanliness has become very apparent to us all,” said Mr Sternberger. “At AkzoNobel, we believe the role that an anti-bacterial additive plays when combined with a surface-applied coating is interesting and there is certainly no substitute for proper hygiene practices and a surface made ‘easy clean’ by a robust coating system.”
Above: AQUATOP exterior topcoat is a popular product for Teknos
Other areas of focus for AkzoNobel include indoor air quality – which it addresses with its formaldehyde-free range – fire retardants and UV curing systems, alongside water- borne technology, both in 1K and 2K forms, and carbon footprint reduction. “Our substantial R&D investment reflects the changing needs of the customer,” said Mr Sternberger. “We believe the market in general is broadly responsive to the concept of indoor air quality and this welcomed awareness will continue to grow as the topic gains popularity.” Paul Scott, at Remmers, also cited the steady decline of solvent-based coatings, saying that customers wanted “simplistic application with innovative qualities and a strong emphasis on water-based technology”. He added that Remmers’ water-based range was its most popular, especially Aqua Stop topcoats for external application. Meanwhile Dave Christie at Anker Stuy said that “durability, guarantees and longevity” were on customers’ wish lists.
Above: Osmo has plans for more product launches this year
He added that, of course, customers also want “lovely aesthetics – they often look for as much transparency as possible”. Ease of application and drying times are also at the top of the list.
◄ “The diversity gives a welcome mix to our business,” said Steven Sternberger. “The contrast in business regarding the UK and Scandinavia is a good example of regional diversity – with our key UK customers focusing on interior coatings, whereas our key Scandinavian customers focus on exterior coatings.”
Exterior wood coatings continue to outweigh interior at Teknos GBI, although the company noted that both markets were
buoyant, which was very encouraging. It did, however, row back on its portfolio for interior wood coatings, which had a soft launch back in 2020. “We made the strategic decision to reduce our focus on interior work in 2021 in order to protect the core of our business [exterior wood],” said Jon Mears. “This is still very much a market we intend to grow in, though and we will look to allocate more resources to it in 2022.”
TTJ | January/February 2022 |
www.ttjonline.com
“Factories and industrial users are definitely looking for quick drying times – and private individuals are looking for it as well because they have less time and don’t want paints to take ages to dry.”
And speed of application is also important.
“We get a lot of business from decorators and they used to use brushes but have cottoned on to the fact that spray painting is the way to deliver results quickly and to a high quality.” As for Osmo, Paul Thompson says its customers want “a natural base finish that provides the highest performance with the lowest maintenance, and low VOC.”
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