Water-borne coatings on the rise – but not without challenges

Which markets are mostly water-borne (besides architectural), and which ones will shift further towards water-borne coatings?

Marcel Meeuwisse: Water-borne coatings have gained significant traction in several markets due to their low VOCs, reduced environmental impact and generally safer profile. They have a dominant position in interior and exterior architectural coatings for both residential and commercial buildings. Technological developments and regulatory pressures have also led to a shift towards water-borne coatings in automotive refinish and industrial wood coatings. In the protective coatings market, they are increasingly being used for corrosion protection in infrastructure, although solvent-borne systems still hold a large share. While their growth is often associated with sustainability, certain performance attributes such as blocking resistance, natural aesthetics and low viscosity have driven their historical adoption in markets such as woodworking.

Looking ahead, furniture, general industrial applications and metal packaging are markets expected to see strong growth in waterborne coatings, driven by consumer preference for sustainable solutions or regulatory pressure. In addition, the automotive OEM sector is exploring water-borne alternatives as performance continues to improve. Improvements are still needed to drive further growth in water-borne coatings. An important one, and a focus for Allnex, is to increase the solids content while maintaining the performance profile to reduce evaporation time, overall energy efficiency and increase productivity. This can also have an impact on the number of layers required in a coating system, reducing overall costs. Alongside traditional water-borne coatings, we are investing heavily in UV-curable water-borne technology, further enhancing the value proposition by reducing energy consumption/costs. Solvent-based coatings, on the other hand, could defend their market share by switching to more sustainable, recycled and safer solvents. It should be noted that the product carbon footprint of water-borne coatings is not necessarily lower than that of solvent-borne coatings.

Will there be problems or opportunities as a result of the stricter biocide regulations?

Meeuwisse: The evolving and stricter biocide regulations could have an impact on the further growth and adoption of water-borne coating systems. Biocides in water-borne coatings are essential to prevent microbial contamination and extend shelf life. Stricter regulations in the EU and North America – such as REACH and BPR – limit the types and concentrations of biocides that can be used. This increases formulation complexity and could lead to higher production/raw material costs or shorter shelf life if safer alternatives aren’t developed. As a result, innovation will be key to the continued expansion of water-borne coatings. Today, manufacturers are working on low-biocide or biocide-free preservative systems, but are reaching technological barriers. The impact of these regulations may slow market growth in the short term, but should ultimately lead to even more sustainable and safer water-borne coatings in the future. In addition to product innovation, this will open the door to further improvements in unit/plant hygiene and could ultimately lead to better practices in the chemical industry. Other technologies that are less susceptible to microbial contamination and have a lower energy consumption profile could use this to their advantage for further growth. The replacement of water-based coatings with 100 % solids UV-curable coatings in kitchen cabinets and flooring is one example.

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