Protective coatings: “dual challenge of meeting stricter regulations while unlocking new performance frontiers”

How are sustainability and regulatory requirements shaping innovation and what solutions are emerging in protective coatings?

Joan Puigdevall: Sustainability and regulation are gaining momentum in the evolution of protective coatings, steering the direction of innovation. Tighter VOC limits and evolving regulatory standards are accelerating the shift from solvent-heavy formulations to waterborne and high-solids coatings that reduce emissions without compromising durability. One of the challenges remains achieving the same application ease, flow, and long-term performance. Climate targets are shaping priorities, prompting manufacturers to explore recycled plastics, bio-based resins, and energy-efficient application methods.

Direct-to-metal (DTM) coatings have emerged as a promising solution, combining primer and topcoat in a single layer to save materials, labour, and energy while still providing robust protection against rust and weathering. We use one PUR-based binder with low-VOC technology enabling direct-to-metal application with outstanding anticorrosive performance—up to C5-Medium according to ISO 12944—while resisting UV exposure and harsh weather conditions. The result is a new generation of coatings that reduces film thickness, improves sustainability, and maintains high levels of performance.

Looking forward, the industry faces the dual challenge of meeting stricter regulations while unlocking new performance frontiers. Breakthroughs such as self-healing polymers or fully bio-based formulations are already emerging, promising to further transform how surfaces are protected. The coatings sector is entering an era where technology, sustainability, and creativity converge, reshaping not only the materials used but also what coatings are capable of delivering.

What additional functionalities or ­performance expectations are driving the market in the next five to ten years?

Puigdevall: While corrosion resistance remains a fundamental requirement, the next decade will see an expansion of functionalities in protective coatings, driven by industry demands and environmental considerations. Existing technologies already offer multifunctional properties alongside anticorrosion performance, such as slip-resistant surfaces that improve safety in wet or oily environments or fire-resistant barriers that slow flame spread for safer evacuation.

Several key drivers are influencing how coatings are developed and applied: environmental regulations, sustainability and carbon-reduction targets, the need for lower maintenance and lifecycle costs, rising energy efficiency requirements, resilience in extreme climates, and the growing adoption of automated coating application. In response, the market is seeing growth in materials and products that align with sustainability goals, such as recycled plastics, bio-based resins, and energy-efficient application methods. Self-cleaning coatings are also expanding rapidly, offering durable, low-maintenance solutions for construction, industrial, and infrastructure applications. Energy efficiency and climate resilience are prompting the development of reflective and cool coatings, which reduce surface temperatures and building energy use, while adaptive thermal coatings adjust their heat reflection seasonally to optimize energy performance.

Safety and regulatory compliance are driving innovation in technologies and other safer-by-design two-component polyurethane alternatives (NISO) and new water-based technologies, combining high performance with improved health and environmental profiles.

Overall, the protective coatings landscape is rapidly transforming through advanced materials, adaptive technologies, predictive analytics, and multifunctional properties. These trends are setting new standards for durability, ensuring coatings can safeguard assets under increasingly demanding conditions. As research and development continue, the industry can expect more solutions that push the boundaries of performance, sustainability, and safety, defining a new generation of intelligent coatings.

Reading tip: Corrosion protection coatings

The book “Anticorrosive Coatings: Fundamentals and New Concepts” brings together all the disciplines involved in the creation and use of corrosion protection coatings for metals. It presents the latest insights into the quality and chemistry of surfaces, the proper way to prepare them by conversion treatment, the function of resins and anticorrosion pigments in paints, and novel concepts in corrosion protection.

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