What are the challenges and trends in developing new pigment pastes?
Guido Strauch: Our industry has existed for years of constantly developing market requirements, in particular due to the increasing chemical regulation such as the EU Green Deal and national legislation. As a result, biocides, which are used for preservation in coatings and tinting pastes, are increasingly restricted or forbidden. At the same time, there is growing awareness among end users for “green” or “healthy life” solutions. It is expected that colors, coatings and plasters are free of biocides without affecting performance-especially with regard to mold resistance, both in the can and after use.
This requirement has an effect in tinting machines both as a pastry manufacturer and as our direct customers. Despite the lack of biocides, tinting pastes must keep their complex properties such as color accuracy and compatibility – and must not lead to contamination or mold growth. Certification systems such as the Blue Angel or EU eco -colabula increase these trends, which are increasingly gaining to the ground on the DIY market and in the professional sector – especially in public tenders. We expect biocide -free solutions to become standard very soon.
How do increasing regulations influence your development work?
Shrub: In our industry there are different approaches to alternative tone systems that still offer protection in the can and dry films. This includes the pH setting of the pastes, spraying or UV radiation as well as physical concepts such as dry tinting without water. All of these approaches require large investments and are equipped with compromises – many are only suitable for aqueous systems. We continue to rely on liquid, biocide -free pastes.
How do trends in architecture and interior design influence the color selection for your pigment pastes?
Shrub: The shift to biocid -free products has little effect on the caroristic selection of our established and new pastes. However, it offers new opportunities. In cooperation with a pilot customer, we have implemented a biocide -free, liquid watery paste system in more than 500 tinting machines. We plan to provide all standard technologies for liquid paste in biocidal versions.
We also market this technology as semi-strength goods that are supported by services such as the support of microbiology, formulation aid and colorimetric know-how. These tailor -made solutions offer our customers a technological advantage. Through patents and continuous development, we expand our business model into a full system and technology offer that offers competitive advantages and cost savings.