Business Research

Our team can provide up-to-the-minute support on topical issues such as REACH consortia, Sustainability & Sustainable Development, Open Innovation & the latest grant assisted schemes to support business improvement, cost reduction and technological research & development.

For expert insights and analysis you can contact our business consultancy team, led by Jonathan Bourne. In addition to Coatings COMET, which is published monthly, we regularly produce Irfab Multi-client Studies and have conducted a wide range of proprietary single-client assignments.

General summary of expertise:

Surface Coatings

  • Architectural and decorative paints
  • Wood coatings
  • Industrial coatings and refinish paints
  • OEM - coil, can, automotive, electrocoat
  • Protective and marine coatings - construction, maintenance and refurbishment
  • Specialist paints, inks, adhesives and sealants
  • Compliant technologies - waterborne, high solids, radcure, powder.

Raw Materials

  • Polymers and resins - acrylic, polyurethane, alkyd, polyester, epoxy, silicone
  • Pigments and fillers - titanium dioxide, organic and inorganic colourants, carbon black, calcium carbonate, talc, barytes, speciality fillers and effect pigments, anti-corrosive pigments
  • Solvents – coalescing, oxo alcohols, hydrocarbon and aromatic
  • Additives – rheological dispersing and wetting agents, waxes, biocides, nanomaterials.


Some examples of single client assignments

    • Raw material pricing
    • The global market for an inorganic pigment
    • Analysis of the European coatings resin market
    • In depth analysis of the global market for a resin system
    • Water soluble polymers in coatings
    • Novel raw materials used in coatings
    • Causes & effects of surface coatings damage.
    • The European decorative coatings market
    • Global Auto OEM market
    • Automotive refinish in Europe
    • Furniture coatings - global market
    • Powder and Coil coatings in Europe & USA