News of the Month – July 2008

back to top of page

PRA Activities/News

Service Life Prediction, 21 January 2009, Hampton, UK

The main purpose of this symposium is to review developments in the theory and practice of service life prediction in relation to exterior coatings. The coatings industry has been described as neglecting reliability based methodologies, in comparison with other industries and there will be a critical review of descriptive, mechanistic and reliability methods. The symposium will also provide a forum for developments in techniques including new light sources, weathering devices and instruments for probing coating degradation and change before the onset of visible failure.

Authors of new work relating to developments in the theory and practice of service life prediction in relation to exterior coatings are invited to submit papers. These will be selected on the basis of novelty of the subject matter and relevance to the overall subject of the symposium. Papers are also invited on developments in weathering devices and characterisation techniques. Case histories of product development using SLP techniques are also welcome. The following list of relevant topics and themes is presented for guidance, but is not intended to be comprehensive. Papers which are principally commercial in nature will not be accepted.

• Service Life Methodologies
• Theoretical Aspects
• Weathering Devices
• Standards and Standardisation
• Instrumental Developments
• Combinatorial Techniques
• Case Histories of New Product Development

Further details of information for speakers can be found on the Conferences section of the PRA website. Speaker details and an abstract, which can be submitted online, should be submitted by 5 September 2008. Notification of acceptance will be received by 26 September 2008.

---

Understanding & Testing the Wet & Dry Properties of Coatings, 25-26 November 2008

This course is designed for all those working on the development, specification, and quality control of coatings where the use and interpretation of test methods is required. The course will have a strong practical emphasis enabling delegates to understand the principles and consequences of key coating attributes including.

• Wet Film
  • Viscosity & Rheology
  • Surface Tension

• Dry Film
  • Mechanical properties
  • Adhesion
  • Permeability
  • Opacity
  • Gloss & Sheen

Carry out practical application and testing of paints using established test methods. Subject to prior notice every attempt will be made to meet delegates specific interests.

If this Training Course is of interest to you, then you may also be interested in a PRA event on Measurement & Testing, which is being planned for late May or early June in 2009. See under PRA Conferences 2009 for more details.

---

---

UK RTOs aid economy and innovation - pick up a copy of the report

Results of an independent study of UK Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) reveal the contribution that they make to the UK economy and transfer of innovation to business and industry. Commissioned by the Association of Independent Research and Technology Organisations (AIRTO), Oxford Economics found that this important sector contributes at least £3bn per annum to the UK GDP. If you would like to receive a copy of this report please contact Susan Conyers

back to top of page

Keep up to date with some of the latest developments in the Coatings Industry with Latest News. Recent headlines include:

back to top of page

Information Services

Click on the links below to see highlights from the latest issues of PRA publications. For information about any of our technical publications please contact Richard Kennedy. For information about publications relating to market information (COMET and EPRN) please contact Glenda Thisdell. For information about our publication relating to regulatory information (SHE Alert) please email shelaert@pra-world.com.

MARKET INFORMATION

Coatings COMET - COmpanies, Markets and Economic Trends

COMET is the perfect market intelligence companion for busy coatings executives in such areas as: Marketing, Export Department, Business Planning, Product Development, Corporate Affairs and New Business Opportunities.

European Paint & Resin News (EPRN)

European Paint & Resin News contains the essential news of the global coatings industry, providing information in a clear and simple format.

---

REGULATORY INFORMATION

SHE Alert - (Safety, Health and Environment Alert)

A monthly bulletin on global regulatory safety, health and environmental matters relevant to the coatings industry, also available online as a searchable database. See SHE Alert highlights for July 2008.

---

LIBRARY AND DATABASE SERVICES

Paint Titles

Stay informed of all new scientific and technical knowledge with Paint Titles, PRA’s weekly alerting service covering paints, coatings, adhesives and inks. PRA Members can browse Paint Titles online or download the PDF version free of charge. For a fee, non-members can also subscribe to Paint Titles by contacting Dr Norman Morgan.

For details of our document delivery service, please contact the PRA library.

World Surface Coatings Abstracts (WSCA)

WSCA is the industry’s premier search tool for coatings related technical information. Produced monthly in print and as a CD-ROM, the electronic version of WSCA contains more than 300 000 coatings-related abstracts collated over the last 30 years. See recent WSCA highlights. WSCA also offers ‘personalised alerts’ and ‘one-off searches’. For further information contact Dr Norman Morgan.

---

SPECIALIST TECHNICAL NEWS

Waterborne and High Solids Coatings

A monthly bulletin covering all aspects of waterborne and high solids technology from the properties of raw materials to the application and performance of the final coatings. See highlights from Waterborne and High Solids Coatings.

Dispersion Polymers: Technology & Applications

Dispersion Polymers: Technology & Applications provides critical reviews of developments in dispersion polymer technology, covering new latex compositions, polymer processes, physical properties and applications of dispersion polymers in paints, adhesives, membranes, non-woven fabrics, textiles and paper.

Polymer Curing Technologies

Polymer Curing Technologies offers a critical overview of journal and patent literature from the following topics: curing types, radiation cure, physical properties and test methods.

RADnews

PRA’s quarterly newsletter for the radiation curing industry, RADnews, provides extensive information on patents relevant to radiation curing, articles appearing in the technical press — from academic research to commercial developments — and new developments in products and equipment.

back to top of page

Technical Services

Spotlight on PRA's viscosity oils and calibration services

PRA is a calibration laboratory (Number 0804) accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The oils and certificates that PRA supplies all bear the UKAS accreditation mark. PRA now sells one grade of calibration oil (the U grade), which replaces the Standard, Intermediate-Standard and Special grades.

• Each calibration oil comes with a certificate giving the viscosity at 0.5°C intervals between 20 and 30°C;
• reported to four significant figures; and
• all certificates routinely bear a calibration graph.

Our uncertainties of calibration are:

• 0.35% for viscosities lower than 10 poise and 10 Stokes
• 0.65% for viscosities 10 poise and 10 stokes and above
• 0.07% for density values

For further information contact PRA Technical Services

back to top of page

Networking and Learning

Print & Ink Technology

This three day course continues to provide a firm foundation in the terminology and concepts used in print & printing ink technology. It covers the formulation, application, manufacture and testing of inks, and reviews in the context of the inks and substrates all the various printing processes. Several changes have been made to the traditional course, so it continues to closely reflect the changes that are taking place in the industry. The new course, which is being held on 6-8 October 2008 at the PRA Coating Technology Centre in Hampton, includes:-

• Laboratory demonstrations to illustrate some of the features of rheology, and the drying & testing of inks
• Increased emphasis on non-contact (jet) printing
• More information on minority topics such as 'Speciality Inks'
• A new section on 'Substrates', relating the commercial & technical requirements of printed material to the inks and printing methods
• Modification to sections involving colour to recognise the importance of this topic in the modern printing processes

You can book a place on this course using the online registration form. Or, for further details contact Elisabeth Brown.

All PRA Courses are now accredited by OCCA and will be accepted as evidence of Continuing Professional Development. For further information contact Elisabeth Brown.

---

PRA events

The 6th Woodcoatings Congress, Amsterdam, 14–15 October 2008

The sixth PRA Woodcoatings Congress is being held at the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam Aan de Amstel on 14–15 October. The programme of 35 papers is split into six sessions, spread over the two-day period, giving delegates a wide choice of topical presentations to attend. The parallel sessions are split between Interior and Exterior applications, to minimise the risk of similar papers overlapping. The congress dinner will be held on board a canal boat, which will pick up delegates near the hotel on the Amstel river, prior to an evening cruise around the canals in the centre of the city. The cost of the dinner and cruise is included in the registration fee for the congress.

This is a great opportunity to catch up on the latest developments in coatings for wood, and to interact with existing and potential collaborators focused on this industry in a relaxed atmosphere.

PRA Conferences 2009

Measurement & Testing, May/June 2009, Location TBC

This two-day event will cover the latest innovations in measurement and testing for the coatings industry. As well as papers from end-users, industry and academia, there will be a mini-exhibition showcasing the latest measuring and testing equipment. This conference aims to emphasise the critical importance of using well validated testing methodologies, examine areas of difficulty in testing coatings and highlight new approaches to coatings testing.

Architectural Coatings Conference, October 2009, Location TBC

Papers covering technical and marketing innovations in architectural coatings will be included in the programme, with an emphasis on compliant coatings and sustainability. Speakers and delegates will be drawn from the entire supply chain, including architects and retailers, to debate the shape of architectural coatings in the future.

To register your interest in attending these events please contact Janet Saraty

---

European Coatings Congress, 30 March-1 April 2009, Nürnberg, Germany

PRA are again assisting Vincentz Network in producing the programme for the sessions on coatings at this major industry event, which runs in parallel to the European Coatings Show (31 March-2 April 2009). The Call for Papers has been issued and may be accessed via www.european-coatings-show.com/callforpapers. The deadline for submission of title and abstract is 1 September 2008.

Another option is to submit material in the form of a poster, which would be suitable for presentations of a more commercial nature, or where the new content is limited. Poster submissions also need to be approved by the programme committee. Presenters of posters selected from industry can participate in the full congress for the reduced fee of 310 euros. There will be no charge for the presenter of a poster selected from academia to attend the full congress.

A summary of the poster presentations will be included in the final congress programme, so the deadline for submitting a poster presentation is the same as for submitting a paper. A paper describing the poster will be required in February 2009, for inclusion in the conference proceedings.

An expanded interactive poster session at Nuremberg in 2009 follows the success of this session at the American Coatings Conference in Charlotte in June 2008, where over 20 displays were available for delegates to visit during two dedicated sessions, after the oral presentation programmes on the first and second days of the congress.

---

For information on PRA Conferences or to obtain copies of Proceedings from recent PRA Conferences, please contact Janet Saraty, Tel:  +44 (0)20 8487 0811, Fax:  +44 (0)20 8487 0801.

back to top of page

Other Conferences/Exhibitions

A list of other conferences, exhibitions and events is also available in our Coatings Events Diary.

---

European Conferences / Exhibitions

Advances in Emulsion Polymerization and Latex Technology
4–8 August 2008, Davos, Switzerland. Contact: Dr. F. Joseph Schork, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, Tel: 404 894 3274; Fax: 815 301 9729; e-mail: DavosCourse@gmail.com or fjschork@umd.edu

EuroCorr 2008
7–11 September 2008, Edinburgh, Scotland. Contact: Congress Office, DECHEMA, Andrea Köhl; Tel: 49 (0)69 7564-235; Fax: 49 (0)69 7564-441; e-mail: koehl@dechema.de

NanoEurope 2008
16–17 September 2008, St.Gallen, Switzerland. Contact: NanoEurope, Tel: +41 (0)71 242 0444; Fax: +41 (0)71 242 0232; e-mail: info@nanoeurope.com

REACH Europe 2008
16–18 September 2008, Antwerp, Belgium. The programme has been specifically developed to inform all those impacted by REACH of the current status of the legislation and the developing requirements to enable REACH compliance in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible. Contact: Conference Department, Tel: +44 (0)1939 250383; e-mail: conferences@rapra.net

Substitition of Hazardous Chemicals - Challenges and Opportunities
17 September 2008, Brussels, Belgium. The who's, why's, and how's of replacing unwanted chemicals in manufacture and products. Contact: www.ngoprioritylist.org

European Coatings Conference: Fire Retardants III
17–19 September 2008, Berlin, Germany. Contact: Esther Schwencke, Tel: 49 511 9910-270; Fax: 49 511 9910-279; e-mail: esther.schwenke@coatings.de

Nanotech Northern Europe 2008
23–25 September 2008, Copenhagen, Denmark. This event is intended to be a place for the global nanotechnology community to meet, collaborate, and do business. Contact: Spinverse, Tel: 358 40 565-1325; e-mail: katrina.forsstrom@spinverse.com

CEPE Annual Conference & General Assembly 2008
24–26 September 2008, Berlin, Germany. Contact: Vincentz Network, Sandra Werner, Tel: 49 511 9910-271; Fax: 49 511 9910-279; e-mail: sandra.werner@coatings.de

Green Solvents - Progress in Science and Application
28 September–1 October 2008, Lake Constance, Friedrichshafen, Germany. The biannual conference series 'Green Solvents' has been established as an important international forum for the discussion of modern approaches to sustainable solution phase processes. Contact: DECHEMA, Barbara Feisst, Tel: 49 69 7564-333; Fax: 49 69 7564-441; e-mail: feisst@dechema.de

Eurocoat2008
30 September–2 October 2008, Lyon, France. EUROCOAT is a trade event that encompasses both an Exhibition and a Technical and scientific conference dedicated to the paint, varnish, printing ink, glue and adhesive industry. Contact: Marie-Odile Barkallah, Conference organisation, Tel: 33 (0)1 4263-4591; e-mail: aftpva-mob@wanadii.fr

Nanopolymers 2008
7–8 October 2008, Frankfurt, Germany. Bringing you up to date with the latest developments in this fast-evolving field. Contact: Conference Department, Tel: +44 (0)1939 250383; e-mail: conferences@rapra.net

6th Woodcoatings Congress
14–15 October 2008, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The main purpose of the congress is to facilitate innovation in the formulation of woodcoatings, by bringing together the participants in the supply chain for an in-depth exchange of knowledge and ideas. Contact: Janet Saraty, Tel: +44 (0)20 8487: 0811; Fax: +44 (0)20 8487: 0801; e-mail: conferences@pra-world.com

REACH Advanced – New
20–21 November 2008, Brussels, Belgium. The REACH Advanced workshop is designed for people who contribute to REACH Implementation within a company and who wish to be updated of the latest developments regarding REACH. Please visit the website for details of registration.

Central European Coatings Congress 2008 – New
25–27 November 2008, Warsaw, Poland. The Central European Coatings Congress offers a new kind of business-to-business experience. This Congress will be the 7th event to be held in Poland, targeting senior level coatings buyers and specifiers from Central and Eastern Europe. Contact: Emma Scheck, Tel: +44 (0)1737: 855225; Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034; e-mail: emmascheck@dmgworldmedia.com

European Coatings Congress 2009
30 March–1 April 2009, Nürnberg, Germany. PRA will again be partnering Vincentz Network in producing the coatings part of the programme for this important industry event, which runs in parallel to the European Coatings Show (31 March-2 April 2009). Contact: Friederike Plasswich, Tel: +49 511 9910-274; Fax: +49 511 9910-279; e-mail: friederike.plasswich@coatings.de

---

American / Canadian Conferences / Exhibitions

The XVth International Congress on Rheology
3–8 August 2008, Monterey, California, USA. Contact: Congress Administrator, Paula Bailey

Labelexpo Americas 2008
9–11 September 2008, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Labelexpo Americas is the largest event for the label, product decoration, web printing and converting industry in the Americas. Contact, e-mail: sales@labelexpo.com

Powder Coating Forum
10–11 September 2008, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Powder Coating Forum is a 2-day educational seminar that will provide you with the basics of powder coating formulation and, for the first time this year, there will be a symposium with additional topics & real case studies, complete with a Powder Coatings Plant Tour! Contact: Toll Free: 1 888 530 6714

Coating 2008
23–25 September 2008, Indianapolis, Illinois, USA. The industry's leading experts, suppliers and trade associations invite you to attend COATING 2008 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, IN where you can take the necessary steps to stay competitive in our global marketplace. Contact: Goyer Management; Tel: 513 624 9988; Fax:  513 624 0601; e-mail: lmuck@one.net

Polyurethanes 2008
29 September–1 October 2008, San Antonio, Texas, USA. The technical conference is being specifically tailored to meet the detailed needs of manufacturers and processor of polyurethane-based products in all the key industrial sectors. Contact: http://www.polyurethane.org/s_api/index.asp

FutureCoat! 2008
15–16 October 2008, Chicago, Illinois, USA. FutureCoat! is the industry's state-of-the-art technical conference. Contact: Federation of Societies for Coatings, Tel: 610 940 0777; Fax:  610 940 0292; e-mail: fsct@coatingstech.org

---

Asian Conferences / Exhibitions

Indocoating and Corrosion Summit 2008
12–14 August 2008, Jakarta, Indonesia. The Indocoating and Corrosion Summit 2008, being held at the Jakarta Convention Center, will not only focus on protective coatings but it will also emphasise different aspects of corrosion. Contact: Conference Secretariat, Tel: +62 21 837 95203/83757; Fax: +62 21 837 95302/863 1746; e-mail: indocoating.committee@ieec.com

ChinaCoat 2008 – New
26–28 November 2008, Guangzhou, China. Contact: Sinostar, Tel: +852 2865 0062; Fax: +852 2804 2256; e-mail: info@sinostar-intl.com.hk

Middle East Coatings Show 2009 – New
17–19 March 2009, Cairo, Egypt. The Middle East Coatings Show 2009, now in its 16th year, is still the only dedicated coatings event in the Middle East and Gulf Region for raw materials suppliers and equipment manufacturers for the coatings industry. Contact: Jeff Montgomery, Tel: +44 (0)1737: 855078; Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034; e-mail: jeffmontgomery@dmgworldmedia.com

---

Other Conferences / Exhibitions

22nd National Symposium of OCCA South African Division
19–21 August 2008, Champagne Sports Resort, Central Drakensberg, South Africa. This symposium is open to anyone in the coatings industry who is interested. The main focus of this event will be technical papers including an industry expo, networking, entertainment and socialising. Contact: Roaslie Howard/ Garrick Dunstan, E-mail: rosalie@coa.co.za/ garrick@coa.co.za

North African Coatings Congress – New
14–15 October 2008, Casablanca, Morocco. The North African Coatings Congress 2008 is a high-calibre meeting forum based around a conference. The Congress will attract the senior level managers from the top 15 major local paint companies in Morocco. Contact: Jeff Montgomery, Tel: +44 (0)1737: 855078; Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034; e-mail: jeffmontgomery@dmgworldmedia.com

8th International Paint, Resin and Coatings Fair
18–21 December 2008, Tehran permanent fair ground, Iran. Banian Omid Co. in association with Iran International Exhibition Company is organising the 8th International Paint, Resin and Coatings Fair. Significant growth of the paint & resin industry in Iran has resulted in a demand for new relevant knowledge and technology. Contact: Ms Tehrani, Tel: +9821 88720005-7; Fax:  +9821 88710252; e-mail: info@ipcc.ir

back to top of page

E-mail Subscriptions

To receive the contents of PRA News of the Month in plain text format by email, or to receive an email notification each time a new issue is published, please complete the online subscription form. You are free to unsubscribe or re-subscribe at any point — detailed instructions are included at the end of each email. Any number of people within your organisation may subscribe.

back to top of page

Contacts

If you have any comments on PRA News of the Month, or if you have relevant news items you would like included, please contact the Editor.