News of the Month – March 2008

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PRA Activities/News

Conference Report – 2nd Waterborne & High Solids Coatings

Is the European decorative paint industry heading for a train wreck? This question was posed at the PRA's 2nd Waterborne & High Solids Coatings Conference in Brussels on the 11th and 12th March. Attended by over 100 delegates, the main topic of conversation for the participants involved in decorative paints was the impact of the fast approaching deadline of 1 January 2010 for implementation of Phase II of the European Union Paint Products Directive on VOC emission limits. The PRA conducted a pre-conference survey, which asked delegates to rank their first three preferences for the technology most likely to replace conventional alkyds for the trim paint product category in 2010. The full conference report and results of the survey can be found in the March issue of Coatings COMET [subscription required].

Copies of the conference proceedings, containing a full set of the papers presented at the conference, are available in book or CD-ROM format, price £180 (PRA Members, £130). To place an order, please complete the online order form, or e-mail conferences@pra-world.com

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GlOBAL INDUSTRIAL COATINGS MARKETS 2006-2020 STUDY

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Andrew Doroszkowski - an obituary

It is with great sadness that the PRA announces that a much valued colleague, Andrew Doroszkowski has recently passed away. Andrew had worked at ICI Paints for thirty years before he joined the PRA, on a part-time basis, as a Principal Research Scientist, in 1992. In recognition of his considerable work in the field of colloid chemistry, he was given the position of ICI Research Associate on retiring from ICI. Between 1995 and 2005, Andrew was the Editor of PRA's publication Waterborne & High Solids Coatings and in remembrance of his achievements, a paper, which he presented at the PRA Addcoat 2001 Conference, Additives for Coatings, Inks and Adhesives, in Orlando in January 2001 on 'The solubility behaviour of PMMA-PEG graft copolymers', is being reprinted in the March issue of Waterborne & High Solids Coatings. Andrew was also involved in Technical Consultancy and was a Tutor on PRA's Paint Technology Training Course, providing lectures on pigments and pigment dispersions. His expertise and presentation style were popular with all of the delegates. Andrew will be sadly missed.

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

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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 contact Tina Walton.

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.

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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 March 2008.

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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.

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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. See highlights from the Winter 2007/8 issue (63) of RADnews.

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Technical Services

Colour Laboratory

The PRA Laboratory is UKAS accredited for conducting a wide range of BS, ISO, ASTM and DIN tests in respect of the measurement of number of optical properties including colour, gloss, opacity, whiteness and yellowness. Work is not limited to paints and inks, PRA can also measure polymers, fabrics and cosmetics. At PRA we can also measure the durability and light fastness of coloured items. These tests are designed to measure the effect of sunlight, moisture and temperature on surface coatings applied to a variety of substrates.

For further information contact PRA Technical Services

PRA also provides training courses on Colour Measurement and Colour Control

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Networking and Learning

Coatings for Wood and Wood-Based Substrates

The special needs of wood as a substrate are considered, with special reference to the coating of wood in buildings and furniture. Coating formulation is set in a context of legislation, operational requirements and the background of European Standards activity. The course opens with an account of the structure of wood at the microscopic and macroscopic level and the influence this will have on the performance of coatings. Derived products such as MDF and other board products are also considered.

The next Coatings for Wood and Wood-Based Substrates Course is being held on 24 April 2008. Register online or contact the Training Manager, Elisabeth Brown (see contact details below).

View the Training Calendar for 2008.

Training courses are held at the PRA Coatings Technology Centre in Hampton, near London's Heathrow Airport. Customised courses can often be organised to suit your individual needs based on one of the courses in the training programme or on other topics. These customised courses may be held at your own site or at PRA. This can be an effective way of training a workforce. To find out more contact our Training Manager Elisabeth Brown by email or phone +44 20 8487 0815 (Fax: +44 20 8487 0805).

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PRA events

Additives for Coatings – Holiday Inn Conference Centre, Frankfurt, Germany, 20–21 May 2008

The theme for the Additives for Coatings conference, being held at the Holiday Inn conference centre, Frankfurt, on 20–21 May 2008, is 'Innovation in Formulation'. The programme consists of 20 papers split into four sessions, covering:

• Technology Trends
• Wetting and Dispersing Agents
• Additives for Unique Performance
• Functional Minerals

This range of papers comprising new information from respected suppliers and other organsations makes this a critical event for management personnel involved with tracking new developments in additive technology. The full conference programme, including abstracts of all the papers, can be viewed online. Delegates can also register online. To highlight the value of networking during the conference, the conference dinner is included in the cost of registration. The pre-dinner cocktail is being sponsored by BYK-Chemie.

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

The deadline of 14 April is approaching to submit papers in response to the Call for Papers for the sixth PRA Woodcoatings Congress. In line with the previous conferences in this series, approximately 150 high level delegates are expected to attend from round the world. The conference is being held at the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam Aan de Amstel with the theme 'Preserve, Protect, Prolong'. This emphasises that the scope includes developments in wood preservatives, as with suitable design, the preservative and coating can work together to give a complete wood protection package.

Industrial wood coatings and interior wood applications are also important parts of the congress programme, which in previous years has required the use of parallel sessions to accommodate all interests. In addition, a session is planned on surface treatments for new wood modified substrates, due to the increasing commercial use of new wood-based materials which are modified by various physical and chemical processes.

Authors of new work describing developments in coatings and preservatives for interior and exterior wood are invited to submit papers to the congress organisers. Details of speaker, title and a short abstract can be submitted easily via the conference website.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available for suppliers who wish to be associated with this conference, for example, to raise the profile of their company to a targeted audience of key decision makers. For further details, please contact conferences@pra-world.com.

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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.

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Other Conferences/Exhibitions

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

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European Conferences / Exhibitions

Medical coatings and adhesives
10–11 April 2008, Berlin, Germany. Contact: Mareike Bäumlein, Vincentz Network; Tel: +49 511 9910-273; Fax: +49 511 9910-279; e-mail: mareike.baumlein@coatings.de

Boya//Paint 2008
10–12 April 2008, Istanbul, Turkey. 7th International Paint & Auxiliary Products Industry Congress & Exhibition. The main theme of the Paint 2008 congress is 'Environment Friendly Coating Technologies'. Contact: Kimya Mühendisleri Odasi; Tel: +90 216 449 37 10-12; Fax: +90 216 449 37 13; e-mail: info@boya-paint.org

European Automotive Coating Conference – New
22–23 April 2008, Frankfurt, Germany. The 15th annual DFO Automotive Conference. Contact: DFO Service GmbH, Renate Friedrich; Tel: +49 21 31-408 11-23; Fax: +49 21 31-408 11-21; e-mail: friedrich@dfo-service.de

British Coatings Federation Annual Conference
15–16 May 2008, Stratford upon Avon, UK. The BCF website will be updated as presenters / topics are confirmed. Contact: BCF; Tel: +44 (0)1372 360660; Fax: +44 (0)1372 376069; e-mail: tracy.jagger@bcf.co.uk

IntAIRCOAT
15–16 May 2008, Munich, Germany. Be part of the first IntAIRCOAT forum in Munich discussing the vision 'Aircraft surface treatment 2020' against the backdrop of feasible solutions today and tomorrow! Contact: Vincentz Network (Mareike Bäumlein); Tel: +49 (0)511 99 10 273; Fax: +49 (0)511 99 10 279; e-mail: mareike.baeumlein@coatings.de

Surfex 2008
3–4 June 2008, Harrogate International Centre, UK. SURFEX 2008 - Evolving Together - The UK Exhibition for the Surface Coatings, Printing Inks, Adhesives, Corrosion and Construction Communities. SURFEX is the ideal exhibition for any company involved in the coatings industry. Contact: Yvonne Waterman; Tel: +44 (0)20 8908 1086; Fax: +44 (0)20 8908 1219; e-mail: surfex@occa.org.uk

Food Contact Coatings – New
12–13 June 2008, Berlin, Germany. The most important application category for food contact materials are coatings and inks used in food packaging with respect to the potential for migration to occur. Focusing on developments in raw materials and inks as well as on current legislation the conference will provide you with ideal networking opportunities and up-to-date information. Contact: Vincentz Network, Ellen Wengerek; Tel: 49 511 9910-278; Fax:  49 511 9910-279; e-mail: ellen.wengerek@coatings.de

6th International Strategy Conference on Car Body Painting
26–27 June 2008, Berlin, Germany. Contact: Vincentz Network, Friederike Plasswich, Tel: 49 511 9910-274; Fax: 49 511 9910-279; e-mail: friederike.plasswich@coatings.de

NanoMaterials08 – New
7–9 July 2008, Newcastle, UK. Following the great success of last year, NanoCentral is delighted to present NanoMaterials08. Remaining loyal to its conceptual origins, NanoMaterials08 will focus on the commercialisation of nanomaterials, rather than technology and theoretical benefits. Contact: Sponsorship & Exhibition Manager, Caroline Potapa, Tel: 44 (0)1372 802101; Fax: 44 (0)1372 802243; e-mail: caroline.potapa@pira-international.com; Conference Manager, Ben Eatwell, Tel: 44 (0)1372 802057; Fax: 44 (0)1372 802243; e-mail: ben.eatwell@nanocentral.eu.

EuroCorr 2008 – New
7–11 September 2008, Edinburgh, Scotland. The theme of EUROCORR 2008 is collaboration and synthesis of effort across disciplines. The conference programme will comprise meetings, sponsored by the various Working Parties of the EFC, together with specially convened symposia and workshops sponsored by the local organising committee. Contact: Congress Office, DECHEMA, Andrea Köhl; Tel: 49 (0)69 7564-235; Fax: 49 (0)69 7564-441; e-mail: koehl@dechema.de

CEPE Annual Conference & General Assembly 2008 – New
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

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American / Canadian Conferences / Exhibitions

11th Annual International Coatings for Plastics Symposium
21–23 April 2008, Chicago, USA. This 2-day technical symposium, will touch on the latest trends in coatings for plastics in manufacturing today. For information on how to register, visit the conference website.

ICMCTF 2008 – New
28 April–2 May 2008, San Diego, California, USA. The International Conference On Metallurgical Coatings And Thin Films (ICMCTF) is internationally recognised as a vibrant technical conference that integrates fundamental and applied research focused on thin film deposition, characterisation, and advanced surface modification techniques. Registration forms should be completed online. Contact: Mary S. Gray, ICMCTF Conference Administrator; Fax: 703-968-8877; e-mail: icmctf@mindspring.com.

RadTech UV&EB 2008
4–7 May 2008, Chicago, Illinois, USA. RadTech UV/EB 2008 is the World's Largest UV & EB Event. Contact: RadTech International, North America, Tel: 240 497 1243; Fax: 240 209 2337; e-mail: mickey@radtech.org

ECOAT 2008
14–16 May 2008, Indianapolis, USA. Contact: The Electrcoat Association; Tel: 816 496 2308; Fax: 513 527 8801; e-mail: kmcglothlin@electrocoat.org

American Coatings Conference
2–3 June 2008, Charlotte, NC, USA. Sponsored by the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA) and Vincentz Network, the American Coatings Conference will take the industry to 'The Next Level'. Contact: Vincentz Network, Friederike Plasswich, Tel: 49 511 9910-274; Fax: 49 511 9910-279; e-mail: friederike.plasswich@coatings.de

SUR/FIN 2008 – New
16–18 June 2008, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. This major international conference and trade show provides the best venue in which to explore the newest technology and practical applications for surface finishing. Contact: Cheryl Clark, Tel: 1 202 580; 6292; e-mail: cclark@nasf.org

Powder Coating Forum – New
10–11 September 2008, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Powder Coating Forum, formerly PC 101, 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

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Asian Conferences / Exhibitions

Korean Coatings Show 2008
24–25 April 2008, Seoul, Korea. The Korean Coatings Show 2008 will be officially hosted by KPIC (the Korean Paint & Printing Ink Industry Cooperative). Contact: Oceana Ou: Tel: +44 (0)1737 855578; e-mail: oceanaou@dmgworldmedia.com; David Roberts: Tel: +44 (0)1737 855062; e-mail: Davidroberts@dmgworldmedia.com

Asia Pacific Coatings Show 2008
24–26 June 2008, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Contact: Danielle Wolstencroft, Marketing and Conference Executive: Tel: +44 (0)1737 855360; e-mail: daniellewolstencroft@dmgworldmedia.com

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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.