CLIPPING
PAINT&PINTURA | Jan/Fev2017 | 7
shadestohighperformance, toeasydispersion, tochemicalstrength
andweatherability,andto lowtoxicity.AccordingtoAromattechnical
managerFernandoRosa,thisrawmaterialchangeseveryyearnotradi-
cally,butgraduallyasnewtechnologiesarisetoimprovetheirproperties,
whilealternativerawmaterialshavingalesserenvironmentalimpactare
soughtatthesametime.“Wecanhighlightheavymetal-freeproducts,
suchasmetal complexes,which featuregreat heat andweathering
resistance,whilerequiringnogrinding,astheycanbeaddeddirectlyto
theproductionprocess,therebyoptimizingprocesstimes.”
ColornetdirectorMarcosRaichersaysthatthekeytrend in inorganic
pigments is towardsusingmoreandmorepigments freeof heavy
metals andanyother substancespotentiallyharmful tohealthand
theenvironment.“Oneexampleof innovation is the lineofcomplex
inorganicpigmentsfromourrepresentedcompanyHuntsman,which
reflectsunlightonpanels,metallicroofsandtilesexposedtothesun,
thusloweringtemperaturesinsidethebuildingsand,asresult,reducing
energyconsumptioninair-conditioningequipment.Anotherexampleis
theSolaplex lineofnon-toxic,high-glossyellowandorangepigments,
analternativeto leadchromates.”
AgnesMuciacito,technicalmarketingcoordinatoratBASF,pointsout
thateventhough inorganicpigments, forthemostpart, featurehigh
strengthand resistancevalues, theyarealso subject tocertaincolo-
ristic limitations. “BASFColors&Effectshasbeenmaking significant
investmentsinthedevelopmentofalternative,high-strengthpigments
withgoodcoloristicpropertieswhichsupportapplications thatwere
previously impossible. Today, our Sicopal andSicotan lines comprise
yellow,orange,blueandgreenpigments.
PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT: MILLS, DISPENSERS&MIXERS -
TECHNOLOGYCOMBINEDWITHSAFETYANDSUSTAINABILITY
Thevariouskindsofproductionequipment are increasinglymodern
and compact,whileusing cutting-edge technology andbecoming
moreeconomical.
Themarketforproductionequipmentalsohas itsupsanddowns,as
ithappenswithrawmaterials.Theyear2016wasreallydifficulttothe
industry, but equipmentmanufacturersexpect 2017 tobeayear of
recovery.“Thefirsthalfshouldcontinuea littleweak,butweexpect
morefavorableconditionstoarisebytheendoftheyear.Wedohave
growthexpectationsfortheregionservedbyInkmakerBrazil(Central
andSouthAmericas),butweareconfidentthatBrazil isgoingto lead
that growth. In fact, inorder to tryandboost growth, especially in
Brazil,where sits Inkmaker’s regional headquarters,wehavea few
plans involvingnotnewequipment,buteffortsto innovate inexisting
equipment.Underdevelopmentarecertainoperating improvements
tosuchequipment,asareattemptsatmaking iteasierto importmore
compact dispensing systems,” says FernandoSano Itaziki, director,
CentralandSouthAmerica,Inkmaker.
Expectations for2017arealsopositiveatGrupoMoinhoPirâmide, in
spiteofdwindlingeconomicindicators,includingBrazil’sGDP(grossdo-
mesticproduct),accordingtotechnicaldirectorJuniorMachado.“We’d
expectedagrowthrateof8percentfortheyear2016,butweachieved
only6percent.Ourmarketstudiesspanning2015through2016turned
oureyestoanew reality,namely, thatsmallandmedium-sizeddeals
arecomingfrombusinessesandindependententrepreneursengaged
invarioussegments,buthavingthesametargetmarkets,leadingusto
createnewproductsandmarketingsolutionsforthemthrough
ourconsultants.”
Inaddition,MoinhoPirâmide’sMachadosaysthattheevolution
takingplace inthemarketforvarnishes,paintsandcoatingsfor
theirtargetsegmentsarehavingpositiveeffects.“Forcustomers
inmarkets like silkscreenandother printing inks, automotive
refinishcoatingsandvarnishes formetal andpaperpackaging
materials,wedevelop standardizedproductivity systemswith
clearcoatsandtintingsystemswithfullsupportfromoursenior
consultantsandmanagementsoftware.Withtheequipmentwe
alreadyhave installed forvertically integrated industrialapplica-
tions,wedelivertoourcustomersa38to52-percentreduction
of fixed costs, dependingon their geographic locations. The
latest innovationsadded toourprocessand intelligence isour
globalmanagementsystem,whichmonitorsallprocessstages
and controlsend customer inventories, to thepointof always
anticipatingthedemandfromtheircustomers.”
For2017,NetzschbusinessdirectorGiulianoAlbieroexpectsthe
marketforproductionequipmenttoexperiencegrowthofappro-
ximately10percentovertheyear2016.“Thatgrowthwillbebased
especiallyonapplications,asthere’sademandforproductsthat
providegreateraddedvaluetoenableourcustomerstocompete
withsuppliersofproductsthatareusedglobally,andthere’salso
amajor trend towardsadapting industrial facilities tomeet the
requirementsofsafetyregulations.”
Neuman&Esser alsobelieves theeconomywill bounceback
oncethingssettledownandbecomeclearer inthepoliticaland
economicarenaand, as a result, Brazil regains the confidence
of investors.“Weexpecttheeconomytogrow1to2percent in
2017andourcompany’sbusinesstokeepup.TheBrazilianpaint
andcoatings industry feels theeffectsof thecountry’spolitical
andeconomiccrisisbecausethemarketsthataccountformost
of its sales volumehavebeendirectly impacted. Technologies
focused in improvingproduction efficiency and, as a result,
reducingcostsarepriorities inaneconomicupturn. Inaddition,
newBrazilian regulations require safety levels thatwere rarely
metbyequipmentmanufacturers.Meetingsuch requirements
inourportfolio isandwill increasinglybeapointofdifferencefor
industrialequipmentmanufacturers,”sayssalesmanagerRoque
deMoraesMendesTorres.
ALKYDRESINS -EVOLUTIONWITHNORETURN
Constantlyevolving,Brazilianalkydresinmanufacturersinvestsin
developmentsinvolvingwater-basedtechnology,whichisalready
extensivelyused inEuropeandtheUnitedStates.
Alkydresinshavealwayshada largeshare intheworldmarket.
Theyaretraditionallysolvent-basedrawmaterials,andaccording
toCassiaReginaPereira, salesmanager forAkzoNobel’s Iguatu
brand,theonlyevolutioninthisindustryhasbeenamigrationfrom
non-volatilecompoundtohighsolidscontents,aimingtodecrease
environmental contamination. “There’s someexpectation for
changetowater-basedformulations.Thatkindofresinisalready
availableonthemarketplace,butonlyafewcustomershave in-
troduced it intotheirproductlinesonaccountofcostanddrying
issues.Newtechnologies likewater-basedhavebeentakingan
