A Coatings World Q&A: Engineered Polymer Solutions

Q. What trends is EPS seeing in the industrial wood coatings market?

A. Demand in the wood coatings market has been shifting toward waterborne and low-VOC products due to regulatory changes and customer sustainability initiatives. Sustainability is a hot topic, especially in Europe where the industry is looking for acrylics with a low-carbon footprint.

Unprecedented growth in the housing market and the recent renovation boom have contributed to high demand in the wood coatings market, despite headwinds from lumber price increases.

Q. Tell us about the performance attributes that are driving growth in this market.

A. The market requires that waterborne products achieve the same performance as solventborne products with properties that streamline production and improve throughput, such as fast dry times. Also, attributes that increase durability, like chemical resistance, water resistance and scratch resistance, are also in demand.