Meeting the challenge of radical change

Abstract

The coating industry has only occasionally been presented with the challenges and opportunities which either bring about,
or proceed from, radical change—the advent of latex house paints, powder coatings and electrodeposition have been among the
very few. Today, however, the coatings R&D community is blessed/cursed with a large variety of potential technology approaches,
any of which—solid paint, solventless liquids, energy-curing systems, the use of nanotechnology or combinatorial chemistry,
et al.—might lead to paradigm-shifting products and processes. It is easy to envision a future in which painted metal might
replace asphalt shingles, claytiles, and other common roofing materials widely used on residential roofing, and the automotive
industry is clearly willing to explore coil-applied alternatives to its current painting practices. Taking advantage of the
opportunities implicit in these new technologies, processes, and markets which are on the horizon will, however, require both
new approaches to early performance prediction and also a renewed commitment to—and funding of—R&D within the global coatings
community.