DERBY, UK - Catexel has extended its cobalt alternative siccative offering to the coatings industry in a new license deal with specialty chemicals company DSM.

A pioneer in the area of oxidation catalysis, Catexel has licensed new alkyd drying technology from DSM following a five-year joint development program using manganese-based Dragon complexes. The agreement allows Catexel to build on its offering for coatings companies seeking to substitute cobalt in order to meet increasingly stringent regulations in Europe and beyond.

This addition to the Dragon family of active catalysts and accelerators brings, under one roof, IP and know-how relating to the application of pre-complexed manganese siccatives for alkyd systems. In doing so, it further strengthens Catexel’s growing reputation for creating new and sustainable solutions for its customers in the paints, inks and composites sector.

As a leader in resins, binders and auxiliaries for coatings in particular, DSM is an ideal partner for Catexel in its quest to develop and commercialize its next-generation platforms for drying alkyd-based paints, especially in the growing water-based alkyd market. 

Sjaak Griffioen, Director of Innovation, Strategy and Sustainability for DSM Resins and Functional Materials, commented, “This deal with Catexel provides a platform for Catexel to reach the widest possible market globally, leveraging the strengths of two important and committed industry players. It also supports the sustained efforts being made by the global leading companies to evidence the collective drive towards offering long-term, cost-effective sustainable technologies for the benefit of all.”

In combination with other products from the Catexel portfolio, Dragon A350 and A565 complexes can be formulated to provide effective drying solutions for alkyd-based systems, matching key performance criteria and cost expectations previously provided by cobalt.