With increasing regulatory focus and consumers demanding products that are more sustainable and eco-friendly, the coatings industry needs to evolve and, as such, there is a search for technologies that meet these requirements without compromising cost or performance.
Containing more than 50% of natural oils and carboxylic acids from renewable plant sources, alkyd resins are a logical choice for sustainable coatings compared to other petrochemical-based resin systems. Following a period of decline, the alkyd coatings market has stabilized in recent years and is currently enjoying a period of modest growth. As a thoroughly tested technology, alkyds offer a number of performance benefits that make them an attractive option for coatings formulators, particularly for wood applications. This is because the drying time is long enough to let the penetration into the wood substrate take place. Low-VOC solventborne systems are widely available as are water-based systems whose performance is constantly improving, with the added benefit of superior environmental credentials.