MUTTENZ, Switzerland – Clariant Pigments recently expanded its new pigments laboratory in Krugersdorp, near Johannesburg, South Africa, which will be a showcase for sustainable color technology. To be officially opened and inaugurated in early 2021, the new facility will serve the emerging Middle East and Africa paints and coatings market.

Marking a commitment to its business in South Africa, Clariant’s investment in the laboratory, which has taken more than 12 months to complete, will increase local value-added color support services to the coatings industry across Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. The new facility also offers increased local employment opportunities and in-house skills development training in color technologies.

“Previously, we were only able to supply pigments as raw materials, but we are proud to now be offering a full spectrum of value-added services including customized color solutions, color matching services or the development of own color recipes to create an unlimited number of shades, for example tinting systems. To complete our services we also offer technical marketing and after sales support,” said Rossitza Dimitrova, Clariant Business Unit Pigments Head of Technical Marketing, Middle East and Africa.

All product offerings, for both decorative and industrial markets as well as solutions for wood coatings, will include pigments and pigment preparations that are lead free, contain low VOC and are free of APEO. These include the following ranges: Hostatint™ 500 and Colanyl^® 500, binder-free pigment preparations for decorative coatings; Hostatint A 100, a range of solvent-based pigment preparations with high pigment loading and good rheological properties for industrial coatings; Hostafine^®, aqueous binder-free pigment preparation range for water-based wood coatings for wood stains and glazes, e.g. for furniture or flooring; and Hostatint A 100-ST, highly transparent pigment preparations for solvent-based paint systems for industrial coatings to add a quality appeal to wood, glass, coil and metallic effect coatings, e.g. computers, consumer goods, and motorbikes.

“In South Africa there is a growing demand for both locally produced and sustainable colorants and at Clariant Pigments we can now better serve the local and regional coatings industry with innovative and sustainable ranges of colorant solutions,” said Piers Kure, Clariant Business Unit Pigments Head of Sales, Sub Sahara, Africa.