Most coatings formulators agree that the available options of solvent-based pigment dispersions have trouble meeting the industry's coloristic standards for tint strength and shade largely due to either incompatibility or poor batch-to-batch consistency of the colorant. These problems are especially evident when formulating high-performance industrial coatings, where achieving consistent and repeatable tinting with older colorant palettes in newer resin chemistries can be particularly challenging. With this in mind, Clariant initiated a research project three years ago to engineer a new range of colorants that meet the established coloristic standards needed for industrial coatings, as well as deliver the enhanced color performance the industry has been seeking. Combining direct customer feedback and statistical modeling with our long-standing expertise in organic pigments, Clariant utilized our global network of chemists and product experts to drive the development of a better colorant solution for use in industrial coatings.
“What we discovered after talking with a lot of paint manufacturers was that the current available dispersions for industrial coatings had very wide tint strength tolerances. Especially in the point-of-sale business, some shops could spend several hours tweaking formulations to arrive at a good color match for their customers. This kind of variability can easily add to the overall cost to serve the customer if you consider not just the extra material costs, but the lab hours to arrive at the desired shade,” states Dr. Romesh Kumar, Sr. Technical Sales Manager at Clariant North America.