VOC Directive Heralds Change for UV-Curable Wood Coatings
Most UV-curable wood coating formulations used in Europe contain some form of volatile component, with very few being fully solvent free. These solvent levels can range from small levels to up to 70% in some polyester-based formulations. Coatings with a high solvent content are cheaper per kg and per coated area, and are more common in southern Europe -- mainly Spain and Italy, two of the largest European wood coating countries.
The VOC directive is set to drive the use of solvents down, which will force end users to change to more expensive, lower solvent alternatives. Depending on the application, the solvent consumption threshold varies. Companies that are bound by the VOC directive, therefore, vary between half- ton consumption for some processes to 25 tons in others. It is rarely made clear that many UV-curable wood coatings still contain high levels of solvent.