OMNOVA Solutions Inc., Fairlawn, OH, announced a strategic-alliance agreement with Daikin Industries to jointly develop and commercialize fluorochemical products for surface-modification and surfactant applications. OMNOVA said the alliance will initially develop new products based on the company's PolyFox fluoropolymer technology while making use of Daikin's expertise in fluorochemistry and materials science. OMNOVA said several new fluorochemical products for industrial coatings, ink and floor-polish markets are nearing commercialization. The company said its PolyFox products have been designed to replace certain perfluorooctyl sulfonate fluorosurfactants that are being withdrawn from the market due to environmental concerns.