The California Supreme Court recently upheld an appeals-court decision that voided stringent new VOC limits on architectural and industrial maintenance coatings imposed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).
Akzo Nobel announced plans to build a new non-stick coatings production facility in southern China, adjacent to a wood-coatings plant that began operation last year in Dongguan City.
Rohm and Haas Co. announced several key management appointments, including James Swanson as head of the company's North American Architectural and Functional Coatings business and M. Reginald Horne as Global Business director for Powder Coatings.
DuPont Co.'s Coatings & Color Technologies business announced plans to consolidate operations and reduce its work force by 650 positions in moves aimed at improving the productivity of the unit.
A judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by 25 New Jersey cities and counties against former manufacturers of lead paint and pigments, saying the municipalities should be responsible for enforcing laws that ensure buildings are properly maintained and free of hazards.
Attorneys representing the state of Rhode Island and the eight companies the state had targeted in a key lead-paint lawsuit offered sharply contrasting opinions on the potential impact of the mistrial that was declared after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case.
The Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, citing the results of a survey of coatings manufacturers and suppliers, announced that the International Coatings Expo (ICE) will be held every other year beginning in 2004.
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. announced the launch of a new Performance Materials Division that combines the company's specialty surfactants, vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer emulsions, and specialty amines and curatives operations.
BASF Corp.'s Automotive Refinish business recently hosted a UV-cure coatings symposium to review and demonstrate the company's expertise in UV-cure coatings and exchange ideas for new commercial applications for the refinish market, the company said.