Paint and Coatings Industry

Image created by PCI using AI tools; logos courtesy of AkzoNobel and Axalta. Need to Know AkzoNobel and Axalta named three additional nonexecutive directors who have agreed to serve on the combined company’s board upon completion of the pending merger. The combined board will have 11 members, with Rakesh Sachdev as chair and Ben Noteboom as vice chair. The three appointments are expected to be put forward for shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting later this year.

The Canadian Coatings Association is asking coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers companies to document how new Canada-U.S. tariffs are affecting their businesses as Canadian countermeasures approach. Canada will impose countertariffs of 15%, 25% and 50% on $27.6 billion in U.S.-origin goods beginning at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 8. The rates assigned to individual goods correspond with the U.S. tariffs placed on similar Canadian products.

Need to Know ChemQuest estimates that the U.S. paint and coatings market will reach $35.3 billion on 1.33 billion gallons in 2026. Market volume is forecast to increase 0.6%, while value rises 3.5%. Industrial OEM and special-purpose coatings are expected to grow faster than architectural coatings.

vaeenma, iStock / Getty Images Need to Know Three people died in an explosion and fire at Daewon Industrial’s fatty-acid plant in Cheonan, South Korea. Another worker suffered serious burns, and a firefighter was injured during the response. South Korea’s labor ministry ordered work stopped and formed a 15-member team to investigate the accident. Three people were killed and two others were injured Aug.

Need to Know Solstice and Element Solutions mutually terminated their acquisition agreement Aug. 27. Both boards said shareholder feedback favored the companies remaining independent. Neither company will owe a termination fee, and Solstice approved a share-repurchase program of up to $500 million. Solstice Advanced Materials Inc. and Element Solutions Inc.

Credit: Talaj / iStock via Getty Images Plus Behr Paint Co. has named Grounded T27-01, a new earthy olive green, as its 2027 Color of the Year. Behr The company describes the color as moving between olive and moss, with subtle brown undertones. Behr is positioning the hue for interior and exterior uses, including living spaces, kitchens and exterior surfaces. Grounded anchors Behr’s 2027 Color Trends Palette, which spans warm neutrals, earthy colors, muted pinks, clay hues and airy blues.

Credit: LD / iStock via Getty Images Plus Credit: LD / iStock via Getty Images Plus Need to Know EPA preliminarily found that 20 of 25 assessed conditions of use significantly contribute to unreasonable risk to human health. Nineteen conditions contribute to risk for workers, including 13 that also contribute to risk for occupational non-users; one consumer cleaner and degreaser use also contributes to risk. Comments are due Oct. 26.

Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. Need to Know Two epoxy powder coating grades are being developed for insulation of automotive motor coil ends. One grade can be transported and stored at 10–35 °C, while a second can cure at 130 °C. Both products are under customer evaluation, and only the room-temperature-storage grade currently has a stated expected launch date. Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd. has developed two epoxy powder coating grades for electrical insulation of coil ends in automotive motors.

Need to Know The portfolio includes polyurethane waterproofing systems and low-viscosity HDI-based hardeners for high-solids coatings. Hydrophilic isocyanates are being positioned as ready-to-use curing agents for waterborne formulations. Specialty amines are also being highlighted for reactivity, chemical resistance and use across multiple coating applications.

Asahi Kasei has opened a new Hipore wet-process lithium-ion battery separator coating line at its Celgard manufacturing facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company held a grand opening Aug. 20 and announced completion of the project Aug. 26. Asahi Kasei said the line establishes North American coating and supply capabilities for its wet-process separator technology and represents the first step toward a regional wet-process separator supply structure.