Industrial Painting: VOCs and Sustainability

Environmental concerns have led to increased regulations in various parts of the world. Europe, in particular, is at the forefront of this change, imposing increasingly strict limits on industrial emissions. “In Europe, there are very strict restrictions, and I know that from now until 2030, many companies will have to reduce their emissions and other things. So, the paint industry is also under pressure regarding this energy; they have to find a way to reduce their energy consumption, but prices are also rising now for many reasons,” reports Kemalcan.

This pressure is not limited to Europe. With the globalization of the economy, multinational companies need to align their operations in different countries to the highest standards, as Alcidene explains regarding Brazil. “In Brazil, just like in Europe, you know, we have many manufacturing facilities that are branches of European or American factories. So, what they manufacture in Brazil, until a few years ago, they could only follow local rules and regulations. And one regulation that is quite acceptable and broad, compared to Europe and the US, is the VOC levels. VOC used to be a law, but the limit was quite broad. And now the Europeans, especially the Europeans who are manufacturing in Brazil, are under strong pressure to do both: reduce VOC emissions and reduce energy consumption as well,” he says.

In this scenario, Alcidene emphasizes that the search for more sustainable processes directly involves the adoption of painting technologies capable of reducing energy consumption and optimizing the use of inputs. According to him, clients have been seeking solutions that allow them to lower the temperature of drying ovens or even eliminate this step, while simultaneously reducing the volume of paint applied. This economy contributes not only to reducing costs and material consumption, but also to decreasing VOC emissions, making the operation more efficient and environmentally responsible.

Gary adds, mentioning innovations in coatings and equipment. “It’s very fluid in the US as well. It’s not just the workforce, we’re trying to automate coatings and technologies to reduce energy. A lot of materials are going high solids content, multi-component materials to minimize ovens and curing specifications. You get into a lot of water-based or water-reducible materials that don’t have the carrier co-solvents that create VOCs. So, that’s a big push right now, is developing equipment that works seamlessly with the new coatings that are coming to market, because a lot of them are really challenging. They dry very quickly. They’re very thick. They’re very difficult to atomize, very difficult to transport through pumping systems,” he explains.

Optimization, once seen as a differentiating factor, is now a necessity for survival and competitiveness in the global market. Companies that fail to adapt to the new demands for sustainability and efficiency risk falling behind. Kemalcan emphasizes that Now, optimization is not just something that's 'nice to do,' it's a necessity.

For companies seeking to remain relevant and responsible, investing in technologies that reduce VOCs, optimize energy consumption, and improve paint application efficiency is fundamental. This not only ensures compliance with regulations but also positions the company as a leader in innovation and sustainability.