ipcm n. 97 | January - February 2026

14 – 17 April 2026

Karlsruhe,

ENGIN EERED CHEMIC AL PAINT STRIP PIN G

COMPLETE INDUSTRIAL STRIPPING PROCESSES FOR METAL COMPONENTS

4– 6 March 2026

Hall. 22 - Booth: C50 Bologna, Italy

14 – 17 April 2026 Hall 2 - Booth: 2536 Karlsruhe, Germany

ENGINEERED PAINT STRIPPING BY ALIT

At ALIT, chemical paint stripping is not a standalone operation We design the chemistry

We build the systems

Europe’s tumultuous chemicals industry: how are coatings impacted?

SPHERILEX® DP-0117 - Enabling high durability matte powder coatings

Easy PROG PORTAL: the automatic painting system for windows, doors, and cylindrical objects 22

OF

From industrial paint to design language: the evolution of Adapta collections through technology, innovation, and art

EMU: sustainable and digital powder coating within a smart factory

High-performance amino resins for thermosetting coatings

When is it time to replace a coating system: the experience of Verona Impianti 2002

50 FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

A new cataphoresis plant: high quality and control in the production of components for heavy-duty vehicles

58 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

SAITA inaugurates new premises focusing on innovation and training 62

Painter: investing in technology to build quality, reliability, and a clear industrial vision

72 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Sustainable industrial tinting: the evolution of colour systems according to Ralston Tinting Systems

78 FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Mechanical finishing as the key to Euroricambi’s excellence

86 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Mirodur: boundless excellence

90 SUCCESS STORIES

Elevators that save space – and a coating line that saves resources

94 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Finmat focuses on energy efficiency and plant flexibility to meet the challenges of the automotive and general industry sectors

a comprehensive

Berizzi Srl celebrates its first thirty years in business with an eye to the future

Architectural powder coatings: where design meets resilience

Water Energy takes centre stage at the 2025 Future Italy Awards: technological innovation and a circular vision for water treatment

Decorluxe invests in innovation: a new coating line with Jet Metal technology for VMC Mottini

An innovative pigging system that meets the new requirements of automotive coating operations

Arzuffi’s new laboratory: from the testing to the industrialisation of PVD cycles on plastic and glass

Royal Van Wijhe Verf puts water at the heart of its new Concept Paint

Industrial coating: from an operational task to a strategic lever

Anticipating challenges: ddchem’s DMAPA-free curing agents for safer epoxy systems

Paolo Rami and the ipcm® Academy’s specialised training courses for the surface treatment industry

Pantone introduces Pantone Color of the Year 2026: PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer

UCIF: a year of vision, expertise, and support for the finishing sector

SECOND GENERATION OF ANODIZING LINES & Z.L.D. TECHNOLOGY

One Group, One Vision:

Engineering Excellence for ZLD & Anodizing Finishing Lines

Anodizing & P

Waste Wa Chemicals

Waste Wa

Redefining Surface conversion

DOLLCOAT GP 107

A new line of nanotechnologic conversion for corrosion classes C3H – C4H – C5M

DOLLCOAT GP 107 based on graphite engineered by

Multimetal no rinse product to be used at room temperature

Compatible with any plant and applied by spraying, deep immersion or by nebulization modules

Excellent pre-cataphoresis pretreatment

EDITOR’S LETTER

Alessia Venturi Editor-in-chief Direttore Responsabile

Finding the right balance in uncertain times.

This is the subtitle of the OECD’s interim economic outlook report released last September. In the first half of 2025, global growth showed greater resilience than expected, particularly in many emerging economies. According to projections, global GDP growth will decline from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025 and 2.9% in 2026, as tariffs and still-high policy uncertainties continue to dampen investment and trade1 In 2025, GDP growth in the Eurozone was modest and structurally low, at around +0.8%; forecasts for 2026 are slightly more optimistic, at +1%. China and the United States are also showing signals of a slowdown compared to the 2024-2025 period.

The manufacturing sector accounts for a large portion of GDP in both Europe and China, 15% and 25%, respectively2. At the same time, European companies are strongly export-oriented and diversified, which increases their resilience. In the US, manufacturing contributes a lower share, around 9-10% of total GDP3

The surface treatment sector is a specialised niche within the manufacturing industry: in 2024, its global market was estimated to be worth over $105 billion4, highlighting growing demand for applications in the automotive (especially the high-end and electric mobility segments), aerospace, electronics, medical, energy, and defence industries. North America holds a significant share of the market (with the US leading the way). Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region. Europe maintains critical but relatively declining shares in the global chemical/manufacturing sector – you will find this topic explored in depth in the opening article of this issue. Now, in light of this analysis, does it still make sense to be dynamic entrepreneurs who are willing to invest, take business risks, and pursue development and commercial expansion?

Yes, it does. But not in the same way as it did ten or fifteen years ago.

Slow economic growth does not necessarily equate to a lack of opportunities. On the contrary, in this context, the greatest risk is immobility, the tendency to take a romantic view of entrepreneurship based on ‘feelings’ and optimistic forecasts rather than on know-how, analyses, and skills.

Today, dynamic (and successful) entrepreneurs are well-prepared, selective, clear-headed, and adaptable. They are able to identify the technical needs of the market, presenting themselves as partners rather than suppliers and assisting clients in critical workflow stages with reliable solutions, repeatable processes, and certified quality. They also know it makes sense to invest in digitalisation to reduce errors, in applied R&D, and in flexible automation – in short, in technological risk, to avoid being left without options for survival in five years.

The surface treatment sector offers extraordinary opportunities for growth because its processes are critical to the functionality of products, affecting their quality, durability, and reliability. By investing in surface treatments, companies can enter new value chains, becoming partners that are more difficult to replace. The event to discuss all these issues is PaintExpo 2026, to be held in Karlsruhe (Germany) in April. The pages of this ipcm® issue, which will be distributed at our stand at the trade fair, already include many examples of what it means to be an entrepreneur today.

Because now is the time for above-average thinkers to rise up.

Richiedi la versione in italiano a info@ipcm.it

1 https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-economic-outlook-interim-report-september-2025_67b10c01-en/full-report.html

2 https://www.china-briefing.com/news/china-manufacturing-industry-tracker-2024-25/

3 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/VAPGDPMA

4 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/surface-treatments-market?utm

Europe’s tumultuous chemicals industry: how are coatings impacted?

Philip Marsh and Wayne Daniell, Ph.D., Directors, The ChemQuest Group, Inc. pmarsh@chemquest.com

The ChemQuest Group, a global business strategy and external technology development firm with expertise in the specialty chemicals markets, continues its in-depth analysis of the coatings sector in particular and the chemical industry in general. This article presents the current perspectives of the latter, which is experiencing one of its most challenging phases in Europe.

It is hard to imagine Europe without a chemicals industry.

Inconceivable, in fact, that a shared history spanning two centuries of discovery, invention, and industrialisation could actually come to an end. Whereas the romantic historian might at this stage reference Alfred Nobel or Marie Curie, two of chemistry’s great pioneers, the industrial historian is more likely to point to Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, chemists who epitomised an era when the science of chemistry evolved into a true chemicals industry.

The modern historian, however, may simply point to the numbers: the estimated 1.2 million people who are currently employed in the European Union (EU) within the chemicals industry, as well as a further 3 million in related (and partly dependent) sectors. In 2025, this industry generated approximately Euro 635 billion of turnover within Europe, supported on the shoulders of over 30.000 European companies. Inconceivable, indeed, to imagine its demise.

However, that is exactly the stark picture painted by a recent Cefic report. The market downturn is broad and persistent, with little sign of near-term improvement. It has led Europe’s share of the global chemical market to drop to 13%, with market leader China dominating with 46% of global sales. And now Europe faces a pronounced capacity contraction, with about 11 million tonnes of chemical production set to close across 21 major sites.

The European problem

The planned closures are concentrated in aromatics, accounting for 41% of capacity taken offline in 2023–24, including isopropylbenzene, styrene, ethylbenzene, and toluene diisocyanate. Olefins and polymers represent a further 26% and 23%, respectively.

The envisaged cracker shutdowns are especially damaging, nearly 3 million tonnes of naphtha-cracker capacity—around 5% of Europe’s base— will close, severing a key link between refining and petrochemicals.

Cefic warns that the oversupply is global and structural. New capacity elsewhere, weak European demand, and utilisation falling to about 75% in 2023 (projected to stay at 74–76% through 2028) all undermine European industry development and complicate efforts at decarbonisation.

Even core building blocks are affected—ethylene, propylene, ammonia, chlor-alkali—all continue to be hit hard by high energy costs whilst suffering sluggish demand in Europe.

Downstream, closures are already tightening supply of the resins, solvents, and intermediates used in coatings, forcing formulators to re-qualify materials, secure alternatives, and accelerate substitution and recycling.

The brutal reality is that the competitiveness gap—high energy and carbon costs, weak demand, and overcapacity—makes closures systemic rather than cyclical. Stricter emissions rules, slow permitting, and feedstock growth outside Europe further raise costs and shift production to lower-cost regions, leaving European legacy assets exposed. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle: margin compression leads firms to defer maintenance and capex, reducing reliability and making closures more likely. Each upstream shutdown raises supply risk for downstream resin, solvent, and additive makers, resulting in sustained volatility and rationalisation across coatings and related sectors.

This precarious situation prompted Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of INEOS, to recently describe the European chemical industry as being at a “tipping point” and to call upon Europe’s politicians to make an “eleventh-hour intervention” to save it.

Ramifications for coatings

The recent upstream closures in Europe (Table 1) have impacted greatly on several coatings value chains, driving companies within that space to both react to the changes and rethink their strategies.

Formulators and R&D teams must accelerate parallel trials, ageing studies, and pilot runs to validate substitutions, while production and operations contend with tighter feedstock windows, partial shipments, and the need for short and validated recipes, as well as rapid changeovers. Procurement and supply chain groups face longer lead times, freight risk, and single-source exposure, requiring risk-mapping of inputs, supplier

pre-qualification, and tighter contractual clauses. Distributors and traders are forced into allocation management and higher inventory costs, while QA and regulatory teams manage greater material variance and heavier documentation through stricter impurity profiling and expanded pilot capacity. Sales and specification teams must navigate pricing complexity and performance trade-offs with dual-spec options and proactive customer management, while sustainability groups re-baseline recycled-content targets and qualify multiple recyclers. SMEs remain the most exposed, with limited purchasing power and R&D budgets, making pooled procurement, SKU prioritisation, and short-term financing critical mitigations.

Against this backdrop, immediate near-term priorities are clear. Companies should risk-map their top 20 inputs by spend and technical criticality, run parallel requalification streams for two to three substitutes per critical input with supplier co-validation, and secure flexible supply arrangements such as conditional offtake, tolling, or regional blending. Selective safety stock of 30–90 days should be funded only for the highest-risk SKUs, while reclaim and conversion projects—such as

Longer‑term priorities and actions

In the wake of widespread upstream closures across Europe’s chemical sector, coatings manufacturers face a structurally tighter supply of resins, solvents, and intermediates. Long-term priorities must therefore be framed not as abstract ambitions, but as direct responses to the contraction of feedstock and monomer capacity.

 Strategic feedstock diversification becomes unavoidable when local crackers and aromatic units shut down, cutting off reliable streams of styrene, propylene oxide, and epoxy precursors. By building multi-region sourcing networks for resins and solvents, and qualifying recyclers for polyolefin modifiers or bio-based solvents, coatings producers reduce their dependence on European assets that are disappearing. Diversification is the most immediate hedge against closures.

 Technology and R&D investment is the next line of defence. As upstream closures force formulators to source variable resin grades from different regions, coatings must be reformulated to tolerate inconsistency. Accelerated weathering platforms and digital twins allow manufacturers to predict how coatings will perform when inputs shift,

COMPANY SITE UNITS CLOSED / CURTAILED

Solvay Salindres (France) TFA & fluorinated derivatives

Westlake Pernis (Rotterdam, NL)

BASF Ludwigshafen (Germany)

LyondellBasell/ Covestro Maasvlakte (PO11, NL)

INEOS Rheinberg (Germany)

Dow Böhlen, Schkopau, Barry (EU)

Borealis Schwechat (Austria) & others

BPA, liquid epoxy resin; ECH/allyl chloride mothballed

Adipic acid; cyclododecanone; cyclopentanone

PO11 POSM unit (propylene-oxide / styrene monomer)

Epichlorohydrin; chlorine / caustic units

Ethylene cracker; chlor‑alkali/vinyl; siloxanes

Mechanical recycling projects suspended

Evonik Hanau (Germany) & others Keto-acid production discontinued

Shell Various EU assets

Strategic review; selective closures possible

DOWNSTREAM COATING SEGMENTS AFFECTED

Fluoropolymer & specialty additive coatings

Epoxy coatings; marine & industrial primers

Polyester polyols for PU topcoats; UV‑stabilisers

PU binders; polyol feedstocks; styrenic binders

Epoxy precursors; chlorinated intermediates

Alkyd modifiers; styrenic binders; chlorinated intermediates

Announced Sep 2024; stop Oct 2025

Announced Jun 2025; closure 2025

Announced Aug 2024; shutdowns 2025

Announced Mar 2025; phased to 2026

Announced 2025; phased timing

Announced Jul 2025; shutdowns 2026–27

Recycled polyolefin modifiers; circular feedstock Paused Jul 2025

Niche additives; crosslinker intermediates

Base monomers & solvents for PU, epoxy, styrenics

Table 1 Recent upstream closures in Europe

or chlor-alkali unit, modular paint lines and tolling partnerships provide flexibility. Distributed production capacity ensures that coatings can still be manufactured even if one feedstock stream dries up, preventing bottlenecks from cascading downstream.

 Policy and advocacy engagement may seem less connected, but closures are often triggered by Europe’s high energy costs and strict permitting. By pushing for competitive energy pricing and pragmatic VOC and emissions rules, coatings manufacturers indirectly address the root causes of upstream contraction. If policy shifts reduce the pace of closures, downstream supply becomes more stable.

 Financial risk management is a direct response to the price volatility that follows closures. When epoxy resin or PU polyol supply tightens, freight and solvent costs spike. Hedging, diversified contract structures, and pooled procurement for SMEs help coatings companies absorb the shocks created by upstream rationalisation.

Announced Oct 2024; end-2025

Announced Mar 2025; under review

 Customer and market adaptation is another downstream necessity. Closures force substitutions—epoxy primers may need to be replaced with PU alternatives, for example, or solvent-based topcoats with waterborne systems. Dual-spec options and proactive communication allow coatings producers to manage performance trade-offs transparently, maintaining trust even when upstream supply changes force reformulation.

 Finally, digitalisation and supply‑chain visibility become critical as closures fragment supply chains. With resins and solvents sourced from multiple regions, impurity profiles and lead times vary. Advanced ERP systems and blockchain traceability help coatings manufacturers manage allocation decisions and quality assurance, ensuring that variability caused by upstream contraction does not undermine compliance or customer confidence.

The fear of the Domino effect

Europe’s chemical sector is entering a period of accelerating decline, with ageing infrastructure, high energy costs, and aggressive global expansion elsewhere eroding competitiveness. Whereas the news headlines have focussed so far on the plant closures, the greater underlying fear is of a detrimental knock-on or domino effect, not only within the entire chemicals supply chain, but extending into downstream European industries such as automotive, industrial manufacturing, electronics, or construction.

Reacting to Dow’s announcement of plans to shut down its steamcracker facilities in Saxony-Anhalt, the state’s Minister of Economic Affairs emphasised “the critical role the steamcracker plays in downstream industries” and warned that its closure could “disrupt both domestic and European supply chains”.

Some companies further downstream have already been driven to explore different countermeasures. Wacker implemented a costsavings program in October, aimed at saving EUR 300 million annually by focussing on reducing manufacturing expenses. Half the targeted savings will be generated through workforce reductions, with more than 1,500 positions expected to be eliminated worldwide (the majority at sites in Germany).

For coatings and paint manufacturers, the impact of these closures means structural exposure to volatility in resins, solvents, and intermediates. With many of the global leaders within the coatings industry (like Akzo, BASF, Jotun, Hempel) active in Europe, they represent a real threat to a EUR 40 billion market. But Europe’s chemical contraction is not just a supply-chain challenge—it is a structural redefinition of how resins, solvents, and additives are sourced, qualified, and integrated into product portfolios. Long-term resilience will depend on embedding sustainability, digitalisation, and diversified supply into operating models, ensuring continuity of performance and credibility with customers and regulators in a structurally tighter market.

• > 90% WATER RECYCLING

• REDUCTION OF DISPOSAL COSTS

• ZERO LIQUID DISCHARGE

• ZERO EMISSIONS

• EASY MAINTENANCE

• FULLY AUTOMATIC

ALIT looks ahead to 2026: an international roadmap

focused on innovation, sustainability and global presence

2026 will be a pivotal year for ALIT in terms of trade fairs and strategic positioning, with a structured presence at the main international events dedicated to metal finishing, industrial coating and surface treatment processes. A journey that strengthens the company’s role as a technological partner for industrial paint stripping and process chemistry, both in Europe and overseas.

Following the official debut of ALIT USA at FABTECH Chicago 2025, which marked the operational entry of the Group into the North American market, 2026 represents the natural next step. Not just trade fair participation, but a targeted presence in those contexts where performance, process reliability, real sustainability and concrete alternatives to pyrolysis are discussed.

MECSPE 2026: continuity and development in the European market

The first event of the year will be MECSPE 2026, taking place in Bologna from March 4 to 6. After the positive experience of the previous edition, ALIT will return to the leading European exhibition for industrial manufacturing, within the hall dedicated to metal finishing and surface treatment. For ALIT, MECSPE remains a key opportunity for direct dialogue with the Italian and European industrial landscape, where process developments, new chemical formulations and integrated plant solutions can be presented, all designed to improve efficiency, safety and operational sustainability.

PaintExpo 2026: the global meeting point for industrial coating

From April 14 to 17, 2026, ALIT will exhibit at PaintExpo Karlsruhe, the world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating technologies. With more than 400 exhibitors and visitors from all over the world, PaintExpo represents the ideal environment to engage with both contract coaters and companies with in-house coating departments.

ALIT’s presence in Karlsruhe will focus on industrial paint stripping technologies and high-performance chemical solutions, developed to meet the needs of increasingly controlled, repeatable processes aligned with the environmental objectives of the industry.

ALUMINIUM 2026: focus on processes and materials

The European trade fair season will conclude with ALUMINIUM 2026, from October 6 to 8 in Düsseldorf, the leading international event for the aluminum industry. Following the success of the 2024 edition, ALIT will return with an even more structured presence, addressing the specific requirements of aluminum processing: from stripping hooks and masking systems to residue management and the integration of chemistry and equipment.

FABTECH 2026: consolidating ALIT USA

2026 will also mark a fundamental strategic step in the American market. ALIT USA will participate for the first time in FABTECH Las Vegas, from October 21 to 23, 2026, North America’s largest event for metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing. This participation strengthens the operational model already in place: technology engineered in Italy, chemistry produced in the United States, and direct support from the local team in Michigan. An approach designed to provide fast response times, process reliability and concrete sustainable solutions to North American manufacturers.

FABTECH Mexico 2026: opening to the Latin American market

Completing the international picture, ALIT USA will also make its debut at FABTECH Mexico, scheduled from May 12 to 14, 2026, in Mexico City. A strategic move toward a rapidly growing manufacturing market, where demand for metal finishing and industrial paint stripping technologies continues to increase.

The objective is clear: to bring reliable, high-performance and sustainable industrial solutions to a dynamic production environment that is increasingly focused on process efficiency and environmental responsibility.

BASF opens high-performance dispersant production line in Nanjing, China

High-performance dispersants play a vital role in coatings, improving pigment dispersion, colour performance and system stability. CFRP technology meets the demands of high-end markets for a broader colour gamut and superior product performance.

BASF has officially commissioned a high-performance dispersant production line at its Jiangbei New Material Technology Park in Nanjing (China). The new facility enables local production of advanced dispersants using Controlled Free Radical Polymerisation (CFRP) technology, enhancing global supply reliability and flexibility alongside output from the company’s Heerenveen site in the Netherlands.

“This new plant will establish a stable local supply to support fast-growing market demand in the industrial coatings and automotive sectors. With our advanced CFRP technology for dispersants and state-of-the-art production processes, the plant will enable the green transformation of our customers in Asia with lower PCF products,” has stated Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and Chief Technology Officer.

“Strong partnerships define our business. By expanding CFRP production in Nanjing, together with supply from the Heerenveen site in the Netherlands, we can respond faster and provide the flexibility that our customers need to thrive in a dynamic market,” has added Gops Pillay, President, Global Operating Division, BASF.

“Introducing CFRP technology at the Nanjing plant reinforces our competitive edge. By delivering advanced dispersant solutions, we empower customers to lead in performance,” has concluded Sylvain Huguenard, Vice-President of Global Additives Business Management.

For further information: www.basf.com/cn/zh

Reliable gas bubble detection in liquid processes

SensoTech offers the LiquiSonic® system, an ultrasonic technology designed to detect gas bubbles in real time and simultaneously monitor concentration in industrial processes, including alkaline electrolysis.

In many industrial processes, including alkaline electrolysis, the early and reliable detection of gas bubbles plays a crucial role in maintaining process stability, product quality, and equipment protection. Even small amounts of gas can indicate disturbances such as leaks, backflow, or phase transitions that compromise measurement accuracy and overall system performance.

Using ultrasonic technology, SensoTech’s LiquiSonic® system provides real-time detection of gas bubbles directly in the process line. The sensor continuously analyses acoustic signals, while an intelligent algorithm identifies characteristic patterns caused by gas-related disturbances. This enables operators to recognize anomalies at an early stage and supports both predictive maintenance and consistent process safety.

LiquiSonic® sensors are designed for continuous inline operation and can simultaneously measure concentration and detect gas bubbles, eliminating the need for manual sampling. Their robust, maintenancefree design and high measurement accuracy make them suitable for a wide range of applications – from chemical and energy processes to carbon capture, green fuel synthesis, and other fluid-based systems where reliability and transparency are essential.

LiquiSonic® combines two critical measurement functions –concentration monitoring and gas bubble detection – into a single, reliable inline solution. By increasing efficiency, operational safety, and scalability, the technology sets a new benchmark for modern process analytics. For further information: www.sensotech.com

From top to bottom:

Principle of ultrasonic gas bubble detection: LiquiSonic® immersion sensor analyses acoustic signals and identifies gas-related disturbances in real time.

LiquiSonic® controller interface showing real time concentration, gas content, and temperature during KOH process monitoring.

LiquiSonic® immersion sensor for inline concentration measurement and gas bubble detection in industrial liquid processes.

COMMITTED TO INDUSTRIAL PAINTING SINCE MORE THAN 60 YEARS

The ELETTROSPRAY® manual and automatic painting equipment both for liquid and powder paints application are fully designed and made by RAVARINI CASTOLDI & C. S.r.l. and are on the market since 60 years.

ELETTROSPRAY® electrostatic generators in particular represent a “unicum” in the solvent and water based painting equipment market.

The ELETTROSPRAY® are compliant with CEI/CENELEC standards to guarantee the maximum working safety.

dive@ravarinicastoldi.it

www.ravarinicastoldi.it

Dürr consolidates Italian operations as CPM and Olpidürr merge to form Durr Systems Italy S.p.A.

Durr Systems Italy S.p.A. will combine expertise in final assembly and painting technologies, operating from Milan and Turin with around 120 employees. The merger aligns with Dürr’s global strategy and aims to deliver a broader, more efficient service offering for customers in the automotive and industrial sectors, while maintaining continuity of existing contracts.

The global mechanical and plant engineering company Dürr has strengthened its footprint in Italy by merging its subsidiaries CPM S.p.A. and Olpidürr S.p.A. The unified company will operate under the new name Durr Systems Italy S.p.A., bringing together the firm’s competencies in final assembly and painting technologies to boost efficiency and enhance value for customers across the automotive and industrial sectors. Effective from 1st December 2025, the merged organisation will operate from Milan and Turin with a workforce of around 120 employees under the leadership of CEO Andreas Hohmann.

Board

of Management of Dürr Systems Italy: Enrico Magnetto (CFO), Andreas Hohmann (CEO), Savio Castagno (COO).

© Dürr

The integration combines long-standing expertise in turnkey final assembly solutions with advanced painting, pretreatment and electrocoating technologies primarily used in vehicle production.

“The new company name marks a reinforcement of Dürr’s presence and identity in Italy. The merger strengthens our alignment with Dürr’s global strategy and ensures continuity and added value for all our customers,” has stated Andreas Hohmann.

Existing contracts and services will remain unaffected, while customers are expected to benefit from a broader and more innovative offering. The consolidated portfolio will cover consulting, planning and implementation of assembly processes, alongside painting technology, pretreatment systems and electrocoating. Dürr’s high-performance technologies, including its ProFleet automated guided vehicles (AGVs), are already in use at vehicle manufacturers worldwide, enabling flexible and costefficient production tailored to specific industrial requirements. The new organisational structure is designed to simplify project management, reduce administrative overheads and support stable, long-term customer relationships. Services will include preventive maintenance, technical assistance and plant modernisation.

“We can offer our customers in the automotive and industry sectors a unique combination of expertise, comprehensive manufacturing solutions and reliability throughout the entire production cycle,” has added Andreas Hohmann.

Dürr maintains another subsidiary in Italy, Verind S.p.A., based in Milan. Verind will continue to operate independently within the Dürr Group, specialising in robotic and application technologies. The company designs and manufactures industrial systems for application, ultrafiltration and wastewater treatment serving both automotive and general industry. It also acts as Dürr’s Centre of Excellence for electronic dosing machines. Verind provides engineering, laboratory services and technologies for applying painting and coating products to materials including metal, aluminium wheels, plastic, wood, ceramic, marble, composite and glass.

For further information: www.durr.com/en

Interpon D3020 now produced in India for advanced architectural solutions

With local production of Interpon D3020 now underway, AkzoNobel is deepening its commitment to India’s fast-evolving architecture and design sector — enabling shorter delivery times and faster colour matching for fabricators and architects across the region.

Interpon D3020 is the ideal choice for bold and creative architectural projects that are exposed to the harshest environments, from searing heat to corrosive coastal climates. Local production means customers in the region can benefit from quicker delivery, and in-country colour development is making it faster for Indian architects to have their designs approved. Overall, the move not only provides faster access to the durability and design flexibility that the Interpon brand is known for but also supports India’s move to more sustainable construction.  Based on advanced fluoropolymer technology, Interpon D3020 delivers outstanding resistance to corrosion, UV radiation, and weathering. It meets and exceeds the demanding requirements of Qualicoat Class 3, AAMA 2605, and GSB Premium, and outperforms in the rigorous 10year Florida test. When applied by an Interpon D Approved Applicator, the coating is backed by a warranty of up to 30 years.  Crucially, Interpon D3020 is also a high-performance alternative to PVDF liquid coatings, delivering comparable hyper-durability with significant advantages in sustainability and application efficiency. The powder coating is free from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and generates minimal waste during application. Its exceptional resistance to scratching and marring means less rework on site, while one-coat coverage saves both time and energy, helping to showcase how Interpon powder coatings’ sustainability advantages go hand in hand with competitive benefits. The product is supported by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) providing total transparency concerning the sustainability of the raw materials, manufacture and transportation associated with creating Interpon D powder coatings.  Simon Timmins, Regional Commercial Director for AkzoNobel Powder Coatings in South Asia, says he is delighted the business is now delivering locally produced D3020 to the Indian market, with shorter delivery times: “Producing Interpon D3020 in India means we can move faster, match colours more efficiently, and better support our customers in creating landmark structures that stand the test of time. The move has given us the agility to react quickly to India’s growing demand for locally-sourced state-of-the-art powder coatings. This collection is known to not only help imagine the future with beautiful colours and finishes, but also to protect it with an unmatched performance to withstand even the most challenging environments while supporting a more sustainable future.”

With 22 distinctive finishes in the colour card and many more colour options available, including sleek matte tones and premium metallic effects, Interpon D3020 gives architects the freedom to design bold, resilient facades that stand the test of time.

For further information: www.interpon.com/nl/en/architectural/warranties

ADVANCEMENTS

SPHERILEX® DP-0117 - Enabling high durability matte powder coatings

Bernhard Resch

EVONIK INDUSTRIES AG – Essen, Germany bernhard.resch@evonik.com

Evonik coating additives spherical silica

SPHERILEX® DP-0117 delivers superior durability and flexibility while achieving stunning matte finishes.

As powder coatings applications continue to diversify, and grow for both indoor and exterior use, the different chemistries that are being developed may find gloss reduction to be more challenging. Adding to the drivers for consistent matte finish are the trend towards lower temperature cure for greater energy efficiency as well as accommodation of heat sensitive substrates.

Matting of powder coatings is facing new challenges

Currently matted powder coatings account for 25-30% of all powders used1. In some of these applications, a greater range of aesthetic appearance is needed while coating performance requirements must be maintained or enhanced. In liquid coatings where film shrinkage occurs during cure, matting effects can be easily accomplished by the addition of matting agents to create the micro-roughness surfaces to readily control gloss levels. However, in powder coatings, since the systems are 100% solids, there is no film shrinkage from the evaporation of solvents, only slight volume shrinkage during cure.

1 Cal EzeAgu, “Gloss Control Powder Coating Resin”, Paint & Coatings Industry, August 7, 2020.

As a result, current methods of creating a matte finish in powder coatings have varying effectiveness and limitations.

Advantages of SPHERILEX® novel synthetic silica

It is well documented that the unique spherical morphology combined with the low oil absorption of SPHERILEX® grades, provide an advantage over conventional fillers when evaluating performance criteria of powder coatings (Fig. 1). At the same use level, compared to standard fillers, a higher matting efficiency is reached, while providing a linear, predictable, and repeatable gloss reduction. The resulting matted surface appearance shows excellent uniformity and consistency. In addition, the unique morphology of these particles provides improved flexibility while also improving hardness. This novel spherical precipitated silica performs equally well in exterior exposure and corrosion tests as current fillers used. Finally, it allows for greater theoretical coverage and transfer efficiency due to its low specific gravity.

Evonik expands its SPHERILEX® family with the largest spherical precipitated silica for coatings

SPHERILEX® offers similar advantages in liquid coating applications and the particle size typically determines the effects and use cases

IBIX SURFACE PREPARATION AND FLAME SPRAY TECHNOLOGY

Surface Cleaning preparation

IBIX systems remove rust, scale, and old coatings to reach SA 2.5 grade (ISO 8501-1).

Anchor Profile

Controlled blasting creates uniform roughness for optimal coating adhesion

Portable powder Coating Technology

For long-term anti-corrosion and waterproofing thermoplastic coatings.

Resistance to extreme weathering, UV and salt spray protection

Fast turnaround: immediate use of coated items

Easy to repair

THE FLAME SPRAY TECHNOLOGY IS THE ONLY SYSTEM WHICH CAN APPLY POWDERS ON SITE AND WITH NO NEED FOR A COATING LINE

for each coating system. Until now, Evonik’s SPHERILEX® portfolio had ranged from d50 ~4.4 mm to d50 ~15 µm, but new technical advancements allow to introduce a new, larger grade: SPHERILEX® DP-0117 with a d50 ~18 mm (Fig. 2).

How does the new SPHERILEX® DP‑ 0117 perform in powder coatings?

For optimal gloss reduction in powder coatings, combining conventional matting techniques (e.g. waxes, matting agents) with SPHERILEX® grades, results in highly durable low gloss formulations. SPHERILEX® DP0115 grade has been first choice for many applications, but the new SPHERILEX® DP-0117 may open up new opportunities for your powder coatings. Both larger SPHERILEX® grades are comparable in gloss reduction and show improved matting over Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) of a similar size (Fig. 3). Furthermore durability and scratch resistance is boosted with improved pencil hardness as shown in Table 1

A key performance criteria, especially in super durable resin systems, has always been the positive impact on flexibility the SPHERILEX® grades provide. In Table 2 and Fig. 4 the DP-0117 has shown even further flexibilization properties over DP-0115 and drastically improved compared to ATH.

In summary, SPHERILEX® DP-0117 is a versatile and performance enhancing matting specialty filler, for a wide variety of powder coating applications and chemistries.

From top to bottom:

Figure 2 Particle size.

Figure 3 Improved matting.

Figure 4 Reverse impact (30 in lb) results of reference, DP 0115 and DP 0117.

Table 1 Pencil hardness.

Table 2 - Improved flexibility.

Pinholing/degassing deffects noticeable minor minor

Reverse impact at 30 in-lb* some cracking minor cracking no cracking

Reverse impact at 40 in-lb* severe cracking some cracking minor cracking *Tested at 75µm on Q Panel A 46 (Bare aluminium

Easy PROG PORTAL: the automatic painting system for windows, doors, and cylindrical objects

Edited by Lesta Srl Dairago (Milan), Italy info@lesta.it

Easy PROG PORTAL by Lesta uses laser scanning to identify the shape and size of each object, then calculates and follows the perfect painting path— ensuring consistent, high-quality results for every unique piece.

Easy PROG PORTAL is Lesta’s robotic system designed for the automatic painting of windows, doors, panels, and cylindrical objects. Thanks to a laser scanning portal, the system recognizes each piece, generates the painting path, and executes it completely automatically, even when the parts have very different geometries.

After hanging, the parts pass through the portal and are scanned in real time, allowing the software to autonomously create the painting program, which the robot can apply immediately afterwards. The operator only needs to load the raw pieces and unload the finished ones, without the need for manual programming.

The system is designed primarily for two categories of objects: on the one hand, windows, frames, panels, doors and cornices, including curved or circular ones; on the other, cylinders and cylindrical objects.

Laser scanning technology ensures precise and uniform coating, automatically adapting the painting path to the actual shape of each piece.

QUALITY ECO-FRIENDLY INNOVATION

CHEMTEC’s chemicals are revolutionary, cutting-edge, and environmental friendly.

Our revolutionary technologies are designed to have a very limited environmental impact, to reduce consumption of resources and for a greater operational simplicity.

CHEMTEC develops customized solutions that aim to maximize the customer’s satisfaction.

DISCOVER MORE ON WWW.CHEMTEC.IT

Nanotechnology PRONORTEC

Ӳ Innovative chemical process for multi-metal surface treatment

Ӳ Based on the use of organic phosphorus compounds

Ӳ Does not contain heavy metals

Ӳ No consumption of energy and no creation of sludge

TORAN 3®

Ӳ Single-stage, room temperature multi-metal pre-treatment process

Ӳ No water and low energy consumption

Ӳ No VOC emissions, no rinsing, no pre-degreasing

Ӳ No creation of wastewater or sludge

WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

Ӳ Minimization of energy consumption and environmental impact

Ӳ Denaturation and separation of paints from water, making it reusable

Ӳ Innovative formulations without toxicity symbol

Ӳ Quality technologies and tailored projects to the needs of each specific customer

PAINT STRIPPERS

Ӳ Non-hazardous, non-toxic, not harmful products

Ӳ Free of methylene chloride, NMP and other toxic substances

Ӳ Fast, excellent paint stripping, effective on all coatings

Ӳ Effective solutions at room temperature or low temperatures

Easy PROG PORTAL: technical features

The Easy PROG PORTAL uses high-resolution laser light barriers (5x5 mm) to analyze the geometry of each piece. It can handle objects up to 3x3 meters and accurately recognizes internal, external, and frontal surfaces.

This precision reduces waste and ensures consistent painting quality, even on pieces with varying shapes and sizes.

Using the Robot Controller, operators can create and save painting recipes for any type of product.

Each recipe defines parameters such as:

 Gun speed and distance

 Gun angle and tilts

 Number of guns

 Gun opening, overlaps, and gradients.

Optional parameters include flow rate, atomization, and fan pattern. Recipes can be easily recalled via barcode or touchscreen, optimizing production times.

Advantages of the easy PROG PORTAL system

 No manual programming required

 Automatic shape detection

 Consistent coating quality

 Reduced setup times

 Compatible with both liquid and powder coating systems. With Easy PROG PORTAL, industrial painting becomes more efficient, precise, and flexible.

Easy PROG PORTAL is the ideal automatic painting system for windows, doors, panels, and cylindrical objects. It combines the power of laser scanning with Lesta automation, simplifying the operator’s work and improving final quality.

From industrial paint to design language: the evolution of Adapta collections through technology, innovation, and art

Alessia Venturi ipcm®

From its founding in 1997 to 2025, Adapta (Peñiscola, Castellón, Spain) has contributed to transforming powder coatings from industrial finishes with little added value into technological and inspirational projects. Below, we retrace the history of this company as told by its most significant colour collections.

Adapta was established as a powder coating manufacturer with exclusively Spanish capital at the end of 1997. From the outset, it proved capable of developing solutions that anticipated market needs by bringing competitive advantages to the products on which they were used, much beyond colour and protection. At the same time, its wide range of hues and special effects emerged as a fundamental part of its identity. Its mission was immediately clear: to elevate powder coatings, which had become established in the industrial market since the late 1970s, to a level of excellence equal to, if not superior to, that of liquid products.

Adapta was thus born with a solid technological and service foundation, but also with a strong focus on colour and finish design. This makes the evolution of its collections a particularly effective key to understanding its history.

From industrial paint to design language

When Adapta took its first steps in the late 1990s, its approach was typical of a young company: respond to every market demand, increase volumes, and consolidate relationships. Yet it was precisely during this initial phase that a realisation emerged that would guide its entire subsequent history: coating could be much more than a low-value industrial solution. “We soon realised that our vocation was innovation,” says David Pellicer, the company’s founder and current managing director. “Not just new colours but new effects and new functions, including what we now call smart coatings, ‘intelligent’ paints that can interact with their surroundings.”

In 1998, just one year after its foundation, Adapta invested in its first bonding machine, a strategic technology for the production of high-quality metallic powders, thus embarking on a path of advanced development

specifically in the field of metallic finishes, which at the time were still not widely used and considered complex to manage in terms of both production and application.

A08: the first major synthesis of Adapta’s R&D work

In the early 2000s, Adapta began to develop combined product ranges intended for both the architecture and industry sectors, with an increasingly specialised offering. A few years later, in fact, the collections became independent: Vivendi® was launched in 2003 as the company’s first small range for architecture featuring metallic, satin, and textured colours, “released with the ambitious goal of improving people’s modus vivendi, hence the name we gave it,” as Pellicer explains; Polaris was created in 2005 for the industrial sector, offering technical colours with minimalist aesthetics and high resistance, the embryo of the future Smart Coatings collection. The Polaris range also already included some fluorescent finishes that would later become the stars of the Neon collection, released in 2013. For the architecture world, Adapta’s offering was rounded out by the Alchemy and Sfera collections in 2007, which

included functional products providing a high-performance alternative to chemical finishes such as stainless steel, anodised stainless steel, natural aluminium, nickel, and titanium. Serpentia, with craquelé effects, was also launched in 2007.

Those initial lines reflected the company’s desire to offer colour ranges with resistant, high-performance finishes designed for architecture and, ultimately, to specialise in coatings for aluminium profiles and similar applications. Right from the start, Vivendi®, which over the years has incorporated numerous sub-collections as discussed below, has especially stood out for its high-quality colour effects combined with technical and functional characteristics such as durability, compliance, and sustainability.

That marked the beginning of a journey in which colour was no longer just a hue, but became an effect, a texture, a tangible material – a journey that would continue with the creation of a full-fledged architectural collection every four years. Indeed, in 2008, Adapta decided to move away from a volume-oriented approach to focus on niche products and launched A08. A08 was not simply a collection but a statement of intent. Groundbreaking for its time, it brought together the most unique finishes developed for special projects by Adapta during its first ten years of activity, while also introducing a new way of presenting powder coating.

“The aim of these collections has always been to work with specifiers: architects, designers, and clients,” indicates Pellicer. “We want to offer them not only colours but also high-added-value tools capable of making

a structure or object distinctive, unique, exclusive, and unrepeatable.” Each four-year collection includes hundreds of hues and embodies the research and development work carried out by Adapta over that period. In total, between A08, A12, and A16, Adapta currently brings nearly 700 colours to the market, all of which are still in production and in stock. This is a counter-current choice in a market that tends to rationalise, reduce, and optimise. Such production continuity is matched by a commercial strategy that promotes not only the products but also the technological innovation pursued by the company: the most recent collections are reserved for loyal customers, strengthening supplier/customer partnerships and differentiating Adapta’s offering.

Simultaneously, the company’s other focus is on functional coatings. It presented its first Smart Coating collection in 2010, anticipating issues that are central today, such as the antibacterial function, photoluminescence, product traceability, and even air purification through systems such as BioNox, which captures nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere to protect architectural structures from the accumulation of pollution and dirt.

Thematic collections and trends

2013, 2014, and 2015 were years of colour innovation: Patina® (2013) was inspired by aged, oxidised, and patinated metals, copper, and bronze; Patina® Wet (2015) included ‘wet’ and ‘spangle’-effect finishes; Neon (2013) offered bright hues and luminous effects; and Dichroic (2015)

featured reflections that change with the light. In 2018, Adapta focused on imitating metallic and anodised finishes with its Metal and Anodic collections, both intended for metal architecture and launched as subsets of the Vivendi® collection.

In recent years, alongside extensive collections for architecture, more compact thematic series have been created, resulting from a strong artistic inspiration that aims to reflect and anticipate trends by enhancing the role of colour in design: Granite (2020,) with surprisingly realistic stone-like effects; Patina® Expression (2021), inspired by the Art Nouveau movement and divided into eight colour ranges reminiscent of natural materials (Metal, Gold & Copper, Neutral, Nature, Earth, Clay, Sand, and Symphony); Polaris III (2022), which integrated technical advances and sustainability; Patina® Ceramic (2021) and Enamel (2022), featuring finishes mimicking ceramics and enamels to create bright, soft surfaces characterised by high colour purity, also representing the fusion of artisanal aesthetics and modern technology; Vintage (2025), including several pastel colours for a reinterpretation of the classic style through the innovation of powder coatings; and Extreme Matt

(2025), the latest frontier, with super-matte finishes that are almost buttery to the touch.

All these collections are designed to offer a curated selection that is easy to navigate and immediately usable in specifications. Regulatory and functional aspects also play a part in this story, such as the systematic integration of the light reflection value (LRV), which is essential for ensuring accessibility and visual contrast in public buildings for the visually impaired.

Tales of colour

In addition to their minimalist exterior and vibrant, abundant interior, one of the elements that makes Adapta’s collections recognisable is their narrative quality. Colours are not simple product codes but genuine evocative references: mountain ranges ordered by altitude in Granite, nods to the Silk Road in Patina® Ceramic, and Art Nouveau influences in Patina® Expression. The A08, A12, and A16 collections also have a strong emotional, evocative aspect that can be perceived through both their colours and effects’ names and the photographs that complement them, aimed to inspire specific moods in viewers.

“Powder coating has always been associated with industrial settings,” observes Pellicer. “With these collections, we wanted to change the language, the way people approach and choose powders.”

This change, however, has also entailed specific technical choices. In 2004, driven by strong market demand for special-effect powder coatings, Adapta decided to completely insource the bonding phase of its metallic products, taking on the complexity – and costs – of a process characterised by high material loss but essential for guaranteeing quality and batch-to-batch repeatability. That decision enabled the company to position itself at the highest levels of quality by producing metallic powder coatings that guarantee finishes comparable, and in some cases superior, to those of liquid paints.

“In the liquid coating segment, it is standard practice to apply multiple layers to achieve a robust and aesthetically flawless finish,” explains Pellicer. “Powders, on the other hand, are required to achieve the same level of finish with one coat. This has often led to underestimating the complexity of this technology and relegating it to a secondary role. I am proud to say that Adapta has played a strategic role in positioning powder coatings at a much higher level than when they were first introduced.”

Technology, inspiration, and responsibility

This journey has been underpinned by continuous investment in facilities, processes, and skills. In Peñiscola, Adapta has a highly automated factory with state-of-the-art bonding machines. In addition to colours and effects, the Spanish company’s R&D department works on low-cure systems, biobased resins, and above all, outdoor resistance.

“We listen to our customers’ needs and turn them into market solutions, always adding an emotional and inspirational touch to elevate powder coating to a higher level, far beyond pure industrial functionality. However, technology remains critical: in the architecture sector, powder coatings are subjected to extreme environmental conditions. This is why we continue to conduct research and testing to enhance the outdoor resistance of our products,” emphasises David Pellicer. “In 2019, we created the Eternal system precisely for this purpose: to guarantee extreme durability for emblematic architectural projects1 and meet the requirements of the American specification AAMA2605, which sets criteria comparable to those of the European standard Qualicoat 3.”

Adapta’s factory is also very advanced in terms of resource recovery and self-production of energy, without using sustainability as a marketing message. “We prefer to focus on facts rather than words,” states Pellicer. “We measure the real impact of our production activities, analyse CO2 emissions, and take action wherever we can make real improvements.”

Each collection produced by Adapta in almost thirty years of activity represents a facet of its identity: innovation, adaptation, and design. The result is an offering that combines technology, innovation, and art and has helped redefine the role of powder coating as no longer a mere industrial finish but a language at the service of architecture, design, and industry.

Adapta will be at PaintExpo 2026 in Karlsruhe (Germany) from 14-17 April, Hall 3, Stand 3410.

THE CHROMATIC EVOLUTION OF ADAPTA COLOR (1997–2025)

1997

FOUNDATION

Establishment of Adapta Color, S.L. (Spain)

Start of powder coating production

Philosophy: colour & protection

Vision: “The only constant is change”

2003

VIVENDI®

Colour complements functionality in architecture

Metallic, satin, and textured finishes

Focus on design and durability

Starting point for the future VIVENDI® line (with an Environmental Product Declaration)

2005

POLARIS

First major collection for the industry. The embryo of the future Smart Coatings collection

Technical and durable colours

Industrial applications

Minimalist aesthetics and high performance

2007

ALCHEMY · SFERA · SERPENTIA

High-performance alternative to chemical finishes

Stainless steel, anodised stainless steel, natural aluminium, nickel, and titanium

Serpentia: craquelé effect finishes

2008, 2012, 2016

A08 · A12 · A16

Powder coating enters the language of architecture with a range of 688 colours across the three collections

A08: First iconic architectural collection - Colour as a design tool

A12: Expanded colour range - Specifications and applied research

A16: Synthesis of design and technology - High-performance architecture

2013-2015

PATINA® · NEON · DICHROIC

The turning point in special effects

Patina®: oxidised metals and textured surfaces

Neon: bright, high-visibility colours

Dichroic: iridescent reflections

Colours become effects, textures, and experiences

2020–2021

GRANITE · PATINA® CERAMIC · PATINA® EXPRESSION

Thematic collections and artistic inspiration

Granite: natural mineral textures

Patina® Ceramic: ceramic finishes, a journey along the Silk Road

Patina® Expression: Art Nouveau, 8 colour families

Architecture, materials, and sustainability

2022

POLARIS III · ENAMEL

Polaris: Advanced industrial design

Third-generation Polaris, unctional and contemporary colours

Integration of technical innovation and sustainability

Enamel: Reinterpreting the purity of enamel

Glossy, compact surfaces, high colour intensity, aesthetic tradition + modern technology

2025

VINTAGE · EXTREME MATT

Vintage: Inspired by the past

Nostalgic accents and timeless finishes, classic aesthetics with modern performance, continuity between memory and innovation

Extreme Matt: Elegance and tactile appeal

Super-matte finishes, buttery feel, a nod to modernity

EMU: sustainable and digital powder coating within a smart factory

Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

EMU Group, a company specialising in outdoor and indoor furniture solutions, is redefining powder coating in line with Industry 5.0 parameters. With the help of Gema, it has combined sustainability and digitalisation, creating an innovative production model that enhances technology and staff skills.

The Transition 5.0 plan established by the Italian government in 2024, now in its final stages, has been aimed to encourage manufacturing companies to adopt integrated strategies for increasingly sustainable and digitised production. However, some major manufacturing companies, such as EMU Group Spa (Marsciano, Perugia), which specialises in outdoor furniture, had already embarked on this path, through an internal strategic vision focused on continuous product quality enhancement. “We have made significant investments,” explains its production manager, Andrea Ciavola, “with the main objective of improving our overall production cycle and, in particular, the area dedicated to surface treatments.”

EMU, which is celebrating 75 years in business this year, is now a benchmark manufacturer of solutions for outdoor and indoor environments characterised by outstanding aesthetics, functionality, and durability, with coating as a truly distinctive hallmark. “The project to modernise our coating department, which included 2 powder application lines, one of which was integrated with a new booth developed and installed by Gema Europe, was an essential part of a broader plan launched previously. Our pursuit of ever-higher quality, combined with a focus on the environment and employee well-being, has aligned perfectly with the principles of Industry 4.0 and, later, with Italy’s Transition 5.0 plan. For this reason, when the latter was launched, we were among the few companies in Italy that were immediately ready: it was just a matter of refining the project to bring it into line with the required regulatory profile.”

EMU:

a perfect balance between advanced technology and long‑standing

know‑how

EMU’s headquarters has 150 employees and covers over 140,000 m², of which almost 50,000 are covered. “Added to this is our 1,000 m²-wide Design & Simulation Centre, where projects developed in collaboration with our customers take shape,” notes general sales manager Luigi Biscarini. “We created it to boost product research and promote the use of our solutions in the indoor and outdoor environments for which they are intended.”

The company’s customer base includes approximately 1,000 retailers worldwide, operating in 85 countries across Europe, North and South America, and the Far East, serving both the professional and residential sectors. “Our products are enjoying constant and growing global popularity thanks to their distinctive comfort, elegance, and style, developed in collaboration with some of the most renowned international designers,” adds Biscarini. “These elements translate into an easily recognisable identity for our collections, which are mainly made of steel and aluminium combined with other technological and innovative materials.”

The ongoing exchange of experiences and ideas with design studios and industry leaders helps EMU understand and often anticipate stylistic trends, contributing to their popularity and market success. The principles on which its activity is based – design, research, knowhow in metalworking and surface protection, sustainability, and multi-materiality – find full expression in the space called ‘Monomarca’, devoted to outdoor furniture and managed in partnership with Interni Design Experience in Milan (Italy): an exhibition area of over 500 m² conceived as a place where the material shapes the environment and the product itself contributes to creating the atmosphere.

Expanded metal, the heart of EMU’s production

Mastery of the most advanced processing technologies, constant attention to detail

and product quality, and the ability to develop solutions that enhance the purity of lines and volumes have strengthened EMU’s key role in its sector. It performs and controls all production stages in-house, both at its factory in Marsciano, in the heart of the Umbria region, and by coordinating its suppliers’ activities within an integrated network, in line with the most modern production models. Every year, it produces over 450,000 workpieces and processes approximately 3,800 tonnes of raw materials. “We work with a very high number of batches, consisting of extremely diverse components, made in solid metal sheets or expanded metal mesh, the latter being used in particular for the contract sector. Expanded metal is one of the most commonly used materials for structures and furnishings that are intended to remain exposed to outdoor conditions for long periods of time, as it promotes heat dispersion when exposed to solar radiation and ensures effective water drainage,” illustrates Biscarini. All production stages are subject to a rigorous monitoring system, from the inspection of incoming raw materials and testing during processing to the verification of the assembled parts before cataphoresis and coating and the final validation of finished products.

A complete modernisation in the name of maximum quality

EMU’s entire production department has been the focus of ongoing investment to raise the bar on product quality. The operations also covered the machining workshop, where tubes are stamped, cut, and bent using last-generation CNC systems. One of the most significant improvements here was the implementation of a fully automated welding station for expanded metal. This cell, comprising 3 robots and several integrated machines, produces fully welded, clean parts that are ready to be sent to the cataphoresis plant and then to the coating one. The solid sheet metal components, on the other hand, are transferred to the assembly department, where welding operations are carried out on different production lines.

The sustainable and digital coating department

Consisting of 1 cataphoresis plant and 2 powder coating lines, this department meets the main requirements of Industry 5.0 by combining automation, traceability, and sustainability. The cycle is monitored at every stage and organised so operators can verify the characteristics of each required treatment, from loading through the entire coating cycle to packaging.

“Most of the components we produce undergo cataphoresis,” emphasises Andrea Ciavola. “The only parts that are excluded are those that do not require this type of process due to geometric limitations or specific construction characteristics.” After cataphoresis, the products are sent to the pre-treatment tunnel of the 2 powder coating lines installed by Euroimpianti (Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona, Italy), each equipped with 2 booths to ensure high production flexibility. These both apply two-coat polyester powders specially formulated for EMU’s application requirements.

The cataphoresis system

The cataphoresis plant has been progressively digitalised over the last few years. “We have eliminated paper documentation, replacing it with a digital

system that records data relating to the semi-finished product associated with each load bar.”

With a decoder the plant can identify the position of each part at every process stage and monitor the weight of the loaded components in real time. “As the operators load a bar, the machine tracks the total weight, flagging any anomalies that could cause problems during the process. At the same time, it indicates the number of workpieces needed to maintain the correct production rate. This means that the operators only have to report non-compliant products during unloading.”

The cataphoresis product is supplied by PPG and is designed to deliver high surface coverage, resulting in a thick havana-coloured coating that requires special application precautions, especially when treating expanded metal.

“Although we distribute our products in over 80 countries worldwide, our production structure remains strongly linked to seasonality,” notes Ciavola. “We work in ‘made to stock’ mode for most of the season: to respond promptly to customer requests, we maintain a warehouse of products already subjected to cataphoresis and ready for coating, which enables us to offer extremely fast response times.”

The pre treatment systems

EMU’s coating department is currently equipped with 2 advanced pretreatment tunnels: the most recent, installed by Euroimpianti in August 2025, is a new-generation 10-stage system; the second underwent a revamp last year, in line with Industry 4.0 requirements. “The 2 tunnels can constantly monitor chemical consumption and dosage thanks to conductivity and pH detectors installed on each tank, thus ensuring uniform parameters throughout the process. Micro-dosing of the pretreatment product, carried out by precision pumps, keeps the baths in optimal condition, with a clear advantage over manual refilling.”

The newest pre-treatment tunnel can also automatically detect whether the part hanging on each hook has previously undergone cataphoresis, adjusting the process cycle by including or excluding specific stages.

This solution ensures significant savings in chemicals and water resources, which are central to the company’s 5.0 transition plan. “Thanks to the collaboration with our long-standing supplier of pre-treatment chemicals, which specialises in the automotive sector, we have perfected this substrate detection solution and integrated it directly with our management system.”

The coating systems

Of the 2 coating plants installed, one is equipped with 2 separate booths connected by a power & free conveyor to enable sequential colour application. The second is configured with 2 in-line booths, one applying primers and the other top coats, and an intermediate pre-curing oven.

LIVE A NEW FUTURE

FOCUS

The new Gema powder coating booth

This second line features a state-of-the-art Gema powder coating booth equipped with 8 automatic and 2 manual spray guns, Venturi technology dispensing pumps, an OptiCenter® All-in-One OC06 powder centre, and a filtration system with an inverter that minimises energy consumption when no parts are passing through the booth. “The OptiCenter® All-in-One OC06 controls both electrostatics and powder delivery through a single, compact device,” says Claudio Sergenti, area manager at Gema Europe. “The OptiSpeeder tank is at the heart of this machine, as it ensures optimal powder fluidisation, whereas the large, slanted opening provides quick and easy access to the container. The closed-loop powder circuit is managed fully automatically, ensuring a clean work environment and greater overall efficiency.”

“The new booth is managed by software developed specifically for

EMU and connected directly to our ERP system,” says the company’s production manager. “The application recipes for our approximately 25 standard colours can be selected before the workpieces are positioned in front of the spray guns. Our coating operators, therefore, do not have to manually set the application parameters or adjust the distance of the spray guns depending on the part to be treated: the entire process is managed automatically, which is a decisive factor for high-volume production flows such as ours.” For batches of chairs that do not require assembly after surface treatment, EMU can load, coat, and store about 1,800 units in an 8-hour shift.

The high degree of automation in parameter setting optimises process times and enables operators to focus on post-finishing the most complex workpieces. “A further advantage is the consistency of results: to increase

the resistance of our products, it is essential to comply with the minimum thicknesses established by our quality department, as well as recover overspray.”

Advantages of the new booth

EMU was already familiar with the application characteristics of Gema’s solutions: 90% of the spray guns installed in its coating department have been supplied by the Swiss multinational. “The Gema team provided us with decisive support during both the design and after-sales phases, also with highly reliable spare parts always available. Today, we use the same application technology on both our lines, which is

an important advantage from an operational and management perspective.” Thanks to the digitalisation of its systems in accordance with Industry 5.0 parameters, EMU can also calculate its daily powder consumption and maintain a direct connection to the warehouse for real-time monitoring of available material quantities.

In addition to reducing product and energy consumption, coating quality has now become EMU’s real point of strength. “Determined by process consistency, operational flexibility, and all the technological and management advantages already mentioned, the quality of our coating cycles ensures

From left to right:

Thanks to dedicated software, the recipes for the approximately 25 colours in EMU’s catalogue can be selected before the workpieces are positioned in front of the spray guns.

The Gema OptiCenter® All in One OC06 system.

The ability to recover overspray, especially when coating expanded metal, is a crucial feature of the new booth.

optimal results even with a high degree of production variability, given that we have approximately 400 product codes in our catalogue,” Ciavola points out with satisfaction.

5.0 packaging and storage with RFID traceability

After curing, the parts proceed to the 18 packaging stations, where operators conduct a final quality check before packaging. “When the products reach the packaging department, the 5.0 system flags any items that may be defective based on statistical analyses and notifies an operator to pay particular attention to their most critical areas.”

Once packaged, the finished products are labelled with an RFID tag and

transferred to the dedicated warehouse, located in a 20,000 m² building. “We were among the first companies to adopt this identification and traceability system for metal furniture,” states Ciavola. “Active for 2 years now, this system simplifies loading and unloading operations during peak seasons: operators no longer need to know the contents of each package, as the system guides them directly to the correct bay for storage or retrieval. This has reduced our inventory activities to a few hours and eliminated shipping errors.”

A technological legacy

For EMU, every relationship with product and plant suppliers contributes

P25 column standard or customizable system to hang from the smallest parts to heavy 6-metre long bars

to building the technical know-how of its staff, creating a wealth of expertise that also will be transferred to the next generation. “We firmly believe in the importance of investing in employee training first. Further investments can only be considered once the entire team has been properly trained and educated as the skills acquired enable it to identify the most suitable partners. At EMU, the combination of operator training and the advantages brought by Industry 5.0 solutions has streamlined our work, enabling everyone to monitor only the operations within their area of responsibility based on the process phase in progress.”

Through its forward-thinking vision and strong supplier relationships, EMU has stayed ahead of Industry 5.0 transition requirements and structured its coating cycle to the most advanced levels of digitalisation and sustainability. This has laid the foundation for manufacturing products that are not

only more aesthetically appealing but also more durable, advancing one of the company’s core objectives: reducing the environmental impact of its solutions.

Sustainability is about creating timeless products

EMU’s sustainable approach is rooted in a forwardthinking vision that has long characterised its philosophy and is based on its particular attention to furniture durability. “Creating products that are durable in terms of both aesthetics and resistance is a key element in ensuring sustainability,” says the production manager. “The fundamental concept behind the development of our furniture is the creation of ‘timeless’ products, integrating 100% recyclable and non-combustible materials and design that also takes into account the recovery and recycling phases, thus minimising waste. We have always stood out not

HANGING SYSTEMS

COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR HANGING AND MASKING

only for our metalworking capabilities, but also for our metal protection expertise: our know-how is constantly updated by implementing cuttingedge production techniques that focus on the safety of our personnel and the environment, guaranteeing long-lasting products and, as a direct consequence, a lower ecological impact.”

For wooden components, EMU selects special materials such as certified teak or bamboo coated with strictly VOC-free products. It also uses phthalate-free technical fabrics for outdoor use, and the HPL (highpressure laminate) used for some tops is non-toxic and made from 70% renewable sources. The environmental compatibility of EMU’s entire range is also ensured by its commitment to reducing plastic packaging and gradually replacing it with recyclable cardboard. In addition, the company has installed a 1.5-MW photovoltaic system that completely meets the energy needs of its production department. Finally, when designing exhibition stands, EMU is paying increasing attention to developing solutions that enable material reuse and facilitate easy assembly and disassembly of structures.

“The sustainability of our company,” concludes Biscarini, “is also fuelled by ethical and inclusive choices that encourage the expression of

individual potential, also through a significant presence of women and the adoption of an international mindset from design to production. EMU is deeply aware that the high quality of its products is the result of a virtuous balance between technology and human capital, an invaluable asset made up of passion and expertise that has been renewed from generation to generation since 1951. We are convinced that a company’s competitiveness and corporate sustainability depend, first and foremost, on its sustainability.”

ADVANCEMENTS

High-performance amino resins for thermosetting coatings

Edited by Galstaff Multiresine Spa Mornago (Varese, Italy) sales@galstaffmultiresine.com

Amino resins are typically found in thermosetting coatings. However, they have been under scrutiny by the ECHA for several decades due to their intrinsic nature and the hazardousness of the raw materials that compose them. Despite this, they still have an ‘industrial appeal’ today, with solutions that meet resistance and performance requirements in several practical applications. The innovative and sustainable products developed and manufactured by Galstaff Multiresine are now opening new prospects in a sector that is rapidly evolving due to the increasingly stringent regulations.

Aminoplasts, also known as amino resins, are a class of thermosetting polymers obtained through medium-low temperature polycondensation reactions between compounds containing amino groups (e.g. urea, melamine, or benzoguanamine) and formaldehyde, in the presence of alcohols such as methanol, butanol, and isobutanol. This process leads to the formation of 3D cross-linked structures that give the material excellent reactivity, mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical inertness. Thanks to these characteristics, amino resins are used in a diverse range of industrial applications, including wood, food packaging, adhesives, laminates, durable plastics, and protective coatings. In the latter sector in particular, they have been utilised as one of the main cross-linking agents for over sixty years and played a key role in the development of high-performance thermosetting coating systems, which are appreciated for their surface hardness, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance even in the most specialised and extreme application conditions.

According to data from recent industry studies, the global amino resin market is expected to grow from USD 12,839.6 million in 2025 to USD 22,777.9 million by 2035, with an average growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%. This growth is driven by the increased use of high-performance thermosetting

polymers in applications such as wood adhesives, laminates, automotive components, building materials, and industrial coatings1. In recent years, rising environmental awareness has been redefining the development of the chemical industry as a whole, inevitably also affecting the amino resin sector, which is the focus of particular attention regarding the presence of formaldehyde and its related emissions.

Regulatory initiatives such as Title VI of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the European Union’s E1 and E0 limits are pushing towards low-emission formulations.

As a result, manufacturers are investing in the development of low-VOC amino resins, which are less hazardous to both users and the environment.

The production process and the nature of the raw materials used are undoubtedly the main levers for action by companies, together with an extension of product ranges, as all market leaders strive to develop solutions reducing formaldehyde content through increasingly advanced technologies. Among them, over half a century in the field of synthetic and auxiliary resins for paints and inks, Italian manufacturer Galstaff

1 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/amino-resin-market?utm

Global market for amine resins used in paints and coatings: size by application, 2022 2030.

Baking reactivity

High

Cross-linking temperature (°C)

Type of amino resin

80 – 120 °C M170 - M174

Medium 120 – 140 °C M183 - M184 - U32

Low > 140 °C BG141 - BG142

Reactivity and cross linking temperature.

Multiresine S.p.A. has become a leading player in specialist sectors such as OEM & automotive, wood, can & coil, and general industry, thanks to product families such as ITAMIN.

Galstaff Multiresine’s ITAMIN series

Galstaff Multiresine has developed its ITAMIN UF, M, PM, HM, and BG series of amine resins with the following characteristics:

 ITAMIN UF: urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins cross-link at room temperature in an acidic environment. They are mainly used on wood with alkyd resins and, to a lesser extent, for the internal lining of cans in compliance with FDA 175.300-EU 10/2011.

 ITAMIN M, PM, and HM: melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins are obtained from the condensation reaction between melamine and formaldehyde, which produces a molecule with various reactive functions. This generates two different types of products: butylated melamines (M) and methylated melamines (PM/HM), whose main applications are in the automotive and general industry sectors. Specifically, both hexamethoxymethyl melamine (ITAMIN HM3) and PM resins are very versatile aminoplasts for a wide variety of water-based and solvent-based polymer systems.

 ITAMIN BG: the average functionality of benzoguanamine-formaldehyde (BG) resins is lower than that of

Product name

ITAMIN BG 140

ITAMIN BG 141

ITAMIN BG 141 AF

ITAMIN BG 141 AF-M

ITAMIN BG 142

ITAMIN BG 145 R

ITAMIN HM 3/LF

ITAMIN M 170

ITAMIN M 174

ITAMIN M 184

ITAMIN M 183 S

ITAMIN M 183

ITAMIN M 188

ITAMIN PM 3 ●

ITAMIN U 32

ITAMIN U 38

● = compliant ○ = non-compliant

ITAMIN products’ food contact compliance.

melamine resins because they have one less amino group; however, the benzene ring offers greater resistance to hydrolysis and migration/ sterilisation. They are primarily used in the can coating, beverage, packaging, general industry, and OEM sectors.

Choosing the right partner resin

In thermosetting coating systems based on amino resins, the choice of alkyd or polyester partner resins is crucial in determining the products’ performance. Oil-free polyesters like Italester® are ideal partners for applications in the most demanding industries, such as the can & coil sector for food or beverage packaging. Hydroxylated polyesters and alkyd resins, such as Sintal® and Ftalon®, also allow the formulation of stoving paints with proven application and performance properties.

Technological development as a market positioning strategy

Galstaff Multiresine’s current market positioning is the result of careful industrial management and the solid know-how of its researchers and technicians, which continue to earn it recognition from leading global players. Its ongoing research activities, at the same time, always enable it to offer innovative solutions in terms of both environmental impact and performance, as demonstrated by its latest product, the ITAMIN M-HR

Performance properties

Hydro-solubility

Polarity

Reactivity

Hardness

Resistance to solid solvents by weight (on the cross-linked material)

VOC (on the cross-linked material)

Wettability, levelling

Adhesion

Corrosion/moisture resistance

Resistivity

amino resins

amino resins

OptiCenter ® All-in-One OC11

Efficient and space-saving powder management, equipped with OptiSpray All-in-One application pump technology and DualSpeeder. The OptiCenter uses MultiColor Switch technology, which enables the fastest switching between OptiSpeeder containers and the cleanest color change between alternating colors.

Performance properties of methylated and butylated amino resins.

high-reactivity melamine resin, which is about to be launched on the market. “The healthy awareness that we can aspire to new goals and objectives,” stated Enrico Ancarani, the technical director of GMR, “stems from a revitalised offering that can meet the most varied industrial and application needs.”

The evolution of Galstaff Multiresine’s amino resins thus confirms the company’s role as a strategic partner in the development of polymers capable of combining high performance, sustainability, and a forward-looking industrial vision. GMR’s management has outlined a model through which its consolidated background can naturally evolve towards a distinctive positioning in the specialities segment, including in the field of amino resins. By choosing not to compete in the commodities arena but instead focusing on high-added value and, upon request, tailored solutions, this company remains a benchmark producer for customers seeking not just a supplier but a technology partner capable of anticipating the challenges of an increasingly demanding market.

When is it time to replace a coating system: the experience of Verona Impianti 2002

From an interview with Pietro Tamellin Verona Impianti 2002, Colognola ai Colli (Verona, Italy) info@veronaimpianti.com

Energy efficiency, coating quality, process reliability, and environmental sustainability are now key criteria for selecting industrial coating technologies. Aiming at exploring these issues, ipcm®_International Paint&Coating Magazine interviewed Pietro Tamellin of Verona Impianti 2002, a Veneto-based company with over twenty years’ experience in the design of coating systems, to get his views on when it makes sense to invest in a completely new line based on hard data.

In recent years, technological developments in the industrial coating sector have been profound: high-efficiency ovens, optimised ventilation systems, pressurised booths, advanced automation, and digital integration in line with Industry 4.0 and 5.0 paradigms have radically changed the way lines are designed and managed. In many cases, systems installed only fifteen to twenty years ago are now energy-intensive, complex to adapt to new requirements, and challenging to maintain, with a direct impact on operating costs and final product quality.

The editorial staff of ipcm®_International Paint&Coating Magazine discussed these issues in depth with Pietro Tamellin, who, together with his brother Stefano, belongs to the second generation at the helm of Verona Impianti 2002, an Italian company that has been active for over twenty years in the design and construction of industrial coating systems with a strong focus on plant engineering.

When can a coating plant truly be defined as ‘obsolete’?

Pietro Tamellin: A coating system does not become obsolete solely because of its age. It does so when it no longer provides process stability, consistent coating quality, and economic sustainability. Many plants installed several years ago are still functioning, but their operating costs and control levels are no longer adequate to meet market demands.

From a technical perspective, the main critical issues concern energy. Older ovens, often characterised by insufficient insulation and inefficient heat-flow management, require significantly more energy than new-generation solutions to achieve and maintain process temperatures. Added to this is the lack of heat recovery and dynamic power regulation systems, which generates continuous waste during start-up, shutdown, and partial-load operation.

Another critical factor concerns start-up times. In many older plants, pre-heating must be initiated several hours before the start of the production shift, resulting in energy consumption that adds no value. This operational rigidity reduces production flexibility and negatively affects work organisation, making it more difficult to adapt to changes in production volumes and batches.

Process stability poses a significant limitation as well. In outdated systems, control of fundamental parameters such as temperature, airflow rates, handling speed, and environmental conditions within the booths is often inaccurate or left to the operator’s experience. Such variability results in uneven finishes, aesthetic defects, inconsistent thicknesses, and coating adhesion issues, thereby increasing reworks and rejects.

Another issue relates to pre-treatment: the cleaning phase prior to coating often does not yield optimal results, either because the machine is undersized

compared with current standards or because of the inevitable deterioration of older tunnels and cleaning systems.

Finally, from a maintenance point of view, an obsolete system requires frequent and difficult-to-schedule interventions. Mechanical and electrical components that are no longer standardised, spare parts that are difficult to find, and outdated operating logic increase the risk of sudden plant shutdowns, with a direct impact on production continuity and overall operating costs.

At the same time, regulatory and environmental aspects should not be overlooked. Legislation on emissions, safety, and operator health protection has become progressively more stringent. Adapting an outdated plant to these requirements can entail complex and costly interventions that do not always translate into a real improvement in its overall performance. In such cases, replacing the plant with a newly designed line is often a more rational and sustainable choice in the medium to long term.

In light of these limitations, what are the main advantages of a newly designed coating system?

P.T.: A newly designed coating plant constitutes an industrial investment that can have an impact on multiple levels: productivity, coating quality, operating costs, safety, sustainability, and the overall value of a company. In our experience, implementing a new system first and foremost enables a significant reduction in energy consumption, thanks to new-generation ovens, advanced thermal insulation systems, and smart airflow management. Combined with this is an increase in overall productivity, driven by shorter process cycles, greater operational continuity, and a significant reduction in plant downtime. A further advantage is improved coating quality, enabled by more stable, controlled processes that guarantee finishing uniformity and repeatability over time, particularly when integrating updated pre-treatment systems that properly prepare the parts’ surfaces. A new plant also reduces environmental impact, thanks to filtration and emission management systems that comply with the latest regulations. Finally, digitalisation allows real-time monitoring of process parameters and predictive maintenance planning, while improving operator safety and comfort.

New‑generation ovens feature enhanced insulation and optimised heat-flow management, enabling a significant reduction in energy consumption.

In your experience, in which cases is complete replacement of the system the most effective choice compared with maintaining an existing line?

P.T.: Over the years, we have worked with numerous companies operating outdated coating systems. In many cases, preliminary analyses have shown that these plants’ structural limitations did not leave room for significant improvements through partial interventions. When the basic structure is no longer adequate for current production needs, designing a new line is often the most rational solution. The most common outcome we see in the transition from an obsolete plant to a new line is a reduction in energy consumption of up to 50%.

In several recent projects, replacing the system has also eliminated the need for long pre-heating times, allowing the line to be started directly at the beginning of the work shift. This has a positive impact on production organisation, leading to reduced cycle times and, in some cases, a more efficient reorganisation of shifts. Improved stability of the coating process results in a significant reduction in rework and reject rates, whereas simplified routine and non-routine maintenance increases the plant’s overall reliability. At the same time, the adoption of pressurised booths and more efficient extraction systems significantly improves working conditions for operators.

Taken together, these results demonstrate that, under certain conditions, investing in a new plant is more technically and economically sustainable in the medium to long term.

What advice would you give to companies that are currently reviewing their coating systems?

P.T.: In the current industrial context, continuing to operate with an obsolete plant can be a competitive disadvantage. Our goal is to support companies on a path of informed technological growth, offering tailored solutions that tangibly improve their production processes. Based on our experience across diverse contexts, we have a clear understanding of the issues our customers face when considering installing a new coating plant or modifying an existing one. Where possible, we opt for a revamping project; if this is insufficient, we always outline the advantages of a new line using a data-driven approach. We believe that consulting a specialised partner is the first step towards more efficient, sustainable, and competitive production.

A new cataphoresis plant: high quality and control in the production of components for heavy-duty vehicles

Inver Press Srl has recently completed the installation of a new cataphoresis plant designed and built by Silvi Srl, integrating it into its production process to finish components for heavy-duty vehicles. The plant has enabled it to insource this crucial phase, improving quality control and speeding up operations.

The production of parts for heavy-duty vehicles, such as brake shoes and braking system components, plays a strategic role in the commercial and industrial vehicle sector, where safety, reliability, and durability are key requirements. Indeed, these components operate under extremely harsh conditions, characterised by high loads, constant pressure, and continuous exposure to atmospheric agents. Therefore, when producing parts such as cover housing, brake shoes, dust shields for drum brakes, retainer pads, flat and spherical washers, and ABS tone rings, each process phase should be aimed at achieving the best possible results and ensuring highlevel performance. In this context, advanced production technologies and specific surface treatments decisively contribute to improving wear and corrosion resistance, as well as the safety of the systems for which the components are intended.

The need to manufacture reliable parts that comply with regulations thus makes their production a key element for competitiveness and innovation in the heavy vehicle sector.

Inver Press (Valmadrera, Lecco, Italy) is one of the few European companies specialising precisely in this type of component. Founded in 1970, it established itself on the Italian market by manufacturing parts for the household appliance sector. In the early 2000s, it decided to diversify and specialise in the production of automotive components, with a focus on heavy goods vehicles. “Inver Press manufactures niche products designed for a very specific sector that demands high quality standards. The volumes required are low, given the high engineering complexity, but

processing and delivery times are extremely fast,” says Federico Mossini, Production Manager at Inver Press. “We can safely say that we are one of the very few companies in Europe to carry out this type of work for major customers such as Cummins, Dana, and SAF Holland.”

The production process

The production process starts with the raw material: steel. The first step is cold shearing, followed by deep drawing, CNC machining, robotic welding, heat treatment, and shot blasting with OMSG machines; Inver Press has a CWB 850 4/FAC tunnel shot blasting machine with a metal mesh belt and four 7.5-kW turbines and a Tappeto Rampante® shot blasting machine,

model SG2 RNH, with a volumetric capacity of 150 dmT and a maximum load of 500 kg, equipped with a 7.5-kW turbine. The final stage of the finishing process is cataphoretic coating. “Until this year, this was outsourced to external partners. However, we recently decided to insource it for several reasons,” explains Mossini. “In our previous setup, the final coating stage was the most critical, as we had to send our parts outside our premises. This created a bottleneck, blocking production and lengthening delivery times. Moreover, high quality is of the essence when producing components for such a demanding sector, and insourcing the cataphoresis process makes it easier to control it, including by selecting the best partners. Finally, I personally find cataphoresis to

be a very interesting and fascinating technology, so we approached the installation of this new plant with an open mind, working daily to improve its performance with the aim of also being able to offer a contract service.”

A custom‑designed system

In the automotive sector, cataphoresis is now an established standard for coating parts, required by the market to ensure durability, reliability, and compliance with leading manufacturers’ specifications. Inver Press decided to insource this process by entrusting Silvi, a plant engineering and construction company based in Peregallo (Monza e Brianza, Italy),

with the design and construction of the new cataphoresis plant to be integrated into its workflow. “We have known Silvi for several years because we had already collaborated on other projects, so we felt confident in relying on them to design and build this system. We were very satisfied with our collaboration with this company and particularly with Daniele Fumagalli, its technical and commercial director, who, thanks to his experience, designed a layout that was perfectly adapted to the available space, which was limited, thus requiring functional solutions to optimise the line’s footprint.” The line built by Silvi was installed in June 2025 and includes a closed-cell spray pre-treatment system. The parts are loaded onto bars with a capacity of 500 kg, a fundamental technical aspect considering that Inver Press handles large and heavy components such as brake shoes, which can weigh up to 6 kg each. The load bars move along a SE.PO step-by-step monorail conveyor, enabling the parts to undergo a pre-

treatment and cataphoresis cycle specially developed for Inver Press by PPG, designed to treat galvanised, ferrous, and multi-metal substrates so that they can pass cyclic corrosion resistance tests and, in particular, meet DBL and Volvo specifications. In the automotive sector, the new trends no longer require only passing the ASTM B117 corrosion test (neutral salt spray); they increasingly call for simulating extreme environmental conditions more representative of those the vehicles will be subjected to throughout their life cycle.

Inver Press’ pre-treatment cycle includes the following stages: alkaline degreasing at 50 °C; two rinses with mains water; soft pickling at a pH of 5 to treat substrates with scale, carbon residues, and oxidised galvanised materials; microcrystalline nanotechnology activation; a nickel-free phosphating phase that completes the metal conversion process, reaching a density of about 2 grams/m² of bicationic phosphate; one further rinse with mains water; one rinse with osmotic water; zirconium passivation; and a final rinse with osmotic water. The tunnel supplied by Silvi is also equipped with a continuous-flow sludge removal system using a filter press in the phosphating tank.

After pre-treatment, the components are transferred to the cataphoresis tank, where they are treated with products from PPG’s Powercron 10X® range, which are approved for DBL and Volvo specifications and recommended for automotive components manufactured by Tier 1 suppliers. The resulting process is a latest-generation tin-free epoxy cataphoresis treatment. “Inver Press was one of the very first companies to select this innovative system, which is unique on the Italian market, to distinguish itself as a supplier of superior technology,” notes Luca Sforzini, Commercial Director Tiers France & Italy at PPG. “In particular, P10X covers moulding burrs, shearing edges, and imperfections produced by machining operations even at

low thicknesses (12-25 microns). Any OEM knows that a galvanised coating protects edges better than a simple CRS, but when only a ferrous substrate is used, a coating with high edge coverage is mandatory for long-term protection. Supported by PPG, Inver Press chose the P10X product range for its highly flexible approach to edge corrosion, enabling it to meet all its customers’ needs.”

Once the cataphoresis treatment is complete, the parts undergo double rinsing with ultrafiltrate, followed by a blow-off stage, before entering the closed-cell drying oven with air-stream heat exchangers. The cycle ends with the unloading of the parts from the load bars. The plant is designed for a production capacity of 12 load bars per hour.

Full support and remote connection

Particular attention was paid to the design of the plant’s auxiliary devices, with the aim of ensuring high standards of safety, environmental

sustainability, and process control. The integrated technologies ensure the efficient management of emissions, waste water, and chemical parameters while providing operational continuity and consistent surface treatment and cataphoresis quality. “The plant is equipped with a centralised fume extraction and abatement solution serving the pre-treatment and cataphoresis lines, consisting of polypropylene wet scrubbers,” explains Daniele Fumagalli. “There are two separate abatement systems: one is devoted to hot fumes from thermal processes and the other to cold fumes generated by chemical treatment tanks. We also installed a chemical storage and recirculation device and a waste water management system. Waste water is treated using a vacuum evaporator, which recovers up to 95% of it, enabling the plant to operate with zero discharge.”

“This is a small plant, but complete and up-to-date: everything is connected remotely, and we can monitor its operation wherever we are,”

indicates Mossini. The quality standards pursued by Inver Press are also reflected in the daily maintenance carried out on the pre-treatment tunnel, as well as in the implementation of an internal chemical laboratory that conducts daily tests and titrations on all tanks. “In addition, every month, we send samples to PPG for analysis: these checks have allowed us to significantly raise our quality level compared with the past,” Mossini concludes.

Technology and control to meet market demands

By insourcing its cataphoresis operations, Inver Press took a further step in its path of growth and specialisation, strengthening control over quality, efficiency, and flexibility. The custom-designed plant supplied by Silvi, complete with advanced support systems, enables this company to respond proactively and comprehensively to the automotive sector’s needs, particularly in the field of heavy-duty vehicles.

This business investment marked not only an evolution in terms of performance but also a choice geared towards continuity, reliability, and innovation, key elements for operating in a highly specialised and selective market. Now, thanks to its quality-oriented approach and continuous improvement, Inver Press aims to consolidate its role as a qualified partner for the leading manufacturers in the sector and open up new opportunities, including in the field of contract coating.

SAITA inaugurates new premises focusing on innovation and training

From an interview with

Carlo Enrico Martini, SAITA Srl - Limena (Padua, Italy) info@saitaimpianti.it

SAITA recently inaugurated new premises that marked an important milestone in the growth of this company, which specialises in designing and installing industrial waste water treatment plants. The new 1,500 m²-wide facility houses modern offices, a warehouse, a showroom, and a training area. Designed to optimise production, plant engineering, and training activities, it concretely reflects the values of innovation, sustainability, and excellence that have always guided SAITA.

For the industrial sector, water is a precious and increasingly strategic resource that requires careful, scrupulous management. Ensuring efficient water use through purification, treatment, and recycling processes reduces environmental impact and transforms an operational requirement into an opportunity for sustainability. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 20241, industry accounts for almost 20% of global freshwater withdrawals, ranking just behind agriculture (around 70%) and ahead of domestic use (around 12%). In high-income countries, this percentage can exceed 40% of total water withdrawals, whereas in low-income economies,

1 Source: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000388948

industrial water use remains significantly lower than agricultural use. A more in-depth analysis in UNESCO’s 2022 Report2 also shows that the proportion of water used for industrial purposes varies considerably worldwide, ranging from around 5% in Africa to approximately 57% in Europe. These figures highlight the importance of optimising water use in industrial processes to reduce waste and the impact on global water resources. In this scenario, SAITA stands out for the concrete contributions it makes through its waste water treatment and recycling plants, which combine sustainability and operational efficiency. With three production sites in Italy and an established presence in over thirty countries, SAITA engineers filtration and purification plants, including those using Zero Liquid Discharge technology, evaporators for water distillation, and sludge treatment solutions for a wide range of industrial sectors, from coating and electroplating to chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and even electronics and semiconductors. “We manufacture all our systems in-house and offer modular and tailored solutions that are perfectly integrated into our customers’ production processes,” states Carlo Enrico Martini, Marketing Manager at SAITA Srl.

SAITA’s new premises offer optimised spaces to support production, offices, and business growth

SAITA’s story began in 1980, when a group of professionals with consolidated technical and commercial skills decided to combine their expertise to establish a business specialising in water purification plant assistance. Founded in Vicenza (Italy), the company moved its headquarters to Limena, in the province of Padua (Italy), in 1984, embarking on a path of steady growth that led, in 2006, to the inauguration of a new headquarters with over 1,000 m² of covered space and a 650 m²-wide area devoted to metalworking. Today, SAITA has expanded into a new building completed at the end of 2025, adding 1,500 m² of production and logistics space to support its growth.

2 Source: https://www.unesco.at/fileadmin/Redaktion/Publikationen/Publikations-Dokumente/WWDR_2022_FF_ENGLISH_0.pdf

“The decision to acquire a new facility was made several years ago,” says Martini, “as part of a review of our development strategies. One of our main constraints was space: both the production area and the office space were insufficient. Therefore, when the opportunity arose to acquire a building opposite our headquarters, with a total area of 1,500 m² divided into 750 m² on the ground floor and 750 m² on the first floor, we seized it to reorganise production and redefine our internal structure. Today, the new premises house the technical, administrative, sales, and purchasing departments on the first floor, while the ground floor is home to the showroom, training area, and warehouse dedicated to service, spare parts, and consumables. The old building, on the other hand, continues to house production and the SAITA Lab, our chemical laboratory3. We have also invested here, creating new work areas and storage spaces for materials and plants ready for delivery, and have already planned further improvements to enhance internal organisation, making it more efficient, orderly, and safe.” To support its production activities, SAITA also operates an additional metalworking facility.

The showroom and training area

Among the main innovations planned for 2026 is the creation of a showroom with pilot plants for testing and a training area. “The presence of a space suitable for developing these areas was one of the decisive factors that led us to choose the new plant, as this is an opportunity that was not available in the past,” explains Martini. “The showroom will be operational from spring 2026. The pilot plants, which have already been installed, enable us to simulate the entire water treatment cycle, replicate actual operating conditions, and test tailored solutions for customers across different industries. This enables us to experiment with new processes, verify the efficiency of systems, and offer concrete, practical training courses.” In fact, next to the showroom, SAITA is also creating a training room equipped with interactive whiteboards, designed to host both theoretical lessons and practical activities.

3 https://www.ipcm.it/en/open/ipcm/2024/88/32-36.aspx

info@sepoitalia.it

www.sepoitalia.it

On the ground floor, there is a 750 sqm area dedicated to the warehouse, service, spare parts, and consumables.

The headquarters features training rooms for both theoretical and practical learning, initially aimed at customers, dealers, and technicians. In the future, the goal is to open them to schools and companies interested in developing skills in water treatment.

The new training area will be intended primarily for both Italian and foreign customers and retailers, with the aim of enabling them to independently provide initial assistance on SAITA plants. Initially, the courses will be aimed at technicians with whom the company collaborates on a regular basis. However, the goal is more ambitious: to open these spaces to schools and, subsequently, to engineering companies and other businesses interested in developing specific skills in water treatment.

Growth prospects

“The acquisition of this new building marks an important step in SAITA’s organisational development. With 1,500 m² dedicated to offices, the warehouse, and the showroom, it provides us with more spacious and functional areas, optimises our production and logistics flows, and fosters collaboration among departments,” indicates Carlo Enrico Martini. “This facility is not just a physical expansion but a true strategic testing ground: it enables us to experiment with new processes, expand our services, and promote technical training. Thanks also to this location, SAITA is

consolidating its presence in the national and international markets, providing its customers and partners with modern tools to support growth, innovation, and sustainability. In this way, we are reaffirming our mission to combine technological excellence with responsible management, laying solid foundations for tackling future challenges and creating new business opportunities.”

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Painter: investing in technology to build quality, reliability, and a clear industrial vision

Alessia Venturi ipcm®

Italian coating contractor Painter has achieved consistent industrial growth through continued investments in cataphoresis, powder coating, and high-performance pre-treatment. With two factories, advanced equipment, Qualisteelcoat-certified cycles, and high energy efficiency, it is positioned as a reliable partner for industrial applications with high technical and operational value.

In the Italian contract coating industry, few companies manage to combine growth, strategy, technological consistency, competitiveness, and comprehensive services over the long term. Painter, a company based in Dosson, in the province of Treviso (Italy), and run by the Piccoli family, is a prime example of how targeted, continuous, and technically sound investments can turn a small business into an industrial partner capable of offering complete, diversified, certifiable, and high-added-value finishing services.

Founded by Stefano Piccoli in 1993 as a small workshop with a coating booth, Painter has indeed undergone constant development over the years, marked by plant and process choices always geared towards product quality and operational reliability. The move in 2000 to the premises in Via Al Bigonzo in Dosson, now the headquarters housing the cataphoresis line, and the subsequent reorganisation of the powder coating department in a new building in Via Pantaleoni laid the foundations for its structured growth. This culminated first with the adoption of a cataphoresis line in 2015 and, more recently, with the installation of a new, advanced automatic powder coating plant supplied by Euroimpianti (Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona, Italy), equipped with a state-of-the-art powder application system from Gema Europe (Trezzano sul Naviglio, Milan, Italy) and a robust, flexible multi-metal pre-treatment cycle developed in cooperation with NoxorSokem (Pordenone, Italy). Currently, Painter operates 2 sites, employs approximately 45 people, and offers a comprehensive range of finishing services – powder coating, liquid coating, and cataphoresis (both as individual treatments and in Qualisteelcoat-certified combined cycles), as well as ancillary processes such as sandblasting, sealing, and masking – that meet the needs of highly diverse and demanding sectors, including agriculture, earthmoving machinery, industrial, railway, military, and naval.

The cataphoresis line: meticulous optimisation to enhance aesthetic results

Cataphoresis is one of the technological pillars of Painter’s offering, and its implementation was the first step in the company’s development.

Operational since 2015, this plant is designed to treat parts up to 4 metres in length, 2.5 metres in depth, and over 1 metre in width. “About ten years ago, following an increase in customer demand for cataphoresis treatments and noting the absence of other suppliers in the Treviso area, we decided to upgrade our existing coating plant, which already had a tank pre-treatment system, by adding the tanks required for the cataphoresis process,” explains Eleonora Piccoli, the general manager of Painter. “It was a smart business decision, ahead of its time, since today cataphoresis is considered the treatment of choice for high-quality coating cycles.”

“Our cataphoresis tank has considerable dimensions: it can coat parts measuring 4 metres in length, 2.5 metres in depth, and 1.2 metres in width,” adds Stefano Piccoli, the company’s founder and sole director.

“When designing our new automatic powder coating system, we asked Euroimpianti for a plant of the same size so that we could transfer the parts directly from one line to the other. However, our cataphoresis system can also be used for aesthetic finishes without the need for a powder or liquid paint layer.”

As is well known, cataphoresis requires meticulous and constant maintenance to give the best results, and the tank filtration system is a key part of this. Five years ago, Painter began a collaboration with Condoroil Stainless (Casale Litta, Varese) to optimise the filtration system and replace key components essential to process stability. The intervention involved the supply of 8’’ Kratos spiral membranes for UF, 25- and 50-micron bag filters, as well as the replacement of the dialysis cells with Crono TB tubular anodic cells with a “closed-top” design for pressurised cells, manufactured by Condoroil Stainless using polymeric membranes with low deformability, low electrical resistance, and long service life.

“The results were clear: thanks to their large surface area, which ensures a high permeate flow rate with very low operating costs and high energy efficiency, the membranes’ durability increased significantly from a

few months to over a year of continuous operation, and the aesthetic quality of the cataphoretic film improved considerably. We now obtain homogeneous surfaces, free of mapping, halos, drips, or visual defects, with consistent results that are maintained both throughout the day and in the medium to long term,” explains Enrico Pontoglio, quality manager at Painter. “Process-wise, the new filtration system has made the tank more stable and less affected by pH variations, pollution, or changes in the substrates being treated. Flocculation has also been drastically reduced, further improving the plant’s reliability.”

An industrial strategy based on departmental specialisation

“Before installing the new automatic powder coating system, which has been in operation since last September, we already had 3 powder

application lines, each designed for a specific type of product, but all supplied by Euroimpianti,” says Eleonora Piccoli. “These are a static step-by-step system (EuroCar3, 8,000x2,500x3,200h cm) for finishing large metalworking structures, an automatic line (Euro90, 3,000x850x1,800h cm) for coating small parts and mass-produced items, and a department treating exclusively components already subjected to cataphoresis, especially parts for earth-moving machinery, forklift cabs, and accessories. Over the years, this organisation has enabled us to refine specific skills and effectively manage different production flows. However, increasing volumes, growing complexity, and the need to further improve overall efficiency and quality prompted us to rethink our plant layout.”

Painter’s goal was to consolidate strategic processes and improve production flexibility, surface quality, process repeatability, and energy management, thus laying the foundations for maintaining the company’s competitiveness for the next ten to fifteen years.

The heart of Painter’s recent investment was the new powder coating plant designed and built by Euroimpianti, its long-standing partner for all coating lines, and the application system from Gema. This line can coat parts up to 1,000 kg and with maximum dimensions of 4,000x2,500x1,200h cm, the same as the cataphoresis one, which first treats many of the parts subsequently coated on this system.

The pre‑treatment cycle: an informed technical choice

One of the most significant elements of this investment project was undoubtedly the chemical pre-treatment cycle. In a context in which many contractors have adopted nanotechnology solutions for their ease of management, Painter deliberately chose a different path, opting for a zinc-nickelmanganese tricationic phosphating system. The pre-treatment cycle, developed in collaboration with NoxorSokem, consists of

the following stages: degreasing, 3 intermediate rinses with mains water, zinc phosphate activation, tricationic phosphating, a further rinse with mains water, a rinse with demineralised water, and a no-rinse passivation step with chromium(III) salts. The passivation product is applied using Euroimpianti’s Nebula spraying system, which ensures the constant use of fresh product and full application control.

“From a technical point of view, the choice of tricationic phosphating responds to a precise rationale: Painter operates as a contractor and manages a wide variety of materials, geometries, and surface conditions.

Carbon steels, electrolytically galvanised and hot-dip galvanised metals, and aluminium coexist daily on our production lines. In this scenario, the solidity of the surface conversion system becomes a critical factor,” comments Enrico Pontoglio, quality manager at Painter. “Tricationic

phosphating offers greater tolerance to process variations, better conversion film uniformity, and, in our experience, superior corrosion resistance. It is no coincidence that we use the same pre-treatment concept on our cataphoresis line as well, ensuring technological consistency that translates into reliability and repeatability of results.”

“NoxorSokem recommended a low-nickel tricationic product to minimise issues related to operator and environmental safety,” adds Stefano Piccoli. “It also provided us with an automatic dosing system to facilitate line management, as well as with reliable and constant assistance, including from its laboratory.”

Thanks to this cycle, Painter can handle corrosion categories comparable to C3 according to ISO 12944 and, when using specific two-coat cycles with a zinc-rich epoxy primer or a cataphoretic primer, to achieve

performance levels comparable to C4 and C5, respectively, in the framework of Qualisteelcoat specifications, which standardise liquid, powder, cataphoresis, and anaphoresis coating, unlike ISO 12944, which only regulates liquid systems. Painter, which has an in-house quality control laboratory equipped with a neutral salt spray chamber to monitor on a daily and systematic basis process parameters and product quality, is now working to expand the number of Qualisteelcoat-approved cycles in 2026, including not only cataphoresis + powder combinations but also powder-only treatments on galvanised and hot-dip galvanised substrates.

The new powder coating plant designed for energy efficiency

Euroimpianti designed this plant to be simple, flexible, and highly efficient. Its configuration consists of a linear sequence: loading station, pre-treatment section, drying oven, coating booth, hot-air pre-heating

chamber, curing oven, and unloading station. The power and free conveyor supplied by Railtechniek features 3 concentric loops interconnected at the coating booth. This solution allows managing different cycles within the same production day without compromising quality or productivity:

 a main loop devoted to the complete cycle from raw to finished parts, including chemical pre-treatment, powder application, and oven curing;

 a second, smaller loop reserved for products already subjected to cataphoresis, which bypass pre-treatment and enter the booth directly;

 a third, even more compact loop designed for two-coat cycles, with optimised booth-oven-booth transitions.

This plant architecture thus maximises the use of the coating booth and ovens, reducing downtime and increasing operational flexibility, a fundamental aspect for a contractor working on orders that vary in size, volume, and quality requirements.

Along the conveyor line there are several stations that, when required,

FOCUS

allow the necessary sealing and masking operations to be carried out directly in-line and, at the same time, enable process control across its different stages. The plant management system is interconnected with Industry 4.0 information systems and, thanks to load cells and the powder weighing system, enables real-time data collection, which is essential for optimal plant operation. In this context, the implementation of the system has been planned with tools that will allow 3D mapping of the treated material and, with the support of AI, the automatic determination of the painted surface area in square metres.

Another interesting feature is the passive pre-heating system installed between the booth and the curing oven. Through a dedicated bell chamber, the heat escaping from the oven when its doors open is used to stabilise the powder applied to the workpieces before curing, avoiding

colour contamination among batches. This measure reduces the risk of powder particles being displaced by air currents generated when the oven doors are opened and contributes to both coating aesthetics and overall energy recovery.

“The system also meets the requirements for Industry 5.0-related incentives,” comments Eleonora Piccoli. “In collaboration with a technical firm specialising in energy efficiency, we compared it with other similar plants to quantify the actual energy savings we could achieve with this investment in proportion to the increase in our production volumes. Its heat recovery and reuse system, as well as the use of EcoFusion insulating and sound-absorbing panels for the pre-treatment tunnel, clearly play an important role in terms of efficiency.”

From top left counterclockwise: Gema AP02 pumps with Smart In Line technology.

On the left, Euroimpianti’s Nebula system for atomising always fresh passivation product; on the right, the 2,000‑litre/hour SAITA demineraliser dedicated to supplying demineralised water for the Nebula system.

On the right side of the image, the second SAITA demineraliser, with a capacity of 6,000 litres/ hour, used to control the conductivity of tanks supplied with mains water.

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The application system: dense phase and a 3D laser scanner system for process stability

The coating booth is one of the most innovative features of the new system. It was manufactured by Gema, on which Painter has always relied for all its lines. “We chose to maintain a single supplier for all our application systems with standardisation, streamlined maintenance, and operational continuity in mind,” indicates Stefano Piccoli, “not to mention the value of the customer service and technical support we consistently receive from TecnoSpray (Pordenone), Gema’s distributor for our area.”

“The booth supplied to Painter is a rectangular BA04 model, equipped with 2 separate entry and exit platforms sized to handle even large and complex-shaped workpieces. It features 16 GA04 automatic guns (8 on each side) mounted on last-generation 3D reciprocators, plus 2 manual guns for pre- and post-finishing, i.e. 18 guns in total,” illustrates Marco Peduzzi, area manager at Gema Europe. “The heart of its application system is the Gema OC10 one-tank dense-phase powder centre, equipped with AP02 pumps and integrated All-In-One control units. The guns operate at 110 kV and 110 µA and are interconnected via the CM40 system, allowing integration with the company’s systems in line with Industry 4.0 parameters.”

“From an operational standpoint, the adoption of the dense phase technology marked a significant qualitative leap forward compared to the traditional Venturi systems used in the plants already in operation at Painter. Although it is difficult to make a direct comparison in terms of consumption, as this is a completely new line that has been in operation since September 2025, we have achieved clear benefits in terms of quality, process stability, and ease of management,” comments Enrico Pontoglio. “Dense phase allows for more stable and controlled powder feeding, reducing particle fragmentation and improving transfer efficiency. This translates into greater thickness uniformity, superior aesthetic results even on large surfaces or complex geometries, and a significant reduction in manual touch-up operations. In combination with the Dynamic Contour Detection System, the dense phase technology enables dynamically adapting the application operations to the dimensional and morphological variations of parts, further improving coating quality, reducing waste, and limiting the need for post-finishing to the benefit of operators.” Finally, another benefit noted by Painter concerns colour change management: non-conformities related to colour contamination or ineffective booth cleaning have been virtually eliminated, a crucial aspect when performing frequent colour changes.

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Water treatment and demineralisation at the service of quality

To support the new powder coating plant, Painter also invested in upgrading its water treatment systems. The line is currently served by 2 demineralisation plants supplied by SAITA (Limena, Padua, Italy): one with a capacity of 2,000 litres/hour devoted to managing demineralised water for the Nebula system, and one with a capacity of 6,000 litres/hour designed to control the conductivity of tanks fed by mains water. “This configuration allows us to maintain consistent process water quality (with conductivity values below 30 microsiemens) even with high production volumes, while also reducing water consumption. Thanks to the regeneration cycles, pollutants are concentrated in smaller volumes of water, streamlining environmental management and improving our processes’ overall sustainability,” comments Pontoglio. “A particularly significant aspect is the stability of performance observed in the first months of plant operation: despite sustained production rates and long periods of uninterrupted operation, both the pre-treatment tanks and the demineralisation systems have maintained constant parameters, benefiting the final quality of our coating results. SAITA is one of our loyal suppliers: our other 2 powder coating lines are also equipped with their demineralisation systems.”

A technological platform for the future

The path taken by Painter is proof that it is possible for a coating contractor to build a solid, long-term industrial model through consistent investment in technology, systems, and skills. The combination of robust pre-treatments, flexible plants, new-generation application devices, and constant attention to water quality and process stability enables this company to respond to increasingly complex customer requirements and position itself as a reliable partner for highly technical applications. In a market where efficiency, sustainability, and quality are key to remaining competitive, Painter has chosen to invest heavily, thus building a technological platform that can support its future growth and help it confidently tackle the challenges of the coming years.

Sustainable industrial tinting: the evolution of colour systems according to Ralston Tinting Systems

From an interview with Jan-Willem Meeuwsen New Business Development Manager at Ralston Tinting Systems

In an industrial landscape increasingly shaped by sustainability requirements, production flexibility, and colour accuracy, tinting systems are playing a strategic role not only in the decorative segment but also in the field of industrial coatings. In this interview, Ralston Tinting Systems – a Dutch company part of the Royal Van Wijhe Verf group founded in 1916 – discusses key market trends, the technological solutions behind its VOC-free IND PRO universal colourants, and the contribution of digitalisation and automation to the efficiency of modern industrial coating processes.

In a coatings industry that is progressively moving towards greater production flexibility, sustainability and chromatic precision, tinting systems are becoming a strategic asset not only in the decorative sector but, increasingly, in high-performance industrial coatings. It is within this context that the experience of Ralston Tinting Systems, a Dutch company specialised in the development of advanced colourants and tinting technologies, takes shape.

Ralston Tinting Systems is part of Royal Van Wijhe Verf, an independent, family-owned company now led by the fourth generation. Since 2016 the first chemical company with a B Corp Certification. Over more than a century of activity, the Van Wijhe family has maintained a direct role in the company’s governance, ensuring strategic continuity and a long-term vision—an approach that contrasts with an industry often characterised by mergers and acquisitions.

A key milestone in the company’s recent history was the appointment of Marlies van Wijhe as CEO in 2000. In 2010 she was awarded the title of “Businesswoman of the Year” in the Netherlands, a recognition that has brought visibility to a leadership model capable of combining technological innovation, social responsibility and a strong focus on environmental sustainability and innovation. This approach has

progressively permeated Ralston Tinting Systems’ product development and tinting technologies.

From a technological standpoint, Ralston has built solid expertise in the development of high-performance colourants and tinting systems, designed to ensure colour reproducibility, stability, and seamless integration into modern paint manufacturing processes.

As early as the 1980s, the company introduced its ( then patented) first proprietary tinting systems with only 2 base paints, later evolving towards increasingly flexible solutions compatible with a wide range of binders and application technologies, both solvent-based and water-based. This integrated know-how enables the company today to address in a systematic manner the main challenges posed by the industrial market: VOC reduction or elimination, the introduction of bio-based raw materials, compatibility with a broad variety of coating chemistries, and the rationalisation of the number of colourants required to cover an extensive range of coatings.

Within this framework, Ralston has developed industrial tinting solutions designed for heavy-duty applications, targeting sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, oil & gas and general industry, where process reliability, colour reproducibility and operational continuity are essential requirements. The evolution towards industrial-scale automated tinting systems, installable at production sites, warehouses, and distribution centres, also responds to the growing demand for customised

colours with increasingly shorter lead times.

In 2016, the year of its centenary, Royal Van Wijhe Verf was granted the “Royal” designation and, in the same year, became the first chemical company worldwide to achieve B Corp certification, demonstrating a structured and measurable commitment to reducing environmental impact, responsible innovation and process transparency. Consistent with its DNA centred on sustainable innovation, Ralston has recently introduced new generations of VOC-free universal industrial colourants, developed using alternative carriers to traditional aldehyde resins and characterised by high chemical compatibility, high pigment concentration, and the use of partially bio-based raw materials. These solutions are designed not only to improve technical performance, but also to reduce the overall environmental footprint of coating systems.

In this technical interview, ipcm® discusses with Jan-Willem Meeuwsen, New Business Development Manager at Ralston Tinting Systems, the main market trends, the technological choices behind the new industrial tinting systems, the role of digitalisation and automation, and the future

outlook of tinting technology as a strategic lever for paint manufacturers, distributors, and end users in the industrial coatings sector.

What key industrial trends or customer needs have most influenced your product development?

JWM: In recent years, the development of our colourants and tinting systems has been strongly influenced by three main drivers. The first is the growing demand for reduced or zero VOC content, not only in coatings but also in colourants, which are increasingly considered in the overall environmental assessment of coating systems. The second driver is the integration of bio-based raw materials into colourants, in line with the structured sustainability approach that has long characterised Ralston’s strategy. Finally, we see a clear need among industrial coating manufacturers to reduce the number of colourants required to cover an ever-expanding range of chemistries and applications. This has driven the development of universal solutions aimed at reducing operational and logistical complexity.

In your view, what are the main advantages that an industrial tinting system can offer in terms of productivity, colour accuracy and overall process efficiency?

JWM: An industrial tinting system must be designed to reliably colour a wide range of industrial coatings, commonly used for the protection and aesthetic enhancement of infrastructure, steel structures, transportation equipment and installations in the oil & gas and general industry sectors. Compatibility with multiple coating chemistries is therefore a key requirement. At the same time, the market increasingly demands rapid availability of customised colours. In this context, industrial-scale automated tinting, installed at warehouses and distribution centres, is a key tool for increasing productivity, reducing delivery times, and ensuring high colour accuracy.

What are the key technological features that differentiate your tinting system from existing solutions on the market?

JWM: Universal colourants for industrial coatings have existed for decades and are traditionally based on aldehyde resins as pigment

carriers. Since these resins are solid at room temperature, significant amounts of solvent are required to achieve a workable viscosity, resulting in higher VOC levels.

Following our commitment to sustainable technology, we have invested extensively in R&D to identify alternative carriers, with the objective not only of eliminating VOCs but also of maximising compatibility with a wide range of coating chemistries. One of the selected materials is also biobased, further enhancing the sustainability profile of the new series.

Ralston IND PRO colourants show high compatibility with numerous systems, including 1K and 2K polyurethanes, 1K and 2K epoxies, epoxy and PU primers, epoxy esters, short-oil and modified alkyds, nitrocellulose, and acrylics. Although developed primarily for solvent-based chemistries, they have also delivered excellent results in polyaspartic coatings. Thanks to their high pigment concentration, typical additions of only 5–10% by volume are sufficient to achieve good hiding power. This helps reduce tinting costs and preserve the original properties of the coating.

Selected pigments also provide resistance to heat, chemicals, and outdoor exposure, offering effective alternatives to hazardous lead chromate pigments for yellow, orange, and red shades.

IND PRO colourants can be used both in-plant and on tinting machines, with volumetric or gravimetric systems, thanks to viscosities optimised for automated dispensing.

Europe is a highly competitive and diverse market. What is your strategy for positioning Ralston tinting systems and encouraging their adoption?

JWM: In addition to producing premium-quality colourants, Ralston is also a paint manufacturer, which represents a significant competitive advantage. Our in-depth understanding of both areas allows us to support manufacturers and distributors in managing the complex interaction between paints, colourants and tinting equipment, ensuring maximum colour accuracy.

We are recognised as a market reference for colour reproduction, as demonstrated by the Tintingale™ concept for architectural paints, developed to support distributors in efficiently matching UNI PLUS universal colourants with base paints from local manufacturers. This approach often enables a reduction in the number of base paints required, simplifying stock management.

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In Europe, we mainly work directly with paint manufacturers, while in some non-EU markets we operate through selected distributors. Our goal is to further expand our partner network, while maintaining a strong technical and collaborative approach.

How do you see the role of digitalisation, automation and data management evolving in tinting technologies?

JWM: Digitalisation and automation are currently the main drivers of improvement in the supply of high-quality colourants. Stable and high-performing colourants are essential to ensure a continuous and repeatable supply of tinted paints and coatings.

In collaboration with one of our strategic tinting equipment partners, we are preparing a new data management system capable of providing detailed information on colour trends, tinting databases and consumption. This will enable customers to optimise commercial strategies and manage stocks of base paints and colourants more efficiently.

Looking ahead, which market trends will most influence the future of tinting systems in the coatings and colourants industry?

JWM: The future of tinting will be strongly influenced by the growing demand for sustainable innovations, the use of lowerimpact raw materials and evolving regulatory requirements. With the IND PRO series, Ralston has introduced a VOC-free universal system with 16 high-performance pigments, specifically designed for the industrial coatings segment. In Groningen we have a special innovation lab WYDO for sustainable innovations where we look beyond current methods in the coatings and tinting industry. The ability to select colours locally supports geographic expansion for manufacturers, through the installation of industrial tinting systems at distributors and logistics hubs, designed for high output and continuous operation.

Coating applicators can also benefit from inhouse tinting, saving time, costs and material waste through just-in-time production of exact quantities. The availability of both UNI PLUS and IND PRO series within a single system enables combined configurations of up to 32 canisters, capable of tinting virtually any type of paint or coating. This is particularly advantageous for manufacturers operating in both decorative and industrial segments. Tinting technology continues to evolve in many directions. Sustainable innovation, which has been part of Ralston’s DNA since its origins, will remain the key long-term driver of this development. Thanks to its experience as a paint manufacturer, Ralston can also support small and medium-sized companies in developing dedicated tinting systems, even without an in-house colour laboratory.

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Mechanical finishing as the key to Euroricambi’s excellence

Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Thanks to a fully verticalised production cycle, Euroricambi, a leading manufacturer of gears for industrial vehicles, provides the market with interchangeable, reliable, and always available spare parts, confirming its position as an international benchmark supplier. Recently, it has expanded its heat treatment department, which in turn called for an upgrade of the mechanical finishing department as well, with the integration of a new shot blasting system designed and installed by Rösler.

Reverse engineering is the process of analysing an existing product or component to understand its structure, operation, and design specifications with the aim of reproducing, improving, or replacing it when the original data is not available. In the industrial vehicle aftermarket spare parts sector, this analysis is strategic because it allows studying components that often belong to vehicles that are no longer in production and accurately recreating their functional, geometric, and performance characteristics.

Euroricambi (Valsamoggia, Bologna) produces the broadest range of aftermarket spare parts for industrial vehicles, lorries and buses, earth moving and mining machines, and light and medium heavy commercial vehicles.

“For a spare part to be truly interchangeable and reliable over time,” explains Marco Bonfiglioli, Technical Manager of Euroricambi, a world leader in the production of gearboxes and differentials for lorries, buses, and earth-moving machines, “every production stage should faithfully reflect the information gathered from that initial analysis. We produce the broadest range of spare parts for the aftermarket, which are perfectly interchangeable with the original ones from leading OEMs, manufactured to tolerances in the order of a few thousandths of a millimetre.”

Headquartered in Italy’s Motor Valley, in the Emilia Romagna region, Euroricambi is part of a group of seven companies with 640 employees that exports to 105 countries and focuses on technological innovation as a strategic lever for its success. Its production cycle, considered state-of-the-art in gear manufacturing, relies on 200 numerically controlled machine tools and 80 robots operating 24/7, with minimum tolerances verified by integrated measurement systems. “This is why our spare parts are chosen by mechanics all over the world and cover most models of all major vehicle and transmission brands,” notes Bonfiglioli.

The company’s production flow is now completely vertically integrated and combines advanced machining with heat treatments and finishing operations such as high-performance shot blasting and shot peening. Recently, its heat treatment operations were upgraded with the addition of a new plant capable of handling components up to 1 metre in diameter.

As a result, its mechanical finishing department, already equipped with shot peening and shot blasting systems, was also upgraded with a new shot blasting machine designed to handle these parts, which was supplied by the Italian subsidiary of German multinational Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH.

A long tradition in mechanical engineering

On 10 January 1979, Orazio and Marisa Taddei founded a small mechanical workshop in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley, backed by decades of experience in the sector. Just ten years later, at the end of the 1980s, the structure of the current factory was already taking shape in Crespellano, in the municipality of Valsamoggia (Bologna). In 1995, the company inaugurated the headquarters and factory in Crespellano. The growth continued in 1997 with the creation of an internal grinding department equipped with modern numerically controlled machine tools, aimed at improving product quality and reducing processing times. Five years later, in 2002, Euroricambi inaugurated the plant housing its gear cutting operations, destined to become one of its core processes and a benchmark for gear manufacturing technologies. The company’s history was characterised by constant growth, but it saw a significant turning point in 2008 with the establishment of the FA.TA Ricambi S.p.A. Group, which brought together all the companies owned by the Taddei family. Its expansion was further consolidated by strategic acquisitions of long-established local companies, such as Romagnoli Luciano Srl, a long-standing supplier of grinding services acquired in 2008, and Antonio Masiero, specialising in the production of spare parts for light

and commercial vehicles, acquired in 2010. Finally, in 2016, the logistics department was renovated and enlarged to increase storage capacity and order fulfilment efficiency.

“These milestones reflect the progressive growth of our company. Its founder, Orazio Taddei, who sadly passed away in September, succeeded in giving an international footprint to a family-run business without cutting its ties with the local community. For several years, the company has been led by Pierluigi and Patrizia Taddei, who have succesfully embodied its values” Bonfiglioli points out.

The Euroricambi Group: Emilia Romagna’s hub for gears

Alongside the parent company, the Euroricambi Group has gradually structured itself as an integrated industrial hub capable of covering the entire gear supply chain, from production to distribution, in all key international markets. It includes Eurotec, founded in 1997, the exclusive distributor of Euroricambi products in Italy and a reference point for the development of complementary items in the company’s range; Metal Brașov Euroricambi, the division created in 2005 in Romania to maintain competitiveness on the older and less technologically advanced products while using the same technologies, procedures, and quality standards

as the Italian factory; Fabryka Armatur Swarzędz (FAS), a long-standing Polish supplier equipped with OEM-derived technologies for the precision moulding of steel synchroniser rings, strategically acquired in 2005; AM Gears, created from the acquisition of Antonio Masiero to diversify production and preserve a mechanical engineering company of excellence, thus enhancing a long-standing local brand; and, strengthening the Group’s international presence on the commercial front, Eurotecnica, its official distributor for the Brazilian market, and Lambert Getriebeteile, acquired in 2019 to consolidate its sales network in Germany.

From machining to high‑precision cleaning: Euroricambi’s attention to detail

“Our range of spare parts, which are fully interchangeable with the original components

of all major manufacturers, includes parts for industrial vehicles, lorries and buses, earthmoving and mining machines, as well as light and medium-heavy commercial vehicles,” explains Bonfiglioli. “We largerly achieved our goal of insourcing our entire production process: today, we manage the vast majority of machining operations in-house, from shaft, gear, and sleeve turning to broaching and from cylindrical and conical gear cutting, also performed on high-performance automated CNC machines, to milling, just to name a few.” High surface quality is ensured through automated deburring systems, including a special line for synchroniser rings with carbon fibre coating, and through advanced technologies such as electron beam welding, which provides high geometric precision, joint uniformity, and process repeatability with reduced cycle times compared with traditional

techniques. At the end of the machining process, the gears undergo highprecision cleaning.

Synchroniser

parts, the company’s core business

Euroricambi specialises in the design and manufacture of high-precision synchroniser components, which constitute its core business. “Cones and double cones are fundamental elements of synchroniser assemblies: they use friction to make gear engagement progressive and smooth, preventing jolts, noise, and premature wear,” says Bonfiglioli. The company manufactures these components in-house, mainly using casehardened steels with manganese and nickel-chromium alloys and only a small proportion of quenched and tempered steels, if no heat treatment is required.

Euroricambi’s heat treatment department has undergone significant developments in recent years and has been equipped with a new fully automated plant, with a capacity of approximately 20 tonnes of steel per day. Implementing a vacuum case hardening process in electric chambers, this system minimises deformation compared with traditional technologies, thus improving the quality of the treated material. The hardening phases are carried out according to the characteristics of each

workpiece, with oil cooling for large components and gas (nitrogen) cooling for smaller ones. For components that are more prone to deformation, such as synchroniser rings and sleeves up to 250 mm in diameter, the cycle also includes a specific treatment with induction heating and pin hardening to meet the required geometric tolerances.

“Thermal processes are always followed by cleaning with water and detergent carried out inside our multifunctional robotic islands. Then, the parts are subjected to shot blasting, a critical step to improve not only their surfaces’ appearance but also homogeneity and mechanical performance. Shot peening is only performed when, during the reverse engineering phase, we find the gear’s surface hardness to be particularly high. For these key stages, Euroricambi has relied on an international partner: Rösler.”

Shot peening and shot blasting systems:

‘quality’ is the watchword

“The pressurised air shot peening system we supplied to Euroricambi is designed to operate in an extremely targeted manner,” explains Mauro Selle from Rösler Italiana’s Sales Engineering office. “It is equipped with 6 nozzles positioned exclusively at the areas to be treated, whereas the rest of the component is protected. Its configuration with a double rotating

table and a 180° swivel door allows for loading parts with no downtime and improves operational efficiency.”

The new shot blasting machine was installed at the beginning of 2024 to complement the existing plant and support the increase in production volumes resulting from the integration of the new heat treatment line. The old system, also manufactured by Rösler, was no longer sufficient to handle the required throughput, especially considering the new size of the components being treated. Rösler’s RHBD 17/22-T machine is equipped with an overhead conveyor and allows treating both components hung on hooks, such as cylindrical and conical crowns, and parts arranged in multi-level baskets, positioned depending on their weight and structural characteristics,” adds Selle. The plant also integrates solutions designed to ensure repeatability, safety, and operational flexibility, such as automatic door opening, a media flow control system, and the possibility of modulating the cycles according to production requirements, contributing significantly to higher product quality.

After shot blasting, the components are subjected to a blow-off step and sent on to the subsequent phases of grinding, assembly, quality control, packaging, and storage, thus completing a highly technological production cycle.

The reasons behind Euroricambi’s choice:

when spare part availability matters

“We chose Rösler to supply all our shot peening and shot blasting systems because we share the same focus on high quality, which is at the heart of our business strategy,” states Bonfiglioli. “With the investment in a new shot blasting machine, we were confident we would achieve the same performance degree already ensured by the previous system, only applied to larger components.”

Another decisive factor in the choice was Rösler’s assistance service, considered strategic in a highly continuity-oriented production context.

“Although we are very familiar with Rösler’s machines and did not need its technical support with this new plant, we know we can always count on remote assistance from both the German parent company and the Italian branch in Concorezzo (Monza e Brianza) without the need for subcontractors. For companies like ours, which work with precision spare parts every day, the availability of spare parts is also a decisive factor: knowing these are always available really makes a difference,” adds Bonfiglioli.

The same selection criteria were applied to the choice of the cleaning system supplier, which fell on ILSA-MC Srl (San Pietro in Casale, Bologna):

in 2022, a new plant was installed for cleaning parts after machining in compliance with Industry 4.0 requirements. Operating with aliphatic hydrocarbons, this machine allows customising the cleaning and vacuum drying cycles in terms of basket movement (rotation, tilting, or static), ultrasound (through a Weber unit with a total power of 4500 W and frequency of 30 kHz), and continuous-flow filtration and distillation to separate oil/grease contaminants from solvents.

"This cleaning system replaced a machine that was similar in terms of load size and solvent used, but was of an older generation, also supplied by ILSA in 2010" indicates Bonfiglioli.

It is a semi-special plant, with baskets measuring 475x945xh200 mm, and it guarantees perfectly clean, dry components that are ready for subsequent treatments.

Building excellence together with suppliers

To offer a top-notch service to its customers, mainly distributors of spare parts mainly for the truck & bus, earthmoving, and light duty sectors, Euroricambi ensures immediate, high availability of its spare parts: 97% of items are always in stock, supported by an efficient logistics service that allows for rapid order fulfilment. This is a particularly significant result when considering the size of the company’s catalogue, which includes around 16,300 products.

“The drive for continuous improvement is an integral part of our approach. That is why our products set the standard in terms of quality and reliability – the same characteristics that we require from our suppliers and that, in the case of Rösler and ILSA-MC, we have found to be perfectly aligned with our expectations of excellence,” concludes Bonfiglioli.

Mirodur: boundless excellence

From an interview with Riccardo Vitelli Mirodur (Aprilia, Latina, Italy)

info@mirodur.com

We interviewed Riccardo Vitelli, Sales Manager at Mirodur, to share the story of an Italian family-run company that has been combining tradition and innovation in the production of liquid paints for over sixty years. From high-performance coatings that withstand extreme conditions to Miromix tinting systems, Mirodur brings its expertise to customers worldwide. Currently, it is preparing to attend PaintExpo 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating technologies.

The Italian economy has historically been characterised by a close-knit network of small and medium-sized enterprises, often family-run, that form the backbone of the national manufacturing sector. These companies can move nimbly in complex, constantly evolving markets, with organisational flexibility, rapid decision-making, and lean production processes as their main strengths. It is precisely such a lightweight structure that allows these SMEs to respond promptly to their customers’ needs, offering tailor-made solutions while maintaining high quality standards, an authentic expression of Italian industrial craftsmanship.

This scenario is perfectly reflected in Mirodur (Aprilia, Latina), an Italian family-run company specialising in the production of liquid paints, which has built up an efficient production model over time, based on long experience, streamlined flow management, and continuous innovation. With its consolidated know-how and international vision, this company is now taking its expertise beyond national borders, presenting itself at PaintExpo – the world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating technologies, to be held 14-17 April 2026 in Karlsruhe (Germany) – as a concrete example of Italian industrial excellence. Mirodur fully embodies the values of the most dynamic SMEs: reliability, flexibility, and the ability to combine tradition and innovation, and its qualities have earned it growing recognition in foreign markets. We recently interviewed Riccardo Vitelli, its Sales Manager, to learn more about the company’s history and expertise, the innovative solutions it offers in the corrosion protection and general industry sectors, and the new products it is going to present at PaintExpo 2026.

What kind of company is Mirodur, and what role does it play in the Italian and international industrial coating sector?

R.V.: Mirodur is an Italian-owned family business based in Aprilia, in the province of Latina, specialising in the production of liquid paints for the general industry and corrosion protection sectors. Founded in 1957 as a small business on the outskirts of Rome, it has grown steadily by adapting to, and sometimes staying ahead of, changes in the industrial coating world.Currently, it has a factory covering over 8,000 m², equipped with modern facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories, and offers a complete range of solvent- and water-based primers and top coats that meet the needs of key industries, including ACE, industrial vehicles and special equipment, energy, machine tools, and automotive. It is a concrete example of Italian industrial excellence, even in foreign markets, thanks to an efficient production model grounded in proven experience, streamlined production flow, and continuous innovation. Participation in international events such as PaintExpo 2026 demonstrates our global vision and the growing recognition of our products beyond Italy.

What are the main fields of application for Mirodur’s products?

R.V.: Our product range is divided into two main application areas: corrosion protection and general industry. For the former, Mirodur offers multi-layer coating systems designed to guarantee high protection against aggressive atmospheric conditions. This line is composed of zinc-rich epoxy primers, including high and very high zinc content products – which form the first essential layer for protecting metal surfaces – but also high-build epoxy base coats – for use as an intermediate layer, especially in ISO 12944 anti-corrosion systems – and

top coats – traditional or high-build acrylic or polyurethane finishes, to be selected depending on application needs and the required corrosion protection class.

In addition, Mirodur offers a portfolio of polyacrylic direct-to-metal (DTM) paints characterised by excellent adhesion to all metal substrates and the ability to achieve high thicknesses. These products contain corrosion-inhibiting pigments and deliver optimal performance in neutral salt spray tests, helping prevent blistering and preserving the integrity and aesthetics of coatings. Our line dedicated to the general industry, on the other hand, includes both solvent-based and water-based primers and top coats.

What are the main differences between your solvent based and water based product lines, and in which contexts are each best suited?

R.V.: When it comes to the general industry sector, solvent-based products are the most popular. This category includes acrylic base coats and top coats, traditional or high-build epoxy base coats, and single-component acrylic and alkyd systems, used primarily in the truck sector and, more generally, in production processes calling for high reliability.

In contrast, our portfolio of water-based coatings is more limited than that of solventbased ones. Among the most popular products are single-component acrylics, characterised by fast drying and excellent adhesion, making them also suitable for use as primers in two-component systems. Their quick drying times enable wet-on-wet cycles, significantly reducing process times and improving overall production efficiency.

Which coating systems are the best performers and most popular on the market?

R.V.: Among our most effective and popular coating systems on the market are the combinations of polyacrylic or epoxy primers with top coats of the same chemical nature, which can guarantee high performance even in aggressive environments. Over the years, Mirodur has certified all its main systems for resistance in harsh conditions. For example, the two-component acrylic primer and top coat system has been approved for 750 hours of salt spray resistance, whereas the system consisting of an epoxy primer and an acrylic top coat reaches 1,000 hours.

The former is also particularly appreciated for its ease of use: both products use the same hardener, thus reducing overcoating times and optimising productivity. This system is particularly well-suited to the agricultural sector, where delivery times are increasingly short.

Epoxy base coats, on the other hand, remain the preferred choice for companies with automated or robotised plants, which can best leverage the characteristics of this paint type. In all other production contexts, particularly large-scale manufacturing, the acrylic+acrylic system remains the most popular.

At PaintExpo, you will also present your Miromix tinting systems. What are they?

R.V.: Miromix Solvente and Miromix Acqua are industrial tinting systems designed and developed by Mirodur to specifically meet the needs of professional paint retailers serving the industry. Both systems are based on converters and high-concentration colouring pastes formulated in-house, which provide stability over time, prevent flocculation, and ensure perfect compatibility between components for reliable, repeatable performance in every application.

The Miromix software package enables the production of over 25,000 colours, including non-standard hues, through integration with precision spectrophotometers. Its user-friendly interface allows managing the entire operating cycle, from paint formulation and automatic dispensing to label customisation and the printing of technical and safety data sheets, ensuring compliance with current regulations.

With Miromix, Mirodur offers a complete, flexible system that streamlines industrial colour management, reduces dosing errors, and improves operational efficiency for retail outlets and tinting laboratories.

What added value do Mirodur’s technical support and consultancy services offer?

R.V.: Technical and commercial assistance is a central component of our offering. We support our customers in selecting the most suitable cycle, from surface preparation through final application, based on their product type and production plant characteristics. We use advanced industrial colourimetry tools, including tinting systems, spectrophotometers, and colourimeters, to ensure precise, repeatable finishes.

Our in-house laboratory is the heart of innovation: it is where new formulations are created and every raw material and finished product undergoes rigorous testing in full compliance with ISO 9001:2015. However, quality is not just about technology for us: our focus on the environment, safety, and process sustainability is certified to ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2023, demonstrating our commitment at every stage of production.

Finally, to ensure comprehensive assistance and personalised advice, Mirodur relies on a robust network of distributors and partners, always ready to support companies in selecting the right products and achieving high-quality finishes. We consistently invest in expanding our network and making our products and technical services accessible worldwide, without sacrificing quality, reliability, or customer care.

Elevators that save space – and a coating line that saves resources

Motala Hissar’s new powder coating system provided by WAGNER, combines efficiency, precision, and sustainability, reducing powder consumption by up to 20% and lowering operating costs. Thanks to Flowsense and the Energy Efficiency Package (EEP), the line easily handles large components and frequent colour changes.

The Swedish company Motala Hissar AB is a leading manufacturer of spaceefficient elevators and platform lifts for indoor use. What started in 1972 with goods lifts has grown into a global company with more than 10,000 delivered units to date and around 60% of production shipped abroad. All mechanical parts are produced in-house in Motala, Sweden. Their lifts are known for smart engineering, clean Scandinavian design, and excellent accessibility; because quality surfaces are part of that promise, the coating process plays a crucial role.

Before the upgrade, Motala Hissar was running an aging powder system with a steel booth. High powder waste and limited automation were major problems, and frequent colour changes added further challenges. The new system needed to deliver highly efficient coating of elevator parts, lower powder consumption, and fast, reliable colour changes. WAGNER’s PXS powder center combined with the Flowsense technology stood out as the most advanced automatic solution. The new line was installed in summer 2025.

Smart powder management with PXS and Flowsense

Motala Hissar chose an S-Line powder system with an S-Cube booth. This booth model offers maximum flexibility and is designed for demanding applications with a high automation level: a perfect match for large elevator components. Eight PEA-X1 automatic guns apply the powder with high precision; a manual workstation adds flexibility for pre- or post-touchups on especially complex parts. The compact PXS powder center manages powder preparation, supply and fast colour changes. The complete system control is integrated into the cabinet. With the WICOS control and operating system, Motala Hissar can monitor the whole system performance in detail. The Data Hub interface of the PXS additionally provides raw process data for deeper production analysis. Flowsense is integrated into the PXS. This innovative technology automatically measures and regulates the powder quantity: each feeding element has built-in sensors that measure the output in grams per minute.

The system automatically adjusts the powder flow to the target value and corrects deviations. The result: constant coating thicknesses and less powder consumption.

With Flowsense, Motala Hissar can now see exactly how much powder is being used. Coating thicknesses stay consistent from batch to batch, making quality more predictable. The technology pays off directly: powder consumption has been reduced by 15-20% compared to the previous system. Another benefit is maintenance transparency: the status of each injector is clearly displayed on the touchscreen in a traffic light system. Necessary wear part replacements are automatically recommended only when truly necessary, which means that Motala Hissar can extend the service life of the nozzles and reduce operating costs. In fact, with the previous system, they had to replace nozzles once per month – now, thanks to Flowsense, the system is running up to 4-5 months with the same nozzles.

Cutting energy use with the EEP

Like all WAGNER powder systems, the new line at Motala Hissar is equipped with the Energy Efficiency Package (EEP): The flow-optimized design of the monocyclone reduces pressure losses, allowing the final filter to run with a smaller fan motor.

This has reduced energy consumption by 15-20%. The specially shaped pipes reduce powder deposits and wear and improve the powder recovery - a small detail with big long-term impact. With Flowsense and the EEP, the new system significantly reduces powder waste. This has a positive impact on the environment, as generally 5-6% CO2 emissions can be saved per 1 kg powder.

Conclusion: A high‑efficiency line that delivers

Motala Hissar’s new powder coating system brings together speed, precision, and sustainability in a way their old setup simply couldn’t. Large elevator parts and frequent colour changes can now be handled with ease.

The PXS powder center with Flowsense gives the team full control over powder usage and delivers reproducible, high-quality surfaces. The Energy Efficiency Package reduces energy consumption and boosts recovery performance. It’s easy to see that the upgrade has been a major strategic step forward for the company.

www.stpowdercoatings.com

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Finmat focuses on energy efficiency and plant flexibility to meet the challenges of the automotive and general industry sectors

Ilaria Paolomelo ipcm®

Finmat’s coating and cataphoresis systems can become a competitive advantage for automotive and general industry companies thanks to innovative, energy-efficient solutions supported by ongoing after-sales service, ensuring quality and reliability even in the most complex production environments.

The automotive industry has always been characterised by cyclical dynamics, with phases of substantial expansion alternating with periods of slowdown and market saturation. These fluctuations also have a direct impact on industrial investments, especially those in coating systems, which are among the most technologically complex, energy-intensive, and strategic assets in the entire vehicle production process.

The transition to new propulsion technologies is making the picture even more complex. The coexistence of internal combustion, hybrid, and electric engines is redefining production mixes and imposing increasingly stringent flexibility, operational continuity, and energy efficiency requirements on finishing plants. Investment decisions can no longer be based solely on manufacturing capacity but should also consider technical and economic sustainability in the medium to long term.

In recent years, in Europe and particularly in Italy, this transition phase has resulted in a slowdown in investment and a contraction in production volumes, whereas non-European markets have shown greater dynamism. At the same time, the electrification process continues to advance: electrified vehicles have now achieved a market share of over 50%, driven mainly by hybrid solutions, although the growth of fully electric cars is more uneven across different countries.

In such a complex setting, designing coating systems – and particularly cataphoresis ones, which are at the heart of corrosion protection cycles – calls for an integrated approach to ensure 24/7 production schedules, high process repeatability, adaptability to different components, and a significant reduction in energy consumption and environmental impact. The work of Finmat Srl (Nocera Inferiore, Salerno, Italy), a company developing and installing coating and cataphoresis systems for the automotive and general industry sectors, fits precisely into this framework.

Finmat’s know how

“Finmat was established in 2011 during the construction of a particularly complex coating plant developed in conjunction with Fiat Automotive’s entry into the Serbian market,” says Ernesto Mattiello, the company’s founder. “This marked the culmination of an experience that had begun in the early 1980s and was consolidated over decades in the design of industrial coating systems. At the same time, it reflected the desire to structure operations for continued customer support and the development of innovative cataphoresis and powder application solutions.”

Initially focused exclusively on the automotive sector, Finmat has gradually expanded its scope to other industries, including agricultural and earth-moving machinery, aluminium profiles, and other sectors of the general industry. “Many of our customers are coating contractors,” Mattiello points out, “and, therefore, need plants

that can handle different production cycles with consistent reliability and quality.”

At the same time, Finmat has achieved an increasingly structured international presence. Today, it operates in Europe, with systems installed in countries such as Poland and Spain, and in numerous non-European markets, including Morocco, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, and Georgia, and aims to further strengthen its presence in the East.

Technological advantages, modularity, and sustainability

Finmat designs and manufactures customised systems that can integrate powder coating and cataphoresis processes or be devoted exclusively to one of them, depending on customer requirements. “Every project starts with an in-depth analysis of the production cycle and the intended use of the components to be treated,” explains Massimiliano Mattiello,

head of Finmat’s technical department. “We take care of every detail to develop solutions that meet each customer’s requirements and provide consistent, reliable results over time.”

A distinctive feature of Finmat’s plants is modularity. “The individual technologies that make up each system are designed to be interdependent, yet interconnected, so that any critical issues in one area do not affect the operation of the entire line,” explains Alfonso Sensale, technical sales manager. “This approach allows for quick and targeted intervention on individual sections, minimising system downtime.”

In terms of technology, Finmat has developed solutions aimed at reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. “Our company was among the first to use non-thermal contact insulated panels and to develop advanced recirculation systems capable of significantly reducing both water

consumption and waste,” notes Sensale. Particular attention is paid to cataphoresis ovens, typically among the most energy-intensive sections of plants: Finmat’s solutions operate with significantly lower installed power than traditional standards, offering a decisive economic and energy advantage for lines that operate 24/7. The company is also developing hybrid electric-gas systems designed to reduce energy requirements from traditional sources, using alternative and renewable solutions such as photovoltaic panels whenever possible.

“Finally, another of our strengths is after-sales service,” Mattiello emphasises. “We do not just deliver a plant: we follow it step by step, providing preventive maintenance, scheduled interventions, and ongoing operational support. In this way, we ensure that our systems maintain consistent performance over time, minimising downtime and ensuring full operation even at times of peak production.”

Digitalisation, process control, and long‑term reliability

“Another key aspect of Finmat’s approach is the ability to translate theoretical project parameters into stable, reproducible real-world production. Using MES and digital twin systems, the company can continuously set up, monitor, and control layouts and workflows, ensuring consistency between the performance predicted during the design phase and the results achieved in production”, emphasizes Massimiliano Mattiello.

A solid network to tackle challenges in the automotive sector and beyond

From an organisational perspective, Finmat operates with a streamlined and highly specialised structure, supported by a network of long-standing partners who jointly collaborate in the design of systems. This model enables it to rely on a wide range of skills, from air extraction to wastewater management and treatment, while ensuring high operational responsiveness and direct control over all project phases.

As the automotive sector remains marked by uncertainty but characterised by constantly evolving global demand, Finmat stands out as a technical partner capable of supporting customers in managing market fluctuations.

“Our experience enables us to keep up with any developments in the automotive industry, regardless of the propulsion technology of choice. But that is not all. We are ready to design reliable, flexible, and efficient systems for coating any component, always maintaining high standards of quality and sustainability,” concludes Mattiello.

Innovation and versatility of Defil filter cartridges

Defil S.r.l. consolidates its contribution to industrial filtration with highly customisable, high-performance filter cartridges designed to meet the stringent efficiency, safety, and quality requirements of a wide range of application sectors.

Defil S.r.l., a well-established company in the industrial filtration sector, stands out for the design and production of filter cartridges suitable for a variety of product categories, including painting, sandblasting, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. It also provides filters for HVAC, compressors, and cleanrooms. Defil filter cartridges are designed to meet the specific needs of each industry, ensuring high levels of efficiency, quality, and reliability.

Filter cartridges have a wide range of applications, meeting stringent performance and safety standards. In painting and sandblasting processes, the use of high-quality filters is essential. These ensure effective filtration, reducing the risk of contamination and ensuring the quality of the final product. In the food industry, for example, the use of FDA-certified filtration materials ensures superior hygiene standards, essential for protecting consumer health and ensuring the quality of the final product.

The ability to adapt to the varying needs of each customer is a distinctive feature of Defil, which offers the possibility of customizing filter cartridges according to customer specifications, including the creation of special flanges using laser cutting.

Of particular relevance are the various options for filter media, both in terms of size and choice of materials and finishes, which include paper, polyester, antistatic aluminized polyester (DEKRA certified for ATEX systems), wire mesh and cloth, flame-retardant nanofiber (for laser and plasma cutting systems), fiberglass (for coalescing filters), and special materials. These materials not only optimise filtration capacity but also offer excellent mechanical properties and wear resistance. Filter cartridges are equipped with various connections, including metal or plastisol end caps, through-hole and closed end caps, as well as a variety of flanges, including three-hook flanges in aluminium or ABS and special connections.

The DF/PRO 3F-145, 3G-368, and 3G-396 cartridges, for example, feature aluminium flanges with three fastening hooks, positioned at 120°, allowing for secure and versatile mounting in both vertical and horizontal positions. This design not only facilitates assembly, but also ensures optimal sealing and minimal leakage, thanks to the ability to apply upper and lower gaskets based on the specific needs of the system. Defil can supply cartridges with pleated septums ranging from a minimum of 5 mm to a maximum of 50 mm.

The joint design employs a double-fold overlapping and sealing technique, ensuring a flawless seal. Thanks to the various premium-quality European filter media used by Defil, the cartridges guarantee optimal efficiency and resistance for any application and extremely low penetration of dust particles, reaching significant values such as 0.05% on 10- and 3-micron dust particles. These characteristics make the filter cartridges particularly suitable for applications where maximum purity and particle isolation are essential, from industrial settings to highly regulated sectors. Defil S.r.l. stands out in the industrial filtration landscape not only for the quality of its products but also for its ability to innovate and adapt to specific customer needs.

For further information: www.defil.it

Outstanding Powder Coating Performance

Advanced Automation and Color Change

• Superior coverage and process control for significant powder savings

• Fast, reliable, highly automated color change with visual access

• Advanced automation solutions for reduced manual coating

• High finish quality with advanced charge control and ultrasonic sieving

• Industry 4.0 ready IO links

• User-friendly, connected controls with visual guides and help content

www.nordson.com/powder

Dürr launches new generation of low-pressure spray guns with EcoGun ACE pro

With the EcoGun ACE pro, Dürr continues its commitment to delivering robust industrial-grade spray guns that offer precise spray patterns, rapid colour changes, enhanced ergonomics, and cost-effective performance.

The multinational engineering company Dürr has unveiled a new generation of its low-pressure spray guns with the launch of the EcoGun ACE pro, a redesigned model that is lighter, more ergonomic, and built with fewer components to enhance handling and operational reliability.

The most visible change is the gun’s updated appearance, featuring a bronze-coloured housing paired with black controls. While signalling a new generation, the design remains consistent with Dürr’s established system principles.

The EcoGun ACE pro retains the core advantages of its predecessor while achieving a 23% reduction in weight. Its quick-change colour channel system enables colour changes within seconds, eliminating the need for flushing and using virtually no solvent. Designed for rapid replacement, the nozzle inserts deliver a clean spray pattern, high transfer efficiency, and consistent results across a wide range of applications – from smallbatch work and frequent colour changes to sectors including automotive, wood finishing, and yacht and boat production. Dürr has overhauled the operating concept with larger adjustment elements and improved haptics for easier, more intuitive control. A newly introduced ergonomically designed rotary knob replaces the previous lever for spray-air regulation. This update prevents accidental adjustments and can be fully closed when required. In addition, an optimised air valve ensures the correct pressure is set from the first trigger point. To streamline use and reduce complexity, the EcoGun ACE pro now requires only four air-cap variants. Two conventional and two low-volume, low-pressure caps cover all nozzle diameters from 1.2 to 2.5 millimetres across seven different nozzle sizes. This reduces storage requirements and minimises the risk of component mix-ups. The air cap and union nut also remain connected after removal, helping to avoid loose parts and further simplifying handling.

For further information: www.durr.com

FlexCURE by TIGER Coatings: a comprehensive step toward

Edited by TIGER Coatings GmbH Wels – Austria office@tiger coatings.com

Reducing energy consumption while achieving ever-higher coating performance has become a key requirement for powder coating manufacturers. TIGER Coatings has introduced its FlexCURE technology which, thanks to its wide curing window, effectively meets these demands in both architectural and industrial applications.

Manufacturers across industries are increasingly challenged to reduce energy consumption while maintaining highquality and reliable coating performance. Powder coating has long been valued for its durability and ecological advantages yet evolving production environments demand technologies that offer even greater adaptability. TIGER Coatings has responded to these changing requirements with the development of its FlexCURE technology. This system introduces an extended curing window that supports energyefficient processes while ensuring consistently high coating performance across a wide range of applications.

FlexCURE enables curing between 160 and 200 °C, a range that gives coaters significant freedom in optimizing their production parameters. Lower curing temperatures help reduce energy usage and the associated emissions, while higher temperatures remain available for functional or aesthetic requirements. The technology also allows manufacturers to process components with different material thicknesses in a single oven setting. This capability eliminates frequent adjustments of curing parameters and ensures smooth and stable production flows, even in facilities handling diverse geometries and product categories.

Within the FlexCURE portfolio, TIGER Drylac® Series 18 plays a central role, particularly in the architectural sector. This product line was developed for metal facades, doors, windows, gates and sunrooms, and it maintains full compatibility with established TIGER Drylac® Series 14 and 29 products. Provided comparable curing, its finishes match existing colour and gloss levels while meeting the quality standards

of QUALICOAT Class 1 and GSB Florida 1. Series 18 delivers high processing safety and provides a reliable balance of adaptability and durability. It benefits from the full FlexCURE curing flexibility, allowing users to choose between low-temperature curing beginning at 160 degrees Celsius or shorter curing cycles at increased line speeds. This flexibility supports efficient project planning and enables consistent coating quality, even under varying production conditions. Furthermore, Series 18 offers excellent resistance to protective films and packaging materials and supports regular cleaning and maintenance cycles.

TIGER Drylac Series 67 extends the FlexCURE advantages to highperformance architectural applications that require superior durability and weather stability. Developed for premium façade systems and exterior construction elements, Series 67 meets QUALICOAT Class 2 and GSB Florida 3 certifications. It delivers long-lasting resistance against UV exposure, chemical stress and mechanical wear. Its fine-texture surfaces provide a refined aesthetic while maintaining robust physical properties, ensuring that architectural components remain visually stable and structurally resilient over time. Series 67’s compatibility with existing TIGER Drylac® standard products mirrors the transition approach of Series 18 and further reinforces the principle of maintaining consistent oven settings throughout production.

Industrial coating operations also benefit significantly from FlexCURE technology. With processes often involving materials of different thicknesses and varying thermal behaviour, many facilities struggle to maintain operational efficiency while ensuring uniform coating quality.

FlexCURE addresses these challenges directly. Series 45, designed specifically for industrial applications, offers the ability to cure reliably between 150 and 200 °C. This wide temperature range supports stable performance in fast-paced production environments and ensures reliable surface results across diverse substrates. It also simplifies production planning and minimizes the need for system changes, which helps reduce operational downtime. TIGER Coatings has planned a smooth and customerfriendly transition toward FlexCURE technology. With the transition having already started last year, selected standard products were shifted to optimized FlexCUREbased formulations. The rollout started and has been finished by now with TIGER Drylac® Series 67 in fine texture, which replaced the existing high-weather-resistant products from Series 68. Crucially, color shades, gloss levels and surface textures ats well as the product numbers remained unchanged during this transition. This ensured that customers can continue their ordering processes without interruption or uncertainty. The same principle of continuity applies to Series 18, where compatibility with existing formulations warrants a seamless integration into established workflows. Across all sectors, FlexCURE contributes to more sustainable and resilient production environments. Its extended curing window supports energy optimization without compromising coating performance. Its compatibility with existing product lines reduces operational complexity. Its surface durability enhances long-term product quality. By combining these qualities, FlexCURE offers manufacturers a dependable and future-oriented solution that aligns with increasing ecological expectations and economic pressures.

TIGER Coatings invites companies to explore how FlexCURE can enhance production stability, streamline workflows and support sustainability goals. With Series 18, Series 67 and Series 45, the FlexCURE portfolio covers the full spectrum of architectural and industrial applications, delivering a technological foundation designed for the demands of modern coating processes.

Berizzi Srl celebrates its first thirty years in business with an eye to the future

2026 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Berizzi Srl (Cisano Bergamasco, Bergamo, Italy), which in three decades has gone from the distribution to the in-house production of pumps and accessories for paint spraying and fluid handling technologies. Its success has been built by making targeted investments, insourcing processes, leveraging Italian manufacturing quality, and developing a solid international network of partners. Now, it celebrates these thirty years not only as an achievement but also as a starting point for tackling new challenges and pursuing further growth.

Thirty years can have different meanings: they are an extensive period of time during which the world, technology, and markets undergo profound changes, but also a timeframe in which experience, vision, and stability are developed. In the business world, they are not a mere milestone but the result of a journey made up of strategic choices, growth, challenges faced, and skills gained in the field, as well as the foundation on which a business can build with renewed energy and ideas.

For Berizzi Srl, an Italian company based in Cisano Bergamasco (Bergamo) specialising in the production of pumps and accessories for paint spraying and fluid handling technologies, this anniversary marks both the culmination of a wealth of experience and a new starting point. It is the hallmark of a business built over time, constantly evolving and committed to developing lasting relationships with its partners and meeting the needs of a continually changing market. “This anniversary is also a starting point for the future, a solid foundation from which to develop new projects and tackle new challenges,” says Beretta, General Manager at Berizzi. With its extensive expertise and its fresh, innovationoriented vision, this company is indeed looking ahead towards continued growth and improvement.

The establishment of Berizzi

The history of Berizzi Srl began in Calolziocorte (Lecco, Italy) in 1996 with the founding of BB Service, a company specialising in the sale of coating products on the Italian market. “Our experience began with distribution: for the first few years, we focused exclusively on purchasing and reselling

accessories for the coating industry,” says Beretta. After a consolidation phase, BB Service embarked on a growth path that led it to move to a 500m² factory and start manufacturing its first products, such as filters for industrial coating.

In 2005, it founded Filtermedia, a second business through which it began to produce ferrous and plastic components in-house with the aim of covering the entire segment of coating accessories and starting to consolidate international partnerships. The two firms grew simultaneously, supported by constant, targeted, and sensible investments. During the 2010s, they upgraded their production departments with robots for automated plastic moulding, numerically controlled (CNC) lathes, hard metal cutting machines, and steel milling machines. This also marked the start of in-house production of the first paint spraying and fluid handling pumps, significantly strengthening this business’ industrial vocation. By 2016, its products were already being exported to over 50 countries worldwide. “In 2020, we decided to merge the two companies under a single brand, Berizzi Srl, providing it with a new visual identity – a new logo, a new image, and new colours – but above all with an ambitious goal: to

become a global benchmark manufacturer of high-quality products.”

To support this growth journey, in 2023, the company moved to its new headquarters in Cisano Bergamasco, a 22,000-m² facility with a production space of about 11,000 m². Today, Berizzi has a team of around 40 people working in production and offices, in a new headquarters offering a modern, functional work environment that focuses on the well-being of employees.

“In the past, we operated from three production sites, all close to each other but separate. Bringing all our activities together in one place has streamlined our logistics, sped up production, and provided our customers with even faster and more efficient service.”

‘Made in Italy’

One of the distinctive features of Berizzi’s identity is its strong connection to the ‘Made in Italy’ philosophy: every product is entirely Italian-made. “We care deeply about this aspect: over the years, we have worked hard to provide our customers with high quality standards and the confidence that every product is fully designed and manufactured by us. We have invested significantly, especially in our plastic component and mesh production departments, but also in new lines for manufacturing nozzles, injection moulding machines, automatic parts cleaning systems, and eight vertical warehouses that are already operational. All these improvements have significantly increased our production capacity,” illustrates Beretta. “Of course, the adoption of new technologies must also be supported by internal growth, with specialised personnel and the implementation of clear, structured, and standardised production processes.”

From raw materials to finished products

The production process starts with the procurement of raw materials, including metals such as steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and brass, as well as plastics in the form of polymer

granules, and with the in-house design and 3D mould creation phases, enabling the company to offer fully customisable products tailored to the specific needs of each customer. “Currently, our production capacity is approximately three times our current needs. This approach has been a cornerstone of our philosophy from the outset: before launching new projects or communicating them externally, we want to be fully equipped, organised, and able to work independently. Although we are a small company, we are self-sufficient. This strategic choice has proved particularly effective in challenging circumstances, such as during periods of increased raw material or transport costs: thanks to our entirely inhouse production, we have never had to rely on external suppliers except for a few small components, thus turning a general critical issue into a concrete competitive advantage.” Thanks to its ability to design and develop its products in-house, Berizzi is also able to expand its range with new solutions every year, constantly strengthening its offering.

From Italy to international markets

Berizzi’s customers are mainly distributors who, in turn, sell to end users. It operates on the Italian market but has developed a strong international presence: its products are now sold in over 70 countries, including strategic markets such as the United States, China, and the Middle East, with a growing focus on developing countries such as Nigeria and Indonesia. The decision to structure an efficient and highly responsive production chain responds precisely to the needs of an increasingly global customer base. Thanks to constantly stocked warehouses, Berizzi can fulfil orders within 24 to 48 hours, making speed and flexibility two distinctive features of its service. Its ultimate goal is to export ‘Made in Italy’ quality worldwide and establish itself as a benchmark supplier in the coating sector. Since its customers are retailers, this company pays great attention to the selection of its

partners, which must guarantee high standards of expertise, professionalism, and service. With this in mind, it is developing some ambitious projects, including the creation of a space for product testing at its Cisano Bergamasco facility: a fully equipped area where partners can test pumps, spray guns, and accessories first-hand, gaining in-depth knowledge of this company’s solutions. A reserved area of the company’s website is also being developed to further support retailers, allowing them to place orders, consult price lists, monitor the status of shipments, and download transport documentation in complete autonomy. “Customer service is one of the areas in which we invest the most: we believe that, in addition to product quality, it is essential to offer comprehensive and reliable support. This is what makes the difference and enables us to build solid and lasting relationships with our partners.”

Engineering specialized in the supply of systems for surface treatment, painting and coating

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A name that tells a story

Since the unification of the two original companies under one name, Berizzi has embarked on a path aimed at strengthening and enhancing its brand. “We have launched a major rebranding project: coming from a long-established company that operated under a different name, we have focused on building a new identity that clearly represents what we are today: an all-round manufacturer and no longer just a distributor. We have developed a new logo, and we are currently working on completely branded paper packaging designed to be immediately recognisable and memorable, with a particular focus on sustainability and the use of ecofriendly materials.

“We regularly participate in the leading international trade fairs of our sector, and this year we are going to attend Paint Expo for the third time (the first with our new brand image). For us, this is the most important exhibition, a privileged opportunity to meet customers from all over the world, who always show great interest in our stand. This year’s edition will also have a special meaning for us, as we will be celebrating thirty years of business by showcasing both our experience and our willingness to keep our eyes on the future and on our next goals.

In recent years, we have been investing heavily in the development of new products with Berizzi’s original, unique, and appealing design. At the 2024 edition, we presented our Phantom low-pressure manual spray guns as that year’s new products, and we continue to consider PaintExpo the ideal platform for launching new additions to our range.”

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▪ Features WAGNER paint feeding system with gear pumps, ensuring high efficiency, versatility, and rapid color changes across 3 primers, 7 basecoats, and 2 clear coat circulations

▪ Designed with a large painting window and double-sided jigs to optimize maximum production output

▪ Employs RFID tracking for complete and reliable process traceability

Our robotic painting solutions deliver unmatched precision, reduced waste, and increased throughput for automotive and industrial applications

Discover our advanced solutions at motor-classic-solutions.com or we gladly invite you to visit our plant in H-2800 Tatabánya, Vigadó u. 6, HUNGARY

Architectural powder coatings: where design meets resilience

Kansai Helios partnered with Vemaral and HT Coatings, two Italian companies specialising in architectural solutions, to deliver innovative powder-coated architectural projects across Italy, from Milan to Rome. The collaboration addressed the diverse needs of Italian architecture, ranging from historic to contemporary buildings, with an increasing focus on modernist and sustainable design.

In modern architecture, aesthetics and durability are no longer mutually exclusive. Architects and designers are more and more turning to advanced materials that offer both visual appeal and long-term performance. One such material is powder coating – a coating technology that has in many ways revolutionized surface finishing in architectural applications. Impressive examples of the diverse characteristics of powder coatings in architectural applications can be found in the heart of Italy –where architectural heritage meets modern design. In this article we will take a journey through two of Italy’s most iconic cities, where the collaboration between coating specialists demonstrates how surface finishing seamlessly combines functionality and design on architectural masterpieces.As urban landscapes evolve, the role of coatings becomes increasingly significant.

Below photos: The architecture of Italian cities like Rome and Milan reflects a rich diversity and a seamless blend of tradition and modernity. These evolving demands are met perfectly by powder coatings, which combine aesthetic appeal with functional performance across a wide range of applications.

On the right page: other pictures, reflecting modern architecture.

From sleek urban facades to sun-drenched coastal structures, coating solutions need to be resilient against UV radiation, corrosion, and time itself – challenges to which powder coatings for wood-effect respond perfectly and therefore are a widely adopted coating technology of modern architecture – from the application on façades, to window frames, and urban furniture.

Powder coating solutions for Italian architecture : from Milan to Rome

To utilize the transformative power of powder coatings, coating system supplier Kansai Helios has partnered with Vemaral and HT Coatings, two Italian companies known for their expertise in architectural solutions. This close collaboration of experts supported the realization of fascinating architectural projects across Italy – specifically addressing the needs of the Italian architecture which features so many facets – from historical to contemporary styles, with an increasing focus on modernist and sustainable design. Until today, the collaboration between Kansai Helios, Vemaral and HT Coatings has led to the realization of several modern architectural projects across Italy.

Milan: powder for wood‑effect aluminium for eco‑conscious architecture

In 2022, Italian developers and architects completed a high-end residential complex in Milan – a project distinguished above all by its sustainable approach across all areas. Two building blocks flank a 80-meters-high tower with 22 stories. The complex compromises a total 147 residential units. Having sustainability as a key focus, the building was constructed on the site of a demolished structure and achieved an energy class A rating. The design of the building complex was developed with a clear awareness of the environmental value that the structure represents, according to the architects. Both for the structural components and the finishes, high-quality materials were used – exclusively Made in Italy. Among the architectural highlights are the large windows and the wood-effect aluminium façade. This façade is created using powdercoated aluminium, which serves as the base for the wood-effect finish. Powder coating not only enhances durability and weather resistance but also provides a smooth, high-quality surface ideal for sublimation. To meet the highest standards, the wood-effect system is Qualicoat Class 2 and Qualideco certified, with an Assicurazioni Generali policy offering a 10-year outdoor warranty, underscoring its suitability for

demanding architectural environments. Woodeffect aluminium is an innovative and premium solution for outdoor architectural applications, combining the warm, natural aesthetics of wood with the high performance and durability of aluminium. Robust, lightweight, and resistant to weathering and graffiti, it requires minimal maintenance. Thanks to sublimation technology, it offers high-quality finishes with realistic wood grain patterns and defined

details, available in glossy, matte, or textured variants. Its wide range of finishes allows seamless integration into any architectural style, while its recyclability supports ecofriendly building practices. As a material that merges beauty, resilience, and sustainability, wood-effect aluminium is redefining how exterior spaces are designed and experienced –just as it did in this contemporary urban project in Milan.

Rome: blending heritage and innovation

In the heart of Italy’s capital, a famous coffeehouse chain opened a flagship store in 2024. The project focused on preserving the traditional and original architecture while seamlessly integrating contemporary design elements. Metal structures, vintage bronze-effect accents finished with powder coating, and stone surfaces found their place in this modern composition – and they are here to stay: powder-coated frames and architectural details ensure long-lasting protection and design, making the space not only a cultural landmark but form a remarkable example of sustainable and resilient surface technology.

Beyond aesthetics and functionality

Besides their well-known properties, powder coatings have a broader impact that extends into sustainability and resource efficiency. When examined more closely, they reveal their potential to actively support circular economy practices in construction and architecture. One of the most relevant aspects is their ability to minimize waste: during application, any overspray can be efficiently collected and reused, significantly reducing material loss. This closed-loop process not only conserves resources but also aligns with the growing demand for environmentally responsible building solutions. As buildings increasingly aim for energy efficiency and lowemission certifications such as LEED and BREEAM, the use of powder coatings supports both ecological responsibility and long-term durability. Moreover, powder coatings meet rigorous industry standards like Qualicoat, GSB, and AAMA, ensuring quality and performance in demanding environments. Powder coatings offer a palette of possibilities, enabling designers to experiment with colour, texture, and form without compromising on durability. They empower architects to push boundaries and redefine what buildings can look and feel like. By combining technical expertise with a shared vision for excellence, Kansai Helios, Vemaral and HT Coatings have created solutions that resonate with architects, builders, and end-users in the same way. These two project examples show, how technology, design, and sustainability converge to shape spaces that inspire and endure.

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all the load-bearing structures of our coating plants are realised in aluminium tutte le strutture portanti dei nostri impianti di verniciatura sono in alluminio

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Water Energy takes centre stage at the 2025 Future Italy Awards: technological innovation and a circular vision for water treatment

Ilaria Paolomelo ipcm®

Water Energy was invited to the Italian Senate’s premises to participate in the first edition of the 2025 Future Italy Awards, a prestigious programme recognising Italian companies that stand out for their positive impact on young people, sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility.

Water Energy (San Pietro in Casale, Bologna, Italy), a company specialising in the design and construction of industrial water treatment and recovery plants, was among the protagonists of the first edition of the 2025 Future Italy Awards, a new institutional award promoted by Senator Antonio Salvatore Trevisi and dedicated to Italian companies committed to sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility. The ceremony took place on 2 December 2025 in the prestigious Sala Zuccari of Palazzo Giustiniani in Rome, organised by

Italy’s Young University Students in Parliament. The event aims to promote businesses that make a concrete contribution to building a more responsible future and encouraging dialogue among the manufacturing sector, institutions, and academia.

The company’s vision: water as a circular resource

Founded in 2006, Water Energy was created with a clear vision: to convert water into a circular and reusable resource, reduce waste, and promote responsible use across industrial and civil processes. This approach comes in response to increasingly pressing global challenges:

 the scarcity of fresh water,

 the high costs of managing industrial waste water,

 plastic pollution,

 and the growing need for energy-efficient solutions.

During his speech, owner Tommaso Ponara pointed out that this philosophy stems directly from his thirty years of experience in the sector:

“I have always seen water as a resource to be preserved and reused. My priority has been to reduce water consumption, starting with its recovery. Companies often tended to use drinking water for their production cycles: we suggested that they use industrial or process waste water, which is more complex to manage but can be treated and purified, reducing waste, costs, and emissions.”

Today, Water Energy designs, manufactures, and installs a wide range of technologies, from

complete water treatment and recovery plants to demineralisation and softening systems and advanced filtration solutions. These are used across numerous industrial sectors, from the coating, chemical, and metallurgical industries to food and beverage, packaging, automotive, and mechanical engineering, where water quality and management have a decisive impact on production processes. In addition to its plants, the company has also developed its own line of lowimpact water treatment chemicals, characterised by the absence of any risk symbols.

Reducing plastic use: from companies to citizens

Since 2019, Water Energy has also been pursuing a project that extends well beyond production facilities. It is a commitment that focuses on people’s daily lives, communities, and the significant environmental challenges associated with the abuse of single-use plastics. “To promote the reuse of plastic in the industrial sector, we have launched our Plastic Free Programme for the recovery, regeneration, and reuse of the chemical drums supplied by our company. Drums account for a significant amount of materials to be disposed of, are often complex to manage, and have a significant impact throughout the logistics chain: with our programme, when a customer replaces empty drums with full ones, we recover those containers and reuse them, thus reducing the volume of plastic destined for disposal.”

Alongside the industrial sphere, Water Energy has also chosen to intervene in the domestic and community context, developing microfiltration systems for homes, offices, and public spaces. These solutions are designed to make highquality water accessible without resorting to single-use bottles, which are often transported over long distances, driving high emissions and energy consumption throughout the supply chain. In addition, water kiosks have been installed in several Italian towns: public distribution points for filtered, controlled water at low cost, offering citizens a real and sustainable alternative to standard PET bottles. Their success demonstrates that technology can directly

influence people’s behaviour, prompting more informed choices. “46 billion bottles of water are used every year in Europe alone. In Italy, we consume 14 billion,” Ponara emphasised during his speech. “Reducing their consumption means decreasing environmental, logistical, and disposal costs, with benefits for everyone: companies, communities, and local areas.”

Reward for innovation

For Water Energy, participation in the Future Italy Awards was further recognition of its commitment to researching and developing innovative water management solutions. This company stands out for pioneering technologies that reduce waste, optimise processes, and promote a more sustainable and responsible production model. “Water is not only a resource to be protected but a real strategic asset that directly affects companies’ operating costs,” Ponara stated. “Recovering and reusing it means protecting the environment while making production processes more efficient.”

Water Energy is proud to have participated in the first edition of the Future Italy Awards and reaffirms its commitment to promoting solutions and practices geared towards sustainability, energy efficiency, and the circular economy of water for the benefit of businesses, people, and the environment.

The

Decorluxe invests in innovation: a new coating line with Jet Metal technology for VMC Mottini

The Decorluxe Group has strengthened its innovation strategy with a new coating line installed at VMC Mottini, designed by Eurotherm to integrate Jet Metal water-based technology.

Decorluxe is a Group consisting of nine constantly growing companies, whose aim is to bring together the best of Italy’s excellence in decorative finishing by promoting their uniqueness, creating value, and strengthening their entrepreneurial spirit. Starting in 2022, the strategic vision of Ethica Global Investments has indeed gathered the best expertise in the field of surface treatments for perfumery, cosmetics, and beverage packaging into the Decorluxe Group, which is now able to compete on the international market with the ambition of being recognised by the industry for its degree of quality, creativity, and innovation. Although the Group already had numerous coating lines, the recent investment in a new plant for VMC Mottini (Chiuduno, Bergamo, Italy) not only extended the company’s production capacity but was a strategic choice in terms of process and finishing innovation, with a view to integrating water-based spray metallising (Jet Metal) technology to replace the traditional sputtering process.

VMC Mottini is the first contractor to offer a 360° service in the decoration sector, including coating, screen printing, pad printing, hot stamping, UV sputtering, and from today, Jet Metal on glass and plastic for the luxury packaging of perfumery and cosmetic products. Decorluxe decided to entrust Eurotherm with the design of a new line after a visit to its premises, which revealed a solid, highly organised company capable of handling all plant development and construction stages

Eurotherm supplied VCM Mottini (part of the Decorluxe Group) with a state of the art painting line for glass and plastics.

in-house. Eurotherm’s international presence and extensive portfolio of projects further reinforced the perception of its reliability and expertise. A core part of the project was the co-design of the plant, as Eurotherm was able to embrace and translate the technological and process inputs provided by Decorluxe into concrete solutions, creating a tailored coating line designed to meet the customer’s specific production needs.

From a technological point of view, the new line is characterised by a significantly greater number of pressurised coating booths with a water curtain filtration system, three to be precise, enabling the application of multiple colours and effects on the same line and the performance of complex processes in one step. This eliminates the need for reworking parts several times, with obvious benefits in terms of process efficiency, quality, and repeatability.

To ensure high finishing quality, the booths use a specially conceived filtration system. The air drawn in passes through a water curtain for the first filtration stage, removing impurities. It then passes through two layers of water atomised by self-cleaning nozzles installed inside the booth. As the third stage, the stream of air is directed towards a series of droplet separators to eliminate the last residues. Finally, before being released, it passes through a set of finishing filters mounted on the booth’s ceiling. An electric pump ensures closed-loop water circulation, thus limiting consumption. The booths are also equipped with panel filters to remove the solid part of overspray; these are controlled by an operating counter for maintenance purposes and a differential pressure gauge/flow meter to flag up any clogging via a dedicated alarm, so the operators know it is time for cleaning or replacement.

In addition to the greater number of coating booths, new drying systems have been implemented that utilise IR and UV technologies.

This has made it possible to overcome some previous quality issues, improving coating cross-linking and ensuring higher performance even in the most demanding tests.

In response to current trends in cosmetic packaging, particularly the persistent demand for metallic effects, the plant incorporates a booth devoted to Jet Metal finishing, a water-based spray metallising technology. This is an advanced, fully in-line alternative to traditional vacuum processes involving the transfer of aluminium particles. The Jet Metal metallising booth is equipped with a tracking gun system, and it provides high levels of coverage and sophisticated aesthetic effects in a single process step. The line includes eight pressurised intermediate chambers to keep air flows isolated, thus avoiding contaminating adjacent chambers, and to maintain the expected temperature variations while isolating any vapours formed. Part loading and unloading from the inverted conveyor take place in one chamber, which is also filtered and temperaturecontrolled. Finally, the upper part of the coating plant features a technical platform housing the service systems (the air handling unit, the osmotiser, the fans, and so on) and the change points for the coating booths’ filters.

Decorluxe is highly satisfied with this new coating line. Now operational, it has already delivered tangible improvements in terms of both quality and productivity, with an estimated increase of 30 to 40% compared with the previous production levels for the same kinds of projects. This result confirms the soundness of the investment made and the value of the collaboration with Eurotherm, which has proven to be not just an equipment supplier but a full-fledged technology partner.

An innovative pigging system that meets the new requirements of automotive coating operations

Edited by ipcm®

This article presents a case study about an automotive company specializing in the moulding and coating of plastic components, for which CAT implemented multiple pigging systems to improve colour change efficiency and significantly reduce paint waste. These stand out for their high level of cleaning automation and the solutions specially developed for paint feeding systems.

In recent years, a growing focus on customisation has profoundly changed the way products are conceived, particularly in the automotive sector. Colours and finishes are no longer accessory elements but actual design tools used to characterise the aesthetics of vehicles and make them instantly recognisable. This trend now affects not only bodyworks but also external plastic components such as bumpers, spoilers, and handles, which are increasingly included in design choices. Colour thus takes on a value that goes far beyond its decorative function, becoming a language that expresses identity, style, and personality. The growing popularity of maximalism, understood as the celebration of variety through different surfaces, textures, and hues, confirms this paradigm shift. For car manufacturers and OEMs, therefore, expanding

their customisation capacities means responding to an increasingly complex market demand, turning colour diversity into a strategic competitive factor.

However, the increase in hue variants and the frequency of colour changes have also made coating processes more complex. Production lines must now guarantee high flexibility with reduced consumption, product waste, and downtime, within an increasingly stringent regulatory and environmental framework. As a result, the efficiency of colour change operations has become a key factor not only with a view to sustainability but also for containing operating costs. These requirements have given rise to the demand, increasingly widespread especially among high-end companies, for solutions capable of ensuring production continuity and speed in colour changes without neglecting the degree of quality and performance dictated by automotive standards.

“The success story we present stems from the need of a customer supplying a major automotive manufacturer to equip itself with a compact, intelligent, and highly flexible plant. Space limitations did not allow for the creation of dedicated paint management units for individual colours, especially those used occasionally, the so-called ‘wild card’ colours, which share the same feeding system. It was therefore essential to find a solution that could guarantee high performance and integrate with the existing line. Our approach was to install a pigging system

designed to recover residual paint from the pipes during colour changes and significantly reduce the use of solvents in cleaning cycles. This made the process more efficient and sustainable while improving the overall plant operation,” explains Ivan Conti, the owner of CAT – Coating Application Technologies (Val della Torre, Turin, Italy).

The layout of CAT’s pigging systems

Pigs are flexible cylinders slightly larger than the internal diameter of pipes, designed to be pushed along a circuit by a fluid such as air, nitrogen, or solvent. As they pass through, they drag residual paint with them, cleaning the internal walls of the feeding system and recovering 95%-98% of the coating product, which is sent back to its starting tank, thus avoiding waste and reducing the consumption of cleaning solvents. This technology is particularly effective on multi-product lines, as it allows the pipes between the tanks and the dispensing points to be completely emptied, preventing contamination among different colours and limiting or eliminating long and costly cleaning cycles.

In their most advanced configuration, the systems designed by CAT integrate all key operating phases:

 coating product feeding

 colour application

 coating residues recovery

 colour tank replacement

 pipe cleaning

 pump cleaning.

How pigging systems work

In the feeding phase, an operator starts the pump, initiating the PLC-controlled automatic valve system. The correct colour valve opens simultaneously with the one devoted to the discharge of solvent residues, which are sent to a dedicated collection tank. The paint product pushes the Pig from the starting station (‘source’) to the arrival station (‘target’), located at the end of the circuit. At that point, the discharge valve closes and the recirculation

one opens, allowing the feeding system to build up pressure and making the paint immediately ready for use. The end of the coating application cycle coincides with the beginning of the residual product recovery phase. The system closes the recirculation valve and opens the one that takes the Pig back from the ‘target’ to the ‘source’ station using compressed air, while the return valve to the tank remains open. At the end of the cycle, all residual paint has returned to its original tank, ready to be reused. Once the coating material has been recovered, the pipe cleaning phase begins: alternating jets of air and solvent, and keeping the return valve to the solvent tank open, generate turbulence that effectively cleans the inside of the pipes. In some applications, the other components of the system, including the pump, agitator, and dip tube, are also cleaned afterwards. In the standard configuration, this is done manually: an operator replaces the paint drum with the one containing the solvent, starts the pump cleaning cycle, and then manually cleans the agitator and the dip tube. At the end, the solvent container is removed, and a new paint drum is positioned. In the automatic configuration, on the other hand, the paint drum’s lid is lifted by pneumatic actuators and automatically rotates 180° into a dedicated tank, where air and solvent nozzles perform the cleaning operations in a fully automatic manner. Once the new drum is in place, the lid automatically returns to its position, and the system is immediately ready to be restarted. In this way, the operator never comes into contact with paint or solvent, simply checking that the cycle is running correctly and preventing any risk of contamination among different colours.

The results achieved

“With this system, which has been in operation for about a year, the customer has achieved significant results that have fully met its expectations. One of the main objectives was to maximise the recovery of residual paint in the pipes during colour changes: our pigging system has proven capable of recovering up to

95-98% of the coating products, with a quick and efficient cleaning cycle,” explains Sandro Conti, the owner of CAT. The results were also significant in terms of solvent savings. The Pig’s movement inside the pipes naturally scrapes off the residual paint, leaving them already clean and significantly reducing solvent consumption. This brings two key advantages: immediate savings on operating costs and a lower environmental impact. “The return on investment is rapid. Especially in contexts where expenses must be closely monitored, revamping projects like this offer a concrete opportunity for customers to adopt advanced technologies with a favourable ROI and immediately tangible results,” concludes Conti.

The challenges faced

Despite the impressive results achieved, the project was not without its challenges, particularly from an engineering perspective. “The main one was developing a user-friendly yet high-performance software interface. Our goal was to create a technologically advanced system that was easy to configure and customise depending on production requirements. The software package we developed allows adjusting key parameters such as cleaning times and paint recovery modes. In terms of automation, the main challenge was conceiving a fully automatic cleaning cycle designed to minimise human intervention,” explains Ivan Conti. Finally, what makes the system even more competitive is its compatibility with already existing coating lines: thanks to open logic and Siemens communication protocols, it integrates perfectly with the colour change valves already present on robots or other equipment, without the need for plant revamping.

Conclusions

This success case shows that pigging systems are now an established technology in the automotive automated coating sector, where efficient colour change management and residual paint recovery are critical to ensuring competitiveness and sustainability. However, CAT has also extended this technology to the general industry, offering a semiautomatic solution that provides the same advantages – product recovery, reduced consumption, and minimal waste – with lower investment costs and perfectly in line with the sector’s needs. In particular, this plant uses the ECO Supply feeding system from Verind SpA, a Dürr Group company, integrated with the automation technology developed by CAT. This is especially suitable for contract coaters that handle dozens of colours on a daily basis, as it reduces solvent consumption and recovers almost all residual paint, thus ensuring a concrete and immediate economic advantage.

Arzuffi’s new R&D laboratory is equipped with a PVD plant and a mini continuous‑carousel UV coating line.

ADVANCEMENTS

Arzuffi’s new laboratory: from the testing to the industrialisation of PVD cycles on plastic and glass

Interview with Eros Mancabelli R&D and Technical Support Manager at Arzuffi PVD, Bernareggio (Monza e Brianza, Italy)

In its new R&D laboratory, Arzuffi PVD can now develop and validate innovative PVD and UV coating cycles for plastic and glass. This facility thus completes the Plato Holding group’s offering, integrating advanced technologies and engineering know-how into high-performance, fully sustainable vacuum coating systems and processes.

Widespread since the mid-1990s as an established decorative technique, particularly in the cosmetics, fashion accessories, and tapware sectors, Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) has gradually outgrown its traditional role, evolving into a high-performance coating technology that combines aesthetic quality, functionality, and resistance. Thanks to its sustainable characteristics and new options for making it more resistant to wear, scratches, and corrosion, PVD can compete head-to-head with traditional processes like electroplating and plating on plastic (POP), thus finding application in way more industries than just the ones it started in, such as cars, packaging, household appliances, and interior design, among others.

To meet the growing demand for high-performance coatings, Arzuffi PVD, active since 1986 as a benchmark designer and builder of thin-film coating systems and now a part of the Plato Holding group, has recently inaugurated a new laboratory aimed at offering an even faster and more comprehensive service. “Today, sustainability not only guides individuals’ daily choices but also informs many corporate strategies, translating into a real competitive advantage,” says Eros Mancabelli, R&D and Technical Support Manager at Arzuffi PVD. “This is prompting companies to demand processes that ensure high quality with a low environmental impact. The PVD technology perfectly meets this need with its green, clean, and high-quality chrome plating process. The next step is to provide the same high degree of performance in terms of resistance. That is why we have established a laboratory in which we can test all possible PVD cycles and provide our customers with complete solutions for the most complex applications.”

Plato Holding: a hub of excellence for vacuum coating technologies

At the end of 2023, Arzuffi PVD, which is celebrating forty years in business this year, decided to establish the Plato Holding group together with Protec Surface Technologies, a leader in the design and supply of PVD and PECVD systems for decorative and functional applications with a particular focus on security printing, and Protim, a leading coating contractor for decorative applications in Italy and Europe.

“The main objective behind the creation of Plato Holding was to build an Italian and European centre of excellence in the PVD sector, combining machinery production and coating services in one innovative entity recognised both nationally and internationally,” explains Arzuffi’s R&D

Manager. “In particular, Arzuffi’s entry has expanded the group’s offering by opening up new growth opportunities based on innovation and the sharing of expertise in the treatment of plastics and glass in sectors as diverse as taps and fittings, fashion accessories, costume jewellery, cutlery, automotive, cosmetics, and household appliances – all industries in which the group’s companies have been operating successfully for years.” At the same time, thanks to Protec’s know-how, the group already had all the laboratory technologies necessary to develop new metal coatings and analyse their performance.

However, the missing piece was a laboratory devoted to plastic and glass substrates, the core business of Arzuffi’s plant engineering expertise. The establishment of this new facility now makes it possible to respond comprehensively to market demands for PVD coating on metal, plastic, including materials such as ABS, PC (polycarbonate), PP (polypropylene), nylon, and TPU (rubber), and glass. The integration of all development and testing phases within this laboratory also avoids the need to rely on external suppliers, reducing lead times and ensuring total control over the entire process.

‘Made in Italy’, sustainability, and quality: the watchwords of Plato Holding

The three Italian companies belonging to the Plato Holding group share over thirty years of experience in the vacuum coating sector. “Together, we offer a comprehensive package of advanced technologies and engineering know-how, focused on the development of Italian-made coating systems and processes characterised by high standards of quality and efficiency, with a constant focus on sustainability,” says Mancabelli. “Our group operates in all sectors where surface finishing plays a strategic

The laboratory is going to present a complete coating range tested on plastic and glass.

role – from handles to automotive, lighting to cutlery, taps to weapon components and fashion accessories – through technical, tribological, and security printing applications. We collaborate with major market players, including in several international projects, although we cannot disclose any details at this time.”

Within the Plato Holding group, as Arzuffi focuses on developing PVD coating technologies supported, where necessary, by UV coating, it now has access to Protec’s laboratory, where, in addition to developing new products, it can perform mechanical and corrosion resistance tests and deposit characterisation analyses. Once a new coating is developed, the group is also able to supply a suitable plant, sized and configured according to the specific requirements, confirming the three companies’ commitment to providing customised and tailored solutions.

The new laboratory specialising in PVD coating on plastic and glass

Arzuffi’s new R&D laboratory is equipped with a PVD system and a mini continuous-carousel UV coating line designed for the development and validation of complete coating cycles on plastic and glass. “The PVD system is equipped with a chamber with a diameter and height of 1 metre, and it can accommodate four load bars with a 400 mm-diameter or eight with a 200 mm-diameter,” explains Mancabelli. “The UV coating line, with a chamber measuring 35 × 35 cm, is designed for producing small samples.” This setup allows for the immediate testing of different combinations of base coats, top coats, and PVD coatings: “We always have standard metals available for pure and reactive coating tests: chrome, zirconium, titanium, aluminium, copper, brass, and stainless steel.” Arzuffi’s team,

therefore, can analyse and optimise its plants’ configurations but also develop the most suitable coatings for specific substrates and performance requirements. A further advantage of this new coating centre is the possibility of receiving components in their raw state, i.e. without preliminary coating layers, thus avoiding the risk of dents or scratches that could compromise the PVD deposit.

All technologies available

The laboratory focuses on developing new coatings for plastic and glass with the aim of gradually reducing the use of base coats and top coats, in line with the growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions. It is therefore equipped with all deposition technologies currently available for plastic and glass.

“Plasma sources are used both for cleaning with argon, nitrogen, and oxygen and for PECPVD deposition processes with hexamethyldisiloxane, one of the technologies in which Arzuffi specialises, with the possibility of using other gases for testing in the future. Magnetron sputtering is available in both single and dual configurations, with both traditional and pulsed systems. We can thus afford to apply pure metal deposits and carry out special reactive cycles with the dual and pulsed function,” Mancabelli points out. “For this process, we have five gases available: in addition to the conventionally used argon and nitrogen, we also have methane, acetylene, and oxygen, which cover almost the entire range of possible reactions for decorative applications. Other technologies available are traditional thermal evaporation and high-thickness evaporation, which will be integrated mid-year, and cathode arc evaporation.”

PVD as a strategic choice for an increasing number of companies

Investing in PVD technologies is a crucial decision for companies wanting to insource an advanced and sustainable process. “When investing in new technology, however, it is only natural that customers seek assurance of high efficiency and quality, especially when UV coating is also integrated with PVD. Our new laboratory was therefore designed for carrying out tests to both select the best-performing coatings and configure optimal plant layouts.”

The laboratory already has a fully operational UV coating system, with plans to add a thermal curing oven in the near future. “In the initial phase, we will mainly use UV coatings because the market, particularly the cosmetics sector, requires very high processing speeds and increasingly shorter curing times. However, we also intend to integrate a static oven to test traditional thermal cross-linking coatings on the same plant. This will enable us to optimise coating cycles to suit each customer’s needs and substrates with both water-based or solvent-based UV coating and thermal curing processes.”

Arzuffi’s goal is to anticipate the needs of a market increasingly oriented towards production operations with a reduced environmental impact. “A company that installs a PVD system is already demonstrating a concrete commitment to a process that constitutes a sustainable evolution compared with traditional electroplating or plastic plating. The next step for us is to further optimise our coatings with anti-corrosion and antiscratch properties, while also reducing our lead times.”

A coating centre devoted to samples and pre‑series

The new laboratory has already received positive feedback from the market. “We have been approached with requests for different applications in a variety of sectors, from automotive and security printing to cosmetics and the white goods industry, which usually requires UV coating followed by PVD, but for which we are exploring the possibility of applying PVD directly to plastic. “That is the real value of this project: the creation of a coating centre capable of working closely with customers, not only to optimise co-design and achieve the required performance degrees, but also to experiment with new technologies and processes.

For over 25 years, your partner for industrial painting

Verona Impianti designs, manufactures, and installs tailor-made coating plants, pretreatment lines, and drying systems. Reliability, competence, and experience: these are the three nouns that best describe the team of VERONA IMPIANTI 2002.

This approach means moving beyond the sampling phase to develop pre-series components that can meet the expectations of major industrial groups’ Tier 1 customers and encourage the establishment of new production start-ups.”

Towards a comprehensive, industrialised offering

In addition, the development of a package of coatings tested on plastic and glass is now in its final stages, and Arzuffi’s R&D team will soon be able to present its customers with a complete range of colours and finishes. “Customers need to see and touch a component,” concludes Mancabelli, “not just assess it on paper. In the second half of the year, as already mentioned, we plan to carry out tests with thermal cross-linking paints. Between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027, we also intend to implement a line with a cleaning system and a clean room. This will round off our offering with realistic analyses on complete coating cycles, enabling the industrialisation of lab results.”

Arzuffi’s R&D laboratory will continue to work in synergy with the other companies in the Plato Holding group to tackle the challenges posed by vacuum technologies, anticipate market developments, and meet the needs of present and future generations through clean and sustainable processes.

Royal Van Wijhe Verf puts water at the heart of its new Concept Paint

Edited by Royal Van Wijhe Verf Zwolle, The Netherlands marketing@vanwijheverf.com

Royal Van Wijhe Verf, a Dutch company that produces paints and industrial and decorative coatings, is exploring alternative sources of drinking water for paint production through the Concept Paint project, including rainwater, process water, brackish water, and seawater. The initiative aims to reduce water consumption, make the most of available resources, and drive sustainable innovations, fostering collaboration between research and industry.

Serious drinking water shortages, far from our beds? There is an increasing need for ever scarcer drinking water. By 2030, the Netherlands will need approximately 100 million cubic metres more drinking water than in 2020. This is almost the equivalent of 40,000 Olympic swimming pools. Dutch water companies such as Vitens predict scarcity and supply uncertainty. “Major drinking water companies warn that in such cases, consumers will take precedence over industries and businesses. We have long recognised the urgency of this issue and are investigating ways to save water, reuse it and find alternative sources. With success,” says Ron Hulst, R&D Manager at Royal Van Wijhe Verf.

‘Van Wijhe explores four concept paint variations based on water. About ten years ago, the idea of doing something with salt water took root in the mind of Marlies van Wijhe, CEO of Royal Van Wijhe Verf. Marlies: “The idea just kept nagging at me. As long as it hasn’t been proven that it can’t be done, I think it’s worth looking into seriously. That’s just how I am. Two years ago, the opportunity arose for two students – one from chemistry, the other from logistics – to carry out an assignment and investigate this further. The main conclusions summarised: not impossible, offers starting points. This was the impetus for us to conduct further research.” Marlies shares her fascination with water with Ron Hulst. Ron talks at length about the phenomenon of water and the state of his research: “Not only is society using more and more water, but it is also becoming increasingly scarce due to climate change, population growth and pollution. We pollute the sea, discharge waste into rivers and contaminate groundwater through agriculture,

industry and household waste. Microplastics, PFAS, medicines, drugs... it is becoming increasingly difficult to remove this pollution. Clean water (i.e. drinking water/tap water) is becoming scarce. Water is becoming a scarce commodity. This is why Royal Van Wijhe Verf is investigating the possibilities of alternative water sources. At Wydo, we have been researching the possibilities of rainwater, process water, seawater and brackish water for some time now.

The initial results are surprising and encouraging. We hope this will set off a wave of change and encourage other parties to start similar research or to collaborate with us to accelerate the necessary water transition. Before legislation forces us to do so and it is too late. That is why we are now sharing the preliminary results.”

Water is life and life is water

“Water is the most studied and least understood molecule in the world”, says Scientist Ron Hulst. “We all learn that it is H2O, but it is so much more than that. Water forms hydrogen bonds, which give it its unique properties. And then there are the trace elements found in water. These largely determine how water behaves. Did you know that there are as many as 150 types of water available for research purposes? From which certain traces have been removed, or all salts, as in demineralised water. From expensive to very expensive. It is quite difficult to make water drinkable. Water is life and life is water. We are spoiled by the availability of drinking water, but in countries such as Africa and India, it is a completely different story. We are still not sufficiently aware that 24-hour availability will soon be a thing of the past here too. This awareness is necessary in order to drastically reduce water consumption and accelerate the water transition. The water problem is not new. Nostradamus, the famous 16th-century French seer, is known for his cryptic predictions. In recent interpretations of his quatrains for 2025, water is mentioned remarkably often: “Water Empire”. Some sources suggest that Nostradamus predicted a ‘water empire’, which could indicate an era in which water is central to geopolitics, economics and even conflicts. This is often interpreted as a warning about water shortages, flooding or the importance of water as a source of life in the future. That future is now.”

Rainwater as an alternative source

Royal Van Wijhe Verf consumes a considerable amount of water annually, around 3.5 to 4 million liters. Some of this is used in the production processes, and some in the water-based products. In principle, we can meet our own water needs by collecting rainwater from the flat roofs of our buildings at our two locations in Zwolle. Except during periods of extreme drought. Every drop counts. The challenge is to collect and store this water properly and to guarantee its quality. Fortunately, our factory has an existing storage location that is suitable for this purpose. The quality of rainwater is quite good for industrial use. We have tested water and it is microbiologically sound. However, the quality is not guaranteed, nor is it constant. What if there is a dead bird on the roof? You don’t want to introduce contamination into the factory and the products. Is the colour of the water consistent? Even a small piece of rust can cause slight discolouration, which will be visible in white paint. That’s not what you want. Fortunately, nature gives us a helping hand. We assume a scenario in which we first temporarily store the water in a wadi1, where it is naturally purified and decoloured. This is followed by a filtration step using, for example, activated carbon to prevent microbiological contamination.

1 A wadi is a shallow, grass-covered depression that collects rainwater, allowing it to slowly infiltrate the soil and purify the water as sand, plants and soil organisms break down dirt and contaminants.

A wadi is a shallow, grass covered depression that collects rainwater, naturally purifying it as sand, plants, and soil organisms filter out dirt and contaminants.

A UV street is then used to remove the last minor chemical disturbances. It’s not rocket science, just tried and tested techniques. The biggest challenge is preventing the formation of biofilms, a slimy layer of microorganisms in a protective matrix. Biofilms are found on hard surfaces, such as the inside of pipes and the like. These are difficult to dissolve. The use of rainwater is a promising option, and additional research is ongoing.

Circular process water

It is worth mentioning what we are already doing with our process water in this context. Working towards a sustainable future also means handling industrial waste carefully. For this reason, our cleaning water, i.e. water used to clean tanks, for example, is first stripped of all kinds of chemical contaminants before it is discharged into the sewer system. It complies with the discharge standards set by the government. We are going one step further by looking into whether we can reuse the so-called press cake, the residue, as a filler in paint. We also want to reuse the relatively clean residual water, either as water for cleaning or as reusable water in our production or products.

Seawater

With seawater, most of the challenges lie in achieving a stable output. The water is full of salts. Can you use it to make paint? Suppose you succeed, what happens in the long term once the layer has been applied? Salt attracts moisture anyway. And there is a good chance that the salt will crystallise during its lifetime, a process known as salting out. It is a phenomenon that must be avoided. Unfortunately, we do not yet have any long-term results. However, we did conduct a test based on a product for carpentry / joinery factories. The quality must therefore meet the requirements set by joinery products. We created a “ladder” of seawater percentages, successively 10%, 20% and 30% seawater in the paint, and assessed the results. Among other things, we measured water absorption. This showcase shows that you can use a considerable amount of seawater and still achieve encouraging results. Further research is needed to see what you can do with it and, of course, what you cannot do with it.

Brackish water

In the south-east region West Brabant, water company Brabant Water is investigating the possibilities of turning brackish water into drinking water. Brackish water is water that contains a small amount of salt. It comes from an ancient sea layer deep underground (200 to 260 meters deep). Because it is outside the existing freshwater system, pumping it up has less impact on agriculture and nature. It is less salty than seawater. The trial in Brabant produced test water that they did not want to throw away. They made purified brackish test water that they could no longer use available to us, as well as a jerry can of water purified and desalinated by them using osmosis. Call it circular collaboration: they didn’t have to throw away the test water and we turned it into paint.

The brackish test water gives slightly better results than the paint made with seawater. As expected, the desalinated brackish water behaves like tap water in our tests. So it’s a very promising option.

Between dream and reality

One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG6) is “to ensure clean water and sanitation for all, with the aim of providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation for everyone, and sustainable management of water resources, wastewater and ecosystems”. This goal will come under increasing pressure in the coming years. The urgency is now. Tapping into alternative sources is essential. The costs of water and purification will rise sharply in the coming years. Cleaning and reusing water, such as with desalination techniques like reverse osmosis and distillation, consumes a significant amount of energy. Industry is encountering challenges with the overloaded power grid. Our biggest challenge is to obtain clean water that does not contaminate the paint and pipes. We are working hard on this. In order to start a ‘water wave’ of change, we will be taking a closer look at our findings for each alternative source in the coming period. Innovation is key. Joint innovations are bringing sustainable management ever closer. Let’s accelerate and realise the water transition by sharing knowledge and inspiring each other.

What is Concept Paint?

Concept Paint2 is an innovative line of experimental paints. Describing the Concept Paint project, Marlies van Wijhe states: “It started as a Friday afternoon experiment. I asked Ron Hulst, whether he liked the idea of Concept Paint. You could compare it to concept cars in the automotive industry. First, to show internally what we are capable of. To show that we are on the right track. And then externally. To interest suppliers of raw materials and strengthen each other. To set something in motion. For the same reason, we are now presenting our latest development in this concept form. Two years ago, it was Flower Power wall paint, last year it was Biomotion70, and now it is our search for alternative sources for increasingly scarce drinking water. As a child, a school project called ‘Be smarter with water’ made me aware of the importance of using water sparingly. That project had such an impact on me that I always use our drinking water sparingly. We invite people or parties who are involved in innovation or who want to contribute in any way to join us. Together we can achieve more. We are enthusiastic about a sustainable and climate-neutral future. That is why we are happy to share what we are doing in the laboratory to make that happen. Such as our groundbreaking developments with Concept Paint.”

2 https://conceptpaint.nl/

About Wydo NBD

Wydo NBD (New Business Development) is an independently operating corporate spin-off of the family business Koninklijke Van Wijhe Verf in Zwolle, which is committed to making the paint sector more sustainable. Through Wydo, the company also wants to make knowledge and expertise available to the manufacturing industry outside the paint sector. Sustainable innovation is the keyword in Wydo’s activities. Wydo focuses explicitly on R&D and innovation projects that contribute to achieving environmental and climate objectives and preserving biodiversity. Wydo seeks innovation in research and application from renewable raw materials, enabling producers to reduce the carbon footprint of their activities.

Wydo is located in Groningen on the Zernike Campus. This was a conscious choice, as Groningen is a hotspot for the biobased economy and has excellent facilities and highly educated scientists. This makes it easy to establish short lines of communication with researchers from a wide range of fields. Wydo collaborates with several universities and knowledge institutes.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Industrial coating: from an operational task to a strategic lever

Edited by Michele Stradiotto USI ITALIA, Verona, Italy michele.stradiotto@usiitalia.com

Industrial coating is not only a technical stage in the production process but rather a strategic asset that affects quality, costs, sustainability, and operational continuity. USI ITALIA tackles this complexity with a managerial vision, designing systems based on an analysis of each production context to guarantee reliability, energy efficiency, and a people-centred approach. Thanks to its modular, scalable solutions that integrate into any business workflow, it aims to make coating a stable, controllable, and competitive process over the long term.

In today’s industrial context, coating is often considered a necessary but complex function to manage. As a production phase, it directly affects quality, costs, energy consumption, sustainability, and product perception. From a managerial perspective, therefore, the challenge is no longer simply to ‘make the coating process work’ but to manage it in a stable, predictable manner that aligns with the company’s objectives. The approach of USI ITALIA stems precisely from this awareness.

An industrial choice, not just a technological one

USI ITALIA operates, among others, in the industrial coating sector with a clear vision: a coating plant is never just a piece of equipment but an industrial choice that shapes a company’s production model over the long term. Each project takes shape starting from an analysis of the customer’s context: volumes, flows, production variability, consumption, internal skills, and growth prospects. The goal is not to adapt the customer to a standard solution, but to build a solution in line with its production methods.

Reliability as a managerial value

For those in management positions, process reliability is a key factor. It means reducing rework, limiting unplanned downtime, controlling costs over time, and ensuring consistent quality. If not designed correctly, coating operations can become a constant source of unexpected problems. If integrated organically into the production flow, however, they can become a stabilising factor for the entire industrial process. USI ITALIA focuses on this very principle: making coating a repeatable, controllable, and reliable phase over time.

Energy efficiency and sustainability: not an afterthought, but rather an integral part of the project

Rising energy costs and evolving environmental regulations require increasingly informed decisions. Addressing these issues retroactively often means taking partial and ineffective measures. For USI ITALIA, efficiency and sustainability are integral elements right from the design stage:

 air flow optimisation;

 energy recovery systems;

 solutions aimed at reducing waste and consumption. The result is systems that not only comply with regulations but also support company competitiveness over time.

People at the heart of the coating process

An efficient plant cannot be separated from the people who use it every day. Ergonomics, lighting, operational comfort, and safety directly affect the process’ quality and continuity. In a context where it is increasingly difficult to find qualified operators, designing better work environments also helps protect a company’s know-how and enhance its organisational stability.

Coating as a strategic asset

Today’s market demands flexibility, consistent quality, and adaptability. For this reason, a coating plant should not be conceived as a static solution but as an industrial asset capable of evolving. USI ITALIA develops modular solutions that support future software and technology upgrades, guiding companies along a path of continuous growth and improvement.

The role of USI ITALIA

In such an increasingly complex sector, USI ITALIA presents itself as a plant engineering partner for companies seeking to approach industrial liquid coating with a managerial, rather than emergency-based, vision. Technical expertise, design responsibility, and long-term vision are the pillars on which we build our daily work. Because when the coating process is under control, the entire company performs better

About USI ITALIA

USI ITALIA was founded in the 1970s and grew rapidly through dedication, passion, and a strategic vision, expanding first throughout Italy, then across Europe, and eventually into the global market with a network of importers and three international subsidiaries: USI of North America, USI Iberia, and USI Brazil. For almost fifty years, it has been a benchmark supplier in the industrial coating sector, with a range of systems and booths now successfully used in body shops and across several industries, including the automotive, rail, bus, boat, aviation, and racing car sectors. Its range is completed by paint-mixing boxes and manual surfacepreparation stations, providing integrated solutions for all production requirements.

Reliable technologies, a high degree of automation, and strong, trusted customer relationships define the company’s philosophy. Contributing to its success is a team that combines the enthusiasm of young people with the know-how of expert engineers, also thanks to continued investment in the well-being and growth of its people, the true asset of USI Italia.

Anticipating challenges: ddchem’s DMAPA-free curing agents for safer epoxy systems

Niccolò Rivato

ddchem S.r.l. – Verona, Italy niccolo.rivato@ddchem.it

Recent regulatory developments concerning DMAPA have raised new concerns, including its proposed classification as a suspected developmental toxicant at European level. In response to the latest evaluations, ddchem, as a downstream user, has proactively applied the precautionary principle by promptly updating Safety Data Sheets and product labelling. While regulatory discussions are still ongoing, this evolving scenario makes the evaluation of DMAPA-free curing agents a timely opportunity to combine regulatory compliance, user safety, and high performance in epoxy systems.

At the European level, DMAPA (Dimethylaminopropylamine, CAS 109‑55‑7) is already subject to a harmonized classification under the CLP Regulation, which identifies it as a flammable substance, harmful if swallowed, corrosive to skin and eyes, and a skin sensitizer.

During 2024, several DMAPA European manufacturers highlighted an additional potential risk: possible reproductive toxicity. More specifically, the addition of hazard statement H361d – Suspected of damaging the unborn child – has been proposed, which would place DMAPA in Category 2 for developmental toxicity.

As a downstream user of the substance, ddchem chose to apply the precautionary principle and to promptly reflect the risk level indicated by the latest evaluations.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and labels for the relevant products were therefore updated as early as November 2024.

Technical and regulatory discussions on the topic are still ongoing and have recently taken on an institutional dimension: Austria has submitted a proposal for a new harmonized classification (CLH) at the European level for DMAPA. If this proposal were to be approved, DMAPA could be subject to further tightening

of its classification, with potential repercussions on use conditions, risk management, and supply chains.

Now is the appropriate time to advance DMAPA-free curing-agent evaluations to maintain key performance properties while mitigating DMAPA-related hazards for users and in your final application.

DMAPA free curing agents for epoxy systems

ITAMID FL523, ITAMID FL523/S, and ITAMID FL563/S are low viscosity polyamidoamine adducts specifically designed for epoxy flooring and civil engineering applications.

They feature excellent adhesion on different substrates, applications on critical conditions (wet and greasy substrates), and excellent water-spotting and blushing resistance.

Flooring applications

ITAMID FL523, ITAMID FL523/S, and ITAMID FL563/S find usage in epoxy flooring applications where they are mainly suggested as a primer to be

applied on concrete substrates. In this application, they feature:

 Excellent adhesion on poorly prepared concrete (greasy, soiled, etc.) and on humid/wet concrete;

 Imparts great chemical resistance;

 Excellent water-spotting and blushing resistance;

 Good mechanical properties.

Solvent‑free protective coating

Thanks to their great adhesion on steel and aluminium substrates, ITAMID FL523 and ITAMID FL523/S find application in protective coating applications as a solvent-free curing agent. The absence of organic solvents allows to reduce VOC concentration in paints and primer formulations. In this application, they feature:

 Excellent adhesion on steel and aluminium substrates;

 Great water resistance;

 Low viscosity in line with solvent-based curing agents;

 Impart excellent chemical resistance.

SMART & SMOOTH

TOPFINISH Bell 2 & WACON Spray: compact package makes high-speed rotation atomization easier than ever

WAGNER is expanding its Bell family: the modular system solution consisting of the TF Bell 2 high-speed rotation atomizer and the WACON Spray control unit creates a powerful package with excellent atomization that makes coating with high-speed rotation easier than ever.

High-speed rotation atomization is the supreme discipline in surface technology: It combines particularly fine atomization with very high transfer efficiency and high working speed. The technology is primarily used in series production, for example for automotive and plastic components, in wood and furniture coating or glass coating. Despite these convincing advantages, high-speed rotation atomizers have often been limited to high-end applications that require special skills in system planning, set-up and productive use.

With the TF Bell 2 system, WAGNER makes the high-speed rotation process easily accessible beyond high-end applications. Due to the reduced effort required for setting, operating, monitoring and maintaining the coating system, the solution is not only aimed at experienced users, but also at companies working with high-speed rotation atomizers for the first time. Together with the existing high-speed rotation atomizers (TF Bell 1 and ECH variants), WAGNER now offers a comprehensive bell portfolio that also enables special applications, e.g. 2K coatings with integrated mixer or with external charging for water-based coatings.

TF Bell 2: Efficient atomization with innovative air deflector

ring

The TF Bell 2 works with very low air and material consumption. Depending on the material, flow rate and workpiece geometry, it achieves a transfer efficiency of up to 90%. Newly developed air deflector rings with slot-shaped openings distribute the air and thus the material with

particularly fine atomization and very evenly on the workpiece. The TF Bell 2 therefore achieves excellent coating results for a wide range of materials and workpieces. The bell cup size and serration can be specifically adapted to the workpiece shape, size and coating material. The spray jet width can be precisely adjusted and covers a range from 80 to 800 millimetres.

Integrated high voltage and a wide range of applications

The TF Bell 2 has an integrated high-voltage cascade with an output of 8 watts, making it suitable for all common solvent applications as well as for water-based paint applications with smaller paint kitchens (up to approx. 60 litres). For applications with higher power requirements, such as waterbased paint applications with larger paint kitchens or larger systems, e.g. in wheel coating, an external cascade can be used as an alternative. There are different configuration options available depending on the production environment: The TF RobotBell 2 variant is suitable for robot applications, while the TF Bell 2S is suitable for linear axes, reciprocators and installations without movement technology. Thanks to the high modularity, configurations without high voltage are also possible, e.g. for highly viscous materials. An adapter can be used to quickly convert from the bell to an airspray gun without the need to change any hoses. This makes the system suitable for automated series processes as well as for customer-specific application scenarios.

Fast colour changes and service‑friendly design

A modular, expandable valve block allows a second colour to be added. After flushing the first colour circuit, the next colour is immediately available so that colour changes are possible within a few seconds. Robust valves ensure a long service life. The innovative quick-change system with strain relief makes it easier to replace hoses and cables. The removable three-part air deflector ring can be cleaned particularly efficiently and thus enables years of reliable work. In addition, the onepiece bell plate prevents paint deposits inside the bell and thus also contributes to trouble-free coating.

WACON Spray: Intuitive control and flexible system architecture

Whether beginner or professional: With WACON Spray, the TF Bell 2 is quickly ready for use and easy to operate - without prior programming. All relevant bell parameters (including turbine speed, bearing air, high voltage, shaping airs) are controlled centrally via a 7-inch-touchscreen. Parameter settings can be saved as recipes and called up quickly when required. The WACON Spray control concept is designed as a modular system and can be flexibly adapted to different production environments. It consists of several components that can be individually combined and flexibly assembled.

The stand-alone WACON Spray device has touchscreen operation and is suitable for 19-inch rack or desktop installation. WACON Extension is an extension box without a HMI. Up to two WAMOD plug-in modules can be installed in both housings. These modules regulate the high voltage, turbine speed and volume flow of atomizing air. The range of functions extends from basic to advanced features for high-end users, while only the components that are actually needed are installed. Subsequent adaptations are possible at any time - with minimal installation effort thanks to communication via the WAGNER bus. WACON Spray offers numerous interfaces for integration into external control

systems, including digital and analog inputs and outputs or Profinet fieldbus. The modular design allows different operating modes. With the help of additional function modules, more complex systems can also be implemented in which up to four bells can be controlled simultaneously.

Stand‑alone function modules for PLC connection

The stand-alone WACAS function modules are available as an alternative variant. They can be connected directly to higher-level control systems (e.g. PLC or robot control). The electrical connection is made conveniently via modern fieldbuses, minimizing the cabling effort. Their compact design makes them ideal for mounting in robot arms or in control cabinets with limited space.

Volume flow based air control for maximum process reliability

WACON Spray uses innovative volumetric flow control instead of conventional pressure control to adjust the shaping airs. Being no longer dependent on hose lengths or diameters, recipes can be transferred between different systems or remain unchanged when the system is converted – a major time saving and a big step towards superior process stability.

Conclusion

The TF Bell 2 system combines highly efficient high-speed rotation atomization with an intelligent, modular control system. The system delivers excellent surface quality, reduces material and air consumption and simplifies operation, service and integration into existing systems. At the same time, it meets the latest and highest safety standards with global certification. This makes it a future-proof solution that allows companies to design their coating systems to achieve highly efficient and outstanding results for years to come.

For further information:

www.wagner group.com/en/industry/products/liquid coating/ product/topfinish robotbell2 bell2s/ www.wagner group.com/en/industry/products/liquid coating/ product/wacon spray/

Breakthrough: DÖRKEN achieves first approval for a PFAS-free alternative system

A PFAS-free zinc flake system from DÖRKEN was closely examined and tested against specific requirements. With success: a DÖRKEN topcoat has been approved for the VW specification VW TL245 Ofl-t647.

The European commission’s decision on a possible ban on pfas compounds is still pending. Nevertheless, DÖRKEN is addressing this issue intensively and already has several pfas-free products – both base and topcoats – in its portfolio. In the case of zinc flake coatings, the focus is particularly on replacing fluoropolymers (such as ptfe) commonly used in the industry as lubricants. The coating company has now achieved its first breakthrough: DÖRKEN topcoat DELTA-PROTEKT® TC 502 GZ has been approved for the VW TL245 Ofl-t647 specification. This is the first global approval of a pfas-free system in the automotive industry.

The topcoat, in combination with a zinc flake basecoat or other metallic substrates, is responsible for multifunctional properties. It refines the zinc flake basecoat into a coating system and ensures a very narrow coefficient of friction window. In addition, the coating is not only free of pfas, but also of harmful heavy metals and has a silver finish.

The decision on the potential ban on PFAS compounds may still be pending, but the coating experts at DÖRKEN are well prepared in any case.

For further information: www.doerken.com

Eisenmann marks key milestones and breaks ground on new headquarters

Eisenmann GmbH is celebrating significant milestones, including its successful establishment, strong business growth, and the groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in Gärtringen, Germany.

Autumn 2025 marked several significant milestones for Eisenmann GmbH. Following its successful re-establishment in 2020, the Swabian plant engineering company celebrated not only its fifth anniversary at the end of September, but also the groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in Gärtringen, Germany – an investment that further underscores its growth strategy. Hardly had the anniversary celebrations concluded when, on 26 September 2025, management, investors, municipal representatives, and partner companies gathered to mark the official start of construction at the new site in the Riedbrunnen II industrial estate.

Investment of 25 to 30 million euros

By the end of 2026, a modern corporate campus will be built on a site covering 16.000 m2. The plans include a dedicated technical centre for pre-assembly, logistics areas, and a spare parts warehouse measuring 6.500 m2, including 1.500 m2 allocated to research and development. A carefully designed office concept will transform around 4.500 m2 into

flexible team spaces for 250 to 300 employees, providing ample room for collaborative and creative work. An in-house restaurant is also planned to further enhance the working and meeting environment.

Sustainability as a firmly established guiding principle

Energy efficiency, resource conservation, and climate protection are not only essential pillars of Eisenmann’s production solutions; they also play a central role in the new construction project.

The new headquarters will be powered by a photovoltaic system with a minimum capacity of 500 kWp. A total of 25 charging points will ensure the smooth operation of the company’s electric vehicle fleet.

By choosing Gärtringen as its new location, remains true to its roots in the Böblingen region, continuing to position itself as an attractive employer in a strong regional business hub.

Employees, business partners, and customers alike will benefit from the excellent transport connections of the future headquarters.

Construction is progressing according to schedule, and the relocation of the Eisenmann team to Gärtringen is planned for the end of 2026.

Successful relaunch and solid growth

Since its re-establishment in 2020, Eisenmann GmbH has experienced steady and, above all, stable growth. Today, the plant engineering company employs 230 people in Germany and an additional 70 employees in its international subsidiaries in the USA, Mexico, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Managing Director Matthias Haarer attributes the company’s strong market position primarily to its clear focus on core competencies in Paint & Assembly. With highly innovative technologies and a reliable service and spare parts management offering, Eisenmann quickly secured important projects for automotive industry customers.

Combined with a firm commitment to continuously developing the newly

founded company, Eisenmann today provides a globally proven product portfolio and cross-industry solutions for diverse processes in paint shop operations.

A projected total output of more than 130 million euros for 2025 validates the decision—both for investors and management—to invest in companyowned premises.

New brand identity

Eisenmann is entering the new year with a refreshed brand identity that visually reflects the company’s positive development. The claim “We envision solutions” communicates the plant engineering specialist’s technological expertise and expresses Eisenmann’s ambition to transform challenges into sustainable solutions for its customers.

For further information: www.eisenmann.com

Paolo Rami and the ipcm® Academy’s specialised training courses for the surface treatment industry

Federico Melideo ipcm® Academy

Paolo Rami, the director of the ipcm® Academy, the training division of ipcm®_International Paint&Coating Magazine, explains how our theoretical and practical courses are designed to train well-rounded professionals who can immediately hit the ground running in the industrial surface treatment sector. The programmes combine technical, regulatory, and operational knowledge with a focus on product durability, sustainability, and production process optimisation, providing skills that are directly applicable in any workplace and offering a concrete competitive advantage.

In the industrial surface treatment sector, technical skills must constantly evolve to respond to technological innovations, stricter regulations, and growing demands for quality and sustainability. In this scenario, the education offered by ipcm® Academy becomes a strategic tool to help professionals and companies face change through structured, practical, and immediately implementable courses.

Paolo Rami, a lecturer and the director of the ipcm® Academy for over ten years, brings a theoretical-practical approach to his lessons based on direct experience, concrete examples, and real cases. The Industrial Surface Finishing Process Technologist training course, in particular, allows participants to develop integrated operational skills from the design and management of protective cycles to production supervision, helping to optimise costs, sustainability, and product durability. Through it, the ipcm® Academy promotes training as a real competitive factor for the entire industry.

As the ipcm® Academy’s director, how would you define its mission today?

“I would say that our mission is to train well-rounded professionals who can immediately start operating in the sector. Participants acquire skills in all phases of the metal protection process: design, planning, quality control, plant and equipment management, system construction, and technical documentation management. Industrial Surface Finishing Process Technologists can apply these skills in a practical and coordinated manner to optimise costs and benefits and ensure the high durability of products in their environment of use.”

What sets the ipcm® Academy apart from other training providers in the industrial finishing sector?

“ipcm® Academy stands out for the flexibility of its training programme, designed to meet a variety of professional and business needs.

Participants can choose between the complete course, culminating in a certification valid in Italy and throughout Europe, participation in individual training days, or customised plans agreed upon with their companies. Another distinctive factor is our lecturer staff, made up of professionals with extensive practical experience in the industrial finishing sector,

teaching theoretical and operational skills from design to process management. The course covers all aspects of metal protection from pre-treatment and coating products to process control and fault analysis, integrating practical activities and in-depth information on systems, documentation, and investments. Finally, the constantly updated teaching materials support learning with manuals, detailed handouts, and regulatory references, offering a comprehensive tool that is always in step with innovations in the industry.”

How has the industrial surface treatment sector changed in recent years?

“In recent years, the industrial coating sector has undergone a significant transformation, primarily due to critical events that have raised awareness of the risks associated with inadequately managed corrosion protection. Today, designers, applicators, and clients consider the durability of products and structures to be a strategic objective, well beyond mere colour application. This requires trained and competent personnel, adequate plants and equipment, documented controls, and defined maintenance plans. The evolution of ISO 12944 standards, with durability values expected to exceed 25 years, has also imposed a more rigorous approach at all process stages, from component design to the manufacture of coating products, their application, and the control of results. At the same time, today’s market demands faster and more sustainable processes, with high automation, digitalisation, and reduced energy consumption. However, small and large companies have different levels of adaptability. This change has led to the adoption of continuous improvement strategies based on digital monitoring systems, automation, workflow optimisation, predictive maintenance, and ongoing training. In this context, Industrial Surface Finishing Process Technologists play a key role, as they can support the design of materials and protective cycles, define acceptability criteria and control

plans, and assess production risks and available resources, ensuring that each process is effective, safe, and sustainable.”

In light of these changes, what skills are essential today for professionals in the industry, and what mistakes do you still see too often in companies that underestimate technical training?

“Today, those working in the metal protection industry must possess comprehensive technical skills to achieve the expected durability of components. This means knowing how to organise and manage production activities, define protection and finishing processes, flow charts, risk assessment,

work cycles, and control plans, supervise production, and coordinate with the design, engineering, quality, and management offices. The ability to adapt, be flexible, and comply with environmental and health regulations is therefore essential.

The most frequent errors found in companies that neglect training mainly concern the early stages of the application process, such as the degreasing and mechanical or chemical preparation phases, the management of environmental conditions and cycle times, the preparation of coating products, and the correct use of measuring instruments. Other common problems include unclear or inapplicable technical documentation, delayed or inadequate

plant maintenance, insufficient process controls, inadequate management of non-conformities, and a close-minded attitude or a reluctance to engage in technical discussion. To reduce these risks, companies need to value training, provide documented evidence of controls, and promote an open and collaborative mindset, turning errors and non-conformities into opportunities for improvement and growth.”

What makes a technical training course effective, and how important is the balance between theory and practice?

“A technical training programme is truly effective when it combines clarity, comprehensiveness, and practicality. It is essential that its objectives and content are defined transparently and that the documentation is exhaustive to provide solid guidance to participants. At the same time, training should be flexible, capable of adapting to individual needs, and stimulate technical discussion and debate. The role of teachers is crucial, as experts with practical experience in the field can translate theory into tools that can be immediately applied in any workplace. This connection between concepts and practice allows participants to develop skills that can be put to use right away. An effective training programme is also dynamic: it draws inspiration from technological innovations, new experiences made by the lecturers, and insights that emerge during the sessions, thus constantly updating itself to respond to developments in the industry. The right balance between theory and practice ensures that the content covered does not remain abstract but becomes operational expertise integrated into people’s own working lives. In our courses, each theoretical topic is always supported by concrete, real-life examples, thanks to our lecturers with extensive professional experience. This approach not only reinforces learning but also enriches the theoretical component and keeps the course up to date, practical, and effective.”

What aspect is often taken for granted, but actually makes all the difference in training?

“An often overlooked but crucial aspect is the flexibility of a training programme and its practical applications. Training is not meant to be pointless, but rather to enable participants to actually apply what they have learned. It is important for companies to be open to change so that learners feel supported and helped in transferring their newly-acquired knowledge. Finally, training should not be seen as an obligation for participants but as an opportunity for growth for the company itself and for the student who represents it.”

Training is the key to excelling

Technical training is not just about knowledge but also a practical tool for tackling challenges in the sector. ipcm® Academy’s courses turn theory into operational skills and help professionals optimise processes and ensure durable, safe, and sustainable products are manufactured. Investing in training means achieving personal growth while improving the efficiency and quality of the entire surface treatment industry.

Pantone introduces Pantone Color of the Year 2026: PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer

Edited by Pantone LLC Carlstadt (NJ), United States

A lofty white whose aerated presence acts as a whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world.

Pantone, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards and digital solutions for the design community, introduced PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a billowy white imbued with a feeling of serenity as the Pantone Color of the Year selection for 2026. An ethereal white hue, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer serves as a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection. Similar to a blank canvas, Cloud Dancer signifies our desire for a fresh start. Peeling away layers of outmoded thinking, we open the door to new

© PANTONE

approaches. Cloud Dancer quiets the mind, encouraging true relaxation and focus that allows the mind to wander, and creativity to breathe, making room for innovation.

Choosing rest and consciously stepping away from relentless demands and turning inward recognizes that true strength lies not just in doing, but also in being. Expressing our aspiration for a future free from excess, Cloud Dancer evolves our desire for contentment and feelings of peace, unity and cohesiveness.

“At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director Pantone Color Institute. “The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences.”

“An airy white hue, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer opens up space for creativity, allowing our imagination to wander and drift so that new insights and bold ideas can emerge and take shape,” added Laurie Pressman, Vice-President, Pantone Color Institute.

For the Pantone Color of the Year 2026, Pantone will aim to help provide the blank canvas that Cloud Dancer provides by spotlighting artists across the creative community to create their own interpretation of the colour through the year. Launching a new creative initiative that celebrates and supports the artist community as well as colour enthusiasts, Pantone will release surprise limited edition designs from artists across all areas of design, from graphics to fashion. This initiative is part of a broader exploration of commissioning art and celebrating creativity, highlighting the diverse ways colour can inspire and connect people. Each creation reflects the artist’s vision and offers a fresh perspective on how art and design can engage audiences in meaningful ways. For the first edition of the project, Pantone is collaborating with Emiliano Ponzi, an illustrator, visual artist, and author, to create a limited-edition tote bag that showcases Cloud Dancer through his distinctive visual language, which combines conceptual depth with graphic precision.

Applications of the Pantone Color of the Year 2026

Pantone 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a key structural colour whose versatility provides scaffolding for the colour spectrum, allowing all colours to shine. In a world where colour has become synonymous with personal expression, this is a shade that can adapt, harmonise, and create contrast, bringing a feeling of airy lightness to all product applications and environments whether a stand-alone statement or combined with other hues.

PANTONE 11 4201 Cloud Dancer in home décor and interior design

Just as in fashion, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer displays a conscious state of simplification encouraging true relaxation and quiet focus for those seeking moments of disconnection and rest. With its expansive presence, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer invites a space where function and feeling intertwine to build atmospheres of serenity and spaciousness, providing a refuge of visual cleanliness that inspires well-being and lightness whether introduced in furniture or furnishings throughout the home. Infused with serenity, PANTONE 11-4201 introduces a spa like feeling into bathrooms and an open and spacious feeling in the kitchen. A key structural colour, PANTONE 11-4201 adapts, harmonises, and creates contrast, bringing a feeling of airy lightness to all product applications and environments whether used on its own, or combined with other hues.

PANTONE 11‑4201 Cloud Dancer in packaging and multimedia design

A minimalist statement with a high-end modern feel, PANTONE 11-4201 expresses a refined pared back aesthetic that makes the product and brand quality the focal point. A versatile shade that serves as the perfect

contrast, PANTONE 11-4201 allows all other colours to shine and pop whether in a digital environment or on a store shelf. A polar opposite to black, the yin and yang at the beginning and end, the combination of black with PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer conveys sophistication and luxury. A natural white devoid of artifice, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer represents a more sustainable choice for the eco conscious and can be used to communicate a larger commitment to sustainability using materials including recycled paper or moulded fibre.

PANTONE 11 4201 Cloud Dancer in apparel

A key structural colour whose versatility provides scaffolding for the colour spectrum, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer supports rather than shouts presenting a contrast in colour that allows others to shine. A discrete white with an understated presence, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer acts as a conscious statement of simplification whether worn in a classic button-down, T shirt, jeans and activewear, or in suiting, relaxed loose fit pants and dresses or outerwear. Infused with a feeling of billowy softness that comes through in spongy, puffy silhouettes, oversized padding and rounded shapes, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer cocoons and envelopes, promoting relaxation and well-being. Textures ranging from down and foam filled cloth, fluffy, hairy furs, plush and lofty wools gently swaddle. At the same time with its aerated and vaporized appearance PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer lends itself equally to diaphanous and floaty chiffons and fluid jersey fabrics that are easy to wear and move in, flowing from day to night, season to season.

PANTONE

11

4201 Cloud Dancer in fashion accessories and footwear

A versatile soft white, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer mixes effortlessly

with every colour, infusing each ensemble with quiet sophistication and comfortable elegance. Introducing feelings of freshness and modernity to fashion accessories, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer evokes gentle pleasure without overstimulation. Soft pieces from chunky knits to natural fibres wrap and conform, while hard structured accessories including fine and fashion jewellery, eyewear, belts, handbags, footwear and sneakers introduce an understated sophistication.

PANTONE 11 4201 Cloud Dancer in beauty and hair

Tied to simplicity, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer offers a clean, modern base for making a statement of minimalist chic or for endless creativity when used as a base for art, with cut-outs, hearts, pearls, and shimmer. Whether you are leaning into soft, dreamy pastels or high-contrast, statement-making details, white nails are the perfect way to keep things fresh, modern, and effortlessly chic. Applied to the eye in liners, bold eyeshadow looks, or subtle brighteners, the addition of PANTONE 114201 Cloud Dancer can be used to create modern, eye-catching styles that range from dramatic and artistic to minimalist and whitened. For a balanced look, pair PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer with contrasting colours like black liner or complementary shades like pastels. When worn in hair, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer makes a fashionable statement, on its own or in colour blocking especially when paired with a thoughtful, intentional personal style.

Official Pantone Color of the Year 2026 partners

The launch of the PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is accompanied by a series of official partnerships that interpret its values and atmosphere. Motorola, as part of its long-standing collaboration with Pantone, brings this ethereal shade to life with a special edition of the Edge 70 smartphone, characterized by refined design, premium materials, and high-level performance. To celebrate its 70th anniversary, PLAY-DOH has created a modelling compound inspired by Cloud Dancer, conceived as a creative tool designed to foster calm, balance, and expressive freedom. The colour also enters the world of everyday organization with Post-it®, which includes it in the new Neutrality Collection, a line dedicated to mental well-being and daily creativity. In the same spirit, Command™ presents the limited-edition Cream Speckled, where the 2026 Color of the Year Cloud Dancer is reinterpreted to transform living spaces in a discreet and flexible way.

Cloud Dancer also becomes a sensory experience: Pura translates its airy luminosity into an exclusive fragrance, diffused through smart devices that promote calm and clarity. Mandarin Oriental brings the colour into its international hotels, creating settings suspended “among the clouds” through dedicated rituals, décor, and services.

Finally, Joybird introduces this shade into tactile fabrics such as Soul and Karina and across more than 300 customizable designs, creating home environments that invite serenity, reflection, and tactile well-being.

UCIF: a year of vision, expertise, and support for the finishing sector

Manuela Casali

UCIF – Italian Surface Treatment Equipment Manufacturers’ Association, Milan, Italy ucif@anima.it

The new year is about to begin with an agenda packed with strategic issues for the Italian finishing industry, in a context that increasingly requires up-to-date skills, adaptability, and reliable technical information. In this scenario, UCIF reaffirms its role as a point of reference for companies in the sector, supporting them with an ongoing programme of in-depth analyses, initiatives, and tools designed to help them address the challenges of the present and near future with confidence.

SMART’26: the leading conference for surface finishing in Italy

SMART’26 – Surface Manufacturing Advanced Research Trends will be held on 20 May 2026. Over the years, this conference has established itself as a key event for the Italian surface finishing industry. ‘Sustainability is value creation’ will be the topic of this edition, with a focus on innovation, digitalisation, and new technologies applied to surface treatments. UCIF will be guiding its members throughout the run-up to the event with dedicated communications, calls for abstracts, technical and scientific exchange opportunities, and content designed to promote excellence, expertise, and vision.

Italy’s economic policy: UCIF’s interpretation for a clear and concrete understanding

Every year, the Italian Government’s Budget Law marks a key step for the industry, but the complexity of the measures requires close, specialised reading. UCIF will provide its members with an in-depth analysis of the measures included, with a targeted selection of those with the most significant impact on our sector: investments, incentives, Industry 5.0, technological innovation, and subsidies for advanced production processes. The aim is to offer a simple, accurate, and operationally oriented analysis tool that highlights opportunities and risks for companies in this industry.

Cybersecurity and data protection: an increasingly pressing issue

The growing digitalisation of production lines introduces new IT security responsibilities. Cybersecurity will be one of the pillars of UCIF’s activities

in 2026, with a particular focus on protecting corporate networks, securing interconnected systems, and ensuring GDPR compliance to protect industrial and personal data. This will include training sessions and content series focusing on technologies, standards, best practices, and operational responsibilities: a programme designed to help companies strengthen their defences and reduce the risk of attacks and vulnerabilities.

From the Machinery Directive to the new Regulation: being ready for change

The transition from the Machinery Directive to the new European Regulation is one of the most significant regulatory changes seen in recent years. UCIF will address this topic with a practical approach, highlighting the expected impacts on design, technical documentation, manufacturer responsibility, and safety requirements, with particular focus on digital systems and the integration of AI into production processes. The aim is to equip companies with clear, up-to-date, and reliable guidance so they can navigate change with foresight and awareness.

An overview: 2026 will be a year of content and member support

These topics are just a part of what UCIF has planned for the coming months. We will continue to invest in high-quality information, technical support, regulatory analysis, and networking opportunities, aiming to remain a trusted and reliable point of reference in a constantly evolving sector.

2026 will be a year of decisive change for the finishing industry. UCIF is prepared to support companies with tools, knowledge, and vision to strengthen their competitiveness and foster the growth of an increasingly innovative, secure, and integrated industrial ecosystem.

Accelerate Innovation

Accelerate Innovation

JUNE 9-11, 2026 | TORONTO, ON

JUNE 9-11, 2026 | TORONTO, ON

Join us for FABTECH Canada and experience the latest in metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing—all in one place. Discover breakthrough products, test next-generation technologies, and connect with thousands of industry leaders who are accelerating innovation. Learn, explore, and gain the insights you need to stay ahead in a fast-moving industry.

Don’t just watch innovation happe n — be part of it!

Join us for FABTECH Canada and experience the latest in metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing—all in one place. Discover breakthrough products, test next-generation technologies, and connect with thousands of industry leaders who are accelerating innovation. Learn, explore, and gain the insights you need to stay ahead in a fast-moving industry.

Don’t just watch innovation happe n — be part of it!

Event Partners

Event Partners

PaintExpo 2026: the global meeting point for industrial coating innovation

PaintExpo, the world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating technology, will take place from 14 to 17 April 2026 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Industrial coating technology is at a turning point. Sustainability requirements are rising, automation and digitalisation are accelerating, and global supply chains are becoming more complex. In this environment, the need for focused exchange, reliable benchmarks and clear orientation is greater than ever.

This is exactly where the world’s leading trade fair PaintExpo comes in. For decades, it has been the place where the international industrial coating community meets to share expertise, evaluate technologies and define future directions.

"PaintExpo 2026 represents a particularly significant moment for the industry," says Carmen Bender, Project Director of PaintExpo.

A global platform with a clear focus

PaintExpo, taking place from 14–17 April 2026 in Karlsruhe, Germany, is the world’s leading trade fair dedicated exclusively to industrial coating technology. Every two years, it brings together suppliers, system integrators, coating manufacturers and users from around the world. Its strength lies in its consistent focus on the entire process chain – from surface pretreatment and coating materials to application systems, automation, curing, testing, quality assurance and environmental technologies. This depth makes PaintExpo a true industry benchmark. It is not a general manufacturing show with a coating segment, but a specialist platform where all participants speak the same technical language.

Strong momentum going into 2026

Interest in PaintExpo 2026 is already very high. Three months ahead of the event, more than 400 companies have booked around 30,000 square metres of exhibition space – equivalent

to 90% of the previous edition’s total area. This early commitment underlines the strong confidence of the global coating community. International participation remains a defining feature: around 53% of registered exhibitors come from outside Germany, including Italy, Turkey, India and China, as well as emerging markets such as Hungary, Latvia and Portugal. This diversity reflects a truly global industry.

A new look – and a new generation

PaintExpo 2026 will feature a refreshed brand appearance with brighter, more vibrant colours, visually highlighting the “Paint” in PaintExpo. This update reflects an industry that is becoming more visible, innovative and closely aligned with sustainability and efficiency goals.

A key new element is the New Talent Day on the final day of the fair. Students and graduates from universities in the Karlsruhe region will gain insights into the coating industry through guided tours, keynote sessions and direct exchange with exhibitors. Attracting young talent is essential for the future of the sector.

PaintExpo as an international trend barometer

PaintExpo has long been a launchpad for innovation, and 2026 will be no exception. Visitors can expect a concentrated overview of new developments in wet and powder coatings, application and automation systems, pre-treatment, quality assurance, digital monitoring, and environmental and recycling solutions. For companies from growth markets such as India, PaintExpo also offers access to a truly international network and insights into exportoriented specifications, regulatory requirements and sustainability standards.

Looking ahead

"My hope for PaintExpo 2026 is that visitors leave Karlsruhe with clear direction: clarity on technologies that improve quality and efficiency, on how automation and digitalisation can future-proof operations, and on their position within a highly competitive global market. PaintExpo has always been a place for industry reflection and orientation. In 2026, this role will be more important than ever," concludes Bender.

For further information: www.paintexpo.de/en/

The most important industry events at your fingertips

myFAIR is a free web app that can be accessed from both desktop and mobile devices, which allows you to stay up-to-date with the leading events of the surface treatment sector.

PCI’s Powder Coating Week 2026 set for March 2-4 in Indianapolis

The next edition of PCI’s Powder Coating Week will take place March 2–4 at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana (United States).

The Powder Coating Institute (PCI) announced the return to Indianapolis for Powder Coating Week 2026. The event will take place March 2–4, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana (United States). This centrally located city and welcoming venue provide an ideal setting for the industry’s most comprehensive event dedicated to powder coating. Attendees can look forward to in-depth training sessions, the latest technical advancements, forward-thinking business strategies, and unparalleled networking opportunities with industry professionals. The event format offers value to both attendees and tabletop exhibitors. Powder Coating Week 2026 begins on Monday, March 2, with PCI’s popular one-and-a-half day Powder Coating 101 Workshop and PCI’s half-day Custom Coater Forum. The Tabletop Exhibition will be open starting Monday afternoon with a reception in the tabletop ballroom, allowing attendees from the Workshop and Forum a chance to visit with suppliers from across the industry.

The PCI Powder Coating Technical Conference continues Tuesday and Wednesday, March 3 & 4, featuring general session presentations, technical breakouts, roundtable discussions and access to the tabletop exhibits during lunch and evening receptions. Attendees will have the opportunity to collect information and gain knowledge on all aspects of powder coating during the sessions and on the tabletop show floor.

About the Powder Coating Institute

Formed on May 1, 1981, as a non-profit organization, the Powder Coating Institute (PCI), represents the powder coating industry, promotes powder coating technology and communicates the benefits of powder coating to manufacturers, consumers, and government. PCI works to advance the utilization of powder coating as an economical, non-polluting and highquality finish for industrial and consumer products.

For further information: www.powdercoating.org

2026 POWDER COATING WEEK

March 2 - 4

JW Marriott | Indianapolis

Register NOW for the powder coating industry ’s premier event, where you can learn from experts, network with professionals from every facet of the industry, and discover the latest products and services to improve your powder coating operation.

Rethinking the new: Surface Design Show 2026 explores the future of materials

Taking place from 3–5 February 2026 at London’s Business Design Centre, the Surface Design Show returns with a renewed focus on how materials are conceived, used and reimagined. With a truly international outlook, SDS26 positions itself once again as a leading platform for material innovation, offering architects and designers a hands-on opportunity to experience the latest developments in surfaces and finishes.

Under the theme Material Evolution, the 2026 show invites the industry to reconsider traditional notions of innovation. Rather than focusing solely on the “new”, the theme champions a transition from waste to value, highlighting reuse, circularity and material transparency. Innovation is presented as an ongoing process one that embraces rediscovery, responsible transformation and technological progress in equal measure. An expanded programme awaits visitors, with the return of popular features such as Surface Spotlight, Stone Tapestry, the Innovation Gallery, Green Grads and the Surface Design Awards. New for 2026 is a collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which will host two major events during the show. RIBA Future Leaders will take place on Tuesday 3 February, supporting the growth and development of emerging architectural talent. This is followed on Wednesday 4 February by the second edition of the RIBA AI in Practice Summit, bringing together more than 500 architects to examine the fast-changing impact

of artificial intelligence on architectural practice. A highlight of the event, the Surface Design Awards attracted over 100 submissions this year. The judging panel includes prominent industry figures such as Muyiwa Oki, President of RIBA; Tina Norden, Principal at Conran & Partners; Arthur Mamou-Mani, Director of Mamou-Mani; Seetal Solanki, Founder and Director of Ma-tt-er; Barbara Chandler, Founder of Green Grads; Oscar Pearce, Co-Founder of Design Burger; Michael Grubb, Founder of Michael Grubb Studio; Tim Bowder-Ridger of Conran & Partners; design journalist Roddy Clarke; and Tim Gledstone, Partner at Squire & Partners.

Networking also plays a key role at SDS26, with the return of the Young Architects and Developers Alliance (YADA) event, designed to encourage meaningful connections across the profession. Studio Justine Fox will curate the Designer Hub, bringing its expertise in colour psychology, ergonomics and user insight to one of the show’s most visually engaging environments.

Green Grads will once again be showcased within the Innovation Gallery, presenting experimental work that challenges established ideas around materials and sustainability. Building on previous projects that explored unconventional resources from tennis balls to breadcrumbs the 2026 exhibitors are set to deliver another thought-provoking display. At the centre of the exhibition, Surface Spotlight is curated by material and trend specialist Sally Angharad. This year’s installation frames Material Evolution as a story of renewal rather than novelty, exploring how surfaces develop through culture, heritage, science and circular

design. Visitors are encouraged to see familiar materials in a new light through creative storytelling and contextual application. Ceramicist Andra Munro also returns following the success of her porcelain installation at SDS25. For 2026, she will present a more ambitious large-scale work, placing craft and material expression firmly at the heart of the visitor experience.

A dynamic talks programme runs throughout the show, opening with a debate hosted by design author and journalist Katie Treggiden. Titled Waste: The Raw Material of the Future, the session examines how discarded materials can drive innovation. Other highlights include Hospitality by Design: Materials, Trends and Innovation, hosted by Design Insider editor Alys Bryan with insights from Sara Rosellini of Shepherd&, and Designing Emotion: Art, Materiality and Public Spaces, featuring Zoe Allen of Artistic Statements in conversation with Giles Miller of Giles Miller Studio. With its ambitious vision and diverse programme of exhibitions, installations and discussions, Surface Design Show 2026 promises to be a standout moment in the design calendar celebrating creativity, material intelligence and the evolving role of surfaces in the built environment.

For further information: www.surfacedesignshow.com

Eurocoat 2026: Paris welcomes the return of the international event dedicated to the coatings industry

The 2026 edition of the Eurocoat Exhibition & Congress will take place on March 24–26 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, once again positioning the French capital at the centre of the international coatings industry.

Eurocoat is one of the leading global events dedicated to the formulation and production of paints, inks, adhesives, varnishes, and glues. Held every two years, the exhibition brings together the entire value chain of the sector: from raw material suppliers to manufacturers of equipment and production technologies, as well as innovation specialists and regulatory experts. For three days, Eurocoat becomes a strategic hub for business, networking, and knowledge sharing.

The exhibition spans all key segments of the industry, including:

 Raw materials: pigments, binders, solvents, fillers, resins, dispersions

 Production and laboratory equipment: mixers, grinders, reactors, colour measurement, automation, filtration

 Application and surface treatment technologies: coating and enamelling systems, drying and curing solutions

 Packaging and conditioning: marking, labelling, filling systems, drums, big bags

 Services and solutions: engineering, certification, software, consulting, outsourcing.

Eurocoat is confirmed as a high value-added trade fair, with exceptionally strong visitor satisfaction: 89% of attendees report being satisfied with the event, and 75% recommend taking part.

The 2026 edition will bring together more than 200 exhibitors, including 55% from outside France, and 5,000 participants. It will also feature a rich programme of +35 conferences and workshops focusing on the latest trends and innovations shaping the industry.

Why visit Eurocoat 2026?

Eurocoat 2026 offers professionals a unique opportunity to explore the latest innovations in raw materials, production equipment, application technologies, and eco-responsible solutions. The event provides a valuable platform to meet industry experts, engage with suppliers and partners, and gain insights that can help optimise formulations and industrial processes.

Visitors will also be able to anticipate regulatory developments and emerging market trends, ensuring their products remain compliant and competitive. A rich programme of technical conferences and workshops will deepen knowledge and highlight new business opportunities.

Eurocoat attracts a highly qualified audience: 52% of visitors are decisionmakers, and 30% come with a purchasing or investment project in mind. Participation is further facilitated by a free visitor badge.

For further information: www.eurocoat ‑ expo.com/en

SFCHINA2025: the show recorded rising attendance

SFCHINA2025 successfully concluded on November 25 – 27, 2025 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), Shanghai, P.R. China.

This year’s visitor and exhibitor figures delivered notable results, underscoring the exhibition’s position as a leading platform for cooperation, knowledge exchange and business opportunities.

The exhibition confirmed its strong international profile, covering a total area of 15,700 m² and attracting 8,510 visitors from 40 countries and regions, marking a 16.2% increase compared with 2024. Participation also grew on the exhibitor side, with 303 companies from 17 countries and regions—up 8.6% year on year—more than a quarter of which were new exhibitors. In parallel, the onsite technical programme recorded solid engagement, with 685 participants attending the technical seminars and technology forums held during the event.

Visitors impressed by exhibitor lineup and product mix

Compared with the 2024 Guangzhou edition, the exhibition recorded strong growth, with total visitor numbers increasing by 16.2% and overseas attendance rising sharply by 61.3%. The concurrent Technical Programmes further enhanced the event’s value, offering participants direct insight into industry trends and opportunities for knowledge exchange. Feedback collected through onsite visitor surveys confirmed the event’s success, highlighting widespread appreciation for its overall quality, scale, technical depth, the attractiveness of the products and technologies on display, and the breadth and credibility of the exhibitor mix.

Exhibitors satisfied with exhibition outcomes and visitor feedback

SFCHINA2025 also received strong endorsements from exhibitors, who recognized it as an important business platform. The total

number of exhibitors grew by 8.6% year-onyear, reflecting the exhibition’s expanding appeal. Some exhibitors highlighted that the exhibition enabled them to effectively introduce their products and technology innovations, while also facilitating peer networking. Survey results further highlighted exhibitors’ strong satisfaction with the event, with the vast majority recognizing it as a key marketing activity in China and Asia (98.8%), valuable for strengthening brand image (98.8%), consolidating existing sales channels and customer relationships (97.6%), developing new markets and building relationships with prospects (97.6%), and promoting products and services (93.9%).

Technical Seminars and Technology Forums received positive responses

This year, our concurrently held Technical Programme featured 2 Technical Seminars and 2 Technology Forums, both of which drew strong participation. The Technology

Forums focused on “Opportunities Brought by New Energy Vehicles to the Surface Finishing Industry” and “Advanced Manufacturing & Technological Innovation: Future-Oriented Electronic (Chip) Electroplating Processes.”

Both sessions achieved solid attendance, highlighting the strong demand among enterprises to deepen their understanding of surface finishing applications in emerging downstream industries. Looking ahead, the SFCHINA series of exhibition will continue to bring similarly high-value activities to the surface finishing community.

The next SFCHINA exhibition is scheduled to take place from November 11 – 13, 2026 at Area A of the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, P.R. China.

For further information: www.sfchina.net

EDITOR IN CHIEF

ALESSIA VENTURI venturi@ipcm.it

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

FRANCESCO STUCCHI stucchi@ipcm.it

EDITORIAL OFFICE redazione@ipcm.it

PAOLA GIRALDO giraldo@ipcm.it

MONICA FUMAGALLI fumagalli@ipcm.it

NICOLE KRAUS kraus@ipcm.it

MATTEO SOTTI sotti@ipcm.it

ILARIA PAOLOMELO paolomelo@ipcm.it

FEDERICO MELIDEO melideo@ipcm.it

GIULIA GENTILE gentile@eosmarketing.it

MARTINA STUCCHI mstucchi@ipcm.it

MEDIA SALES

FRANCESCO STUCCHI stucchi@ipcm.it

ILARIA PAOLOMELO paolomelo@ipcm.it

MARTINA STUCCHI mstucchi@ipcm.it

NICOLE KRAUS kraus@ipcm.it

GRAPHICS

ELISABETTA VENTURI grafico@ipcm.it

TRANSLATIONS

CHIARA FOPPA PEDRETTI chiara.foppapedretti@gmail.com

PRINT

SEBEGRAF SRL | info@sebegraf.eu

EDITED BY

EDITORIAL BOARD

Prof. Stefano Rossi

Material Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Trento Product Design

Kevin Biller ChemQuest Powder Coating Research

Gianmaria Guidi Consultant for industrial and anticorrosive coating processes

Gianmaria Gasperini

Head of the Paint&Coatings Laboratory of Innovhub SSI Divisione Oli e Grassi

Paolo Rami Director of ipcm®Academy, expert in anticorrosion, coating defects analysis, and process optimization

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