ARCHITECTURAL & DECORATIVE

A review of how AkzoNobel remains at the forefront of coatings innovations, focussing specifically on its range of
architectural and decorative coatings that not only incorporate cutting edge technologies but are sustainable as well

Innovation and sustainability

as the key driver of success

s Asia continues to develop at a breakneck

speed, with rapid urban developments
in emerging markets including Myanmar
and India sustaining an average of 2.4% urban
population growth rate for the past five years1, the
need for smart solutions in all aspects of urban
development has never been more crucial.
The need to protect our environment means
that the coatings industry is constantly egged
towards creating products that can bring waste
and emission levels down but also last longer,
stay clean and keep its colour at the same time.
As the worlds leading global paints and
coatings company, AkzoNobel remains at the
forefront of coatings innovations by incorporating
continuous improvement that starts and ends
with customers in its core business strategies,
see Figure 1. In 2014, the Dutch company
invested 363M about 2.5% of its revenue in
Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I).
Thanks to its 130 RD&I laboratories located
worldwide, including in Singapore, AkzoNobel
now has an arsenal of architectural and
decorative coatings that are not only incorporated
with cutting edge technologies but are
sustainable as well.
AkzoNobel has had a track record of
sustainable innovations in the built environment,
such as light reflective coatings that redirect heat
from sunlight and reduce energy consumption
for air conditioners by 15% every year for a
bungalow; laminated beam adhesive and
application equipment technology for optimised
material use of bonding and powder coatings that
contain no solvents at all. The company currently
has 10,000 patents under its belt and is filing new
applications at an average rate of around 100
new inventions every year.

nnFUELLED BY INNOVATIONS
References
1. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/
pocketbook/World_Statistics_
Pocketbook_2015_edition.pdf
2. http://www.businesswire.com/
news/home/20150608005702/
en/Research-Markets-GlobalPaints-Coatings-Market-Report
3. Based on research conducted
by Nielsen in 2014 against
odourless interior wall paint
products in Singapore amongst
106 Singaporean adults.

Currently, the Asia Pacific region is the largest

consumer of paints and coatings and the
demand is mostly driven by construction
activities2. In order to place itself in the centre
of a growing market, AkzoNobel set up its first
global lab for Exterior Paints in Singapore. As
the pioneering Global Exterior Wall Expertise
and Research Centre, the lab develops
ground-breaking Exterior Paints products for
the whole world.

Dulux Ambiance range featuring Linen

The other labs in Singapores AkzoNobel

House in Changi Business Park include
the Regional Product Development Centre,
Surface Chemistry RDI and Performance
Additives Applications Lab, all of which
contributed to the innovation of popular paints.
Some of these include the Dulux Weathershield
range, which protects exterior walls from
the elements and prevent hairline cracks
from resurfacing and Dulux Pure Air, which
is an odour-free paint3 and is able to absorb
pollutants in the air to keep the room fresh,
even after the paint dries.
Other paint technologies that go into cans
of Dulux paint include KeepCool Technology in
Dulux Weathershield5, Dulux Roofshield and
Dulux Weathershield Powerflexx, that utilises
special pigments to reflect infrared light and
heat and keeps exterior walls cooler by up to
5C; and KidProof Technology in Dulux Wash
& Wear that enables easy cleaning by delaying
the penetration of stains into the paint film; and
Powerflexx Technology in Dulux Weathershield
Powerflexx that uses stretchable latex to keep
the paint crack- and rain-proof.

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ARCHITECTURAL & DECORATIVE

Jeremy Rowe, MD, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints,

South East & South Asia, Middle East

Figure 1. Four-stage AkzoNobel innovation process

Duluxs newest innovation, however, focuses

on aesthetics. The Dulux Ambiance range is a
collection of special effects paints that lend an
added visual and textural dimension to interior
walls. This inspiring invention enables walls to
imitate the look and feel of linen, marble, metallic
and velvet with a few coats of paint.

The Interpon coatings are one such example

and it was used on The Shard in London. In
addition, Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, an
iconic conservatory designed by the principles
of sustainability is coated with products from
the International Paints range of low VOC
protective coatings.
AkzoNobel has invested a major portion of
its RD&I investments into sustainable practices
and it has been able to derive 19% of its revenue
from eco-premium solutions, which are products
that have identifiably superior sustainability
benefits for customers compared with regular
products. The companys consistent and high
quality approach to sustainability has also
earned it the number one spot on the influential
Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the
fourth consecutive year in 2015 in the Materials
sector. In fact it attaches so much importance
to a strong performance on the DJSI that its
ranking is tied to the remuneration package for its
top executives.

nnLEADING WITH SUSTAINABLE

PRODUCTS

We always look 10 to 15 years ahead in search

of sustainable solutions for our customers. We
also realised that global shifts in population
growth, climate change and resource scarcity will
affect the quality of life. This will be particularly
apparent in cities. More than half the worlds
people now live in urban areas and by 2050, we
estimate the figure to rise to 70%. Getting the
process of urban transformation right is one of
the great challenges of our age, states Jeremy
Rowe, Managing Director, AkzoNobel Decorative
Paints, South East & South Asia, Middle East.
With operations in more than 80 countries and
businesses in major industries, such as building
& infrastructure, transport, consumer goods
and industrial applications, AkzoNobel strongly
believes in providing eco-certified solutions that
benefit its customers directly. The company
invests heavily in developing low Volatile Organic
Compound (VOC) products that dont just have
low VOCs but also dry quicker and stay clean
and durable for longer, increasing productivity
and reducing longer-term system costs.
At the recent Council on Tall Buildings
and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in New York,
AkzoNobel also presented a white paper
that highlights the right coatings technology
to enhance the durability and sustainability
of modern buildings. This includes shifting
towards solvent-free powder coatings, which
are very efficient as there is less than one
percent waste during application.

nnSTAYING AHEAD
As the world moves towards a smarter, more
sustainable way of living, AkzoNobel stays one
step ahead by aligning its business targets with
future global needs. It is currently aiming at

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ARCHITECTURAL & DECORATIVE

nnWORLD ARCHITECTURE
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

AkzoNobel was the headline sponsor at

the World Architecture Festival 2015 held in
Singapore. During one of the talks on the
future of design, Jeremy Rowe, Managing
Director, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints,
South East & South Asia, Middle East,
shared some insights into some of this
years trending colours, as derived from
AkzoNobels ColourFutures 2016.
1. Gold It is the ColourFutures 2016 Colour
of the Year and a great example of duality. It
is bright enough to make a statement, while
subtly referring to history and heritage,
representing the global zeitgeist thats a
fusion of past, present and future.

increasing its revenue from downstream

eco-premium solutions to 20% and
reducing its cradle-to-grave carbon
footprint by 25 to 30%/ton of sales by 2020.
In the year ahead, AkzoNobel will
also continue to push forward its Human
Cities initiative, under which it will lend
its expertise and resources to improving,
energising and regenerating urban
communities across the globe.
In parallel with its business operations,
the multi-national company will be giving
back to the society by preserving heritage
buildings (it has sponsored the repainting
of Melakas UNESCO World Heritage
monuments and Singapores historic
Burkill Hall in the Botanic Gardens),
injecting more colours into cities, improving
urban transportation, creating conducive

2. Warm Neutrals Since 2011 we have

seen the domination of mid tone and light
neutrals with a grey tone. This year, we
return to warm and cosy traditional shades
of warm neutral.
3. Muted Purples Lighter shades of
purple take centre stage this year, with
subtle pinkish and grey tones that offer
a subtle feminine touch when paired
with neutrals.

Marble effect using Duluxs Ambiance range

environments for sports and education and

spearheading sustainable practices.

n

Author: Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director,

AkzoNobel Decorative Paints, South East &
South Asia, Middle East

PPG completed 11 Colorful Communities projects in 2015

PPG Industries has completed 11 projects
around the world since launching its
Colorful Communities initiative last May as
part of its global charitable efforts and it has
initiated four additional projects slated for
completion in 2016.
The programme provides PPG employee
volunteers and PPG products along with
financial contributions to bring colour and
vitality to communities where the company
operates around the world. It increases
PPGs commitment to invest in communities
by adding US$10M to support efforts made
during a 10 year period.
For the 11 projects completed to date,
about 9735lit of PPG paint products were
used and more than US$209,000 was
granted in funding to partner organisations.

Additionally, more than 830 PPG volunteers

have donated more than 4800hr to help
brighten communities by painting, planting
flowers, cleaning and contributing to
educational resources.
Projects included: a child care centre in
Busan, South Korea; the Tianjin TEDA Art
Center in Tianjin, China, pictured above; the
soon-to-open Monash Childrens Hospital in

Clayton, Victoria, Australia; and the Nansha

Primary School in Zhangjiagang, China.
Additionally, PPG has already committed
nearly US$100,000 in funding for Colorful
Communities projects under way in Oak
Creek, Wisconsin; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia,
Canada; the Ronzier neighbourhood of
Valenciennes, France; and Sumar, So
Paulo, Brazil.
In 2014, PPG and the PPG Industries
Foundation donated more than US$5.7M
to hundreds of community organisations
across 24 countries around the world.
These investments focused on: education
programmes that teach young people skills
needed to succeed in studies and careers
related to science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.
n

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