Coatings update: 1977 developments Available to Purchase

The past twelve months have comprised a period in which the coatings industry is evolving a new profile. Not that any great new coating development emerged. The developments have been around for at least a decade; some for more. Powder coatings, electrocoating, radiation‐curable systems, chemically cured systems, water‐based maintenance coatings and product finishes—these come as no surprise to the coatings industry. What is new in the past twelve months is the realization that three environmental factors are here to stay and that the coatings industry's profile must reflect these. The first is accommodation to expensive energy and to energy shortages. The second is the need to avoid pollution and the third is the need to be ever mindful of toxic considerations.