Towards a Sustainable Future for the Construction Industry Discover Imerys’ Sustainable Solutions for Paints and Coatings and Adhesives, Caulks and Sealants

TAGS:  Sustainability / Natural Coatings     Architectural Coatings   

An Interview with Dr. Jelena Arsic van Os, Imerys Performance Minerals Vice President Plastics, Paints, Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants (ACS) & Rubber EMEA and APAC

Following a special edition of the biennial European Coatings Conference which was held virtually in 2021, the world’s most important coatings event was back face-to-face in Nuremberg on 28-30 March 2023.

Sustainable construction was one of the hot topics at this year’s tradeshow. SpecialChem talked to Dr. Jelena Arsic van Os, Imerys Performance Minerals Vice President Plastics, Paints, Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants and Rubber EMEA and APAC, to find out more about what Imerys showcased at the event, and about what the company is doing to support the construction industry’s journey to a more sustainable future.

#1. Why the focus on Sustainable Construction?

The construction industry is under immense pressure from governments as well as from public opinion to find ways to reduce its carbon footprint – and to do it fast! Whether in terms of energy consumption, emissions, or the responsible use of natural resources and raw materials and faced with increasingly stringent building regulations.

Generating an annual €1.2 billion in revenues each year, the sustainable construction sector is already growing above the construction market average, promising sizable development opportunities for industry suppliers over the next five to ten years. This is spurring industry leaders and suppliers to leverage technological advances to find sustainable materials and processes which can contribute to meeting the industry’s sustainability goals.

Imerys is committed to accompanying the construction sector’s transition toward a more sustainable future. We are working closely with customers to help develop solutions that improve the eco-profile of their products, make better use of primary resources, and extend the lifespan of their products—to support them in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

#2. How is this segment going to impact the future of the Paints & Coatings and Adhesives, Caulks and Sealants’ (ACS) markets and the solutions you provide to your customers?

The sustainable construction sector is already having a huge impact on these markets. Modern construction companies need to build leaner, smarter, faster - but above all greener - in a context of increasingly stricter energy-efficiency and safety standards. Buildings need to be tougher and well insulated, so companies must have access to building materials that are not only highly effective, but which have a lower carbon footprint and can stand the test of time.

Take the decorative coatings market, for example. Essentially driven by the rise in the number of new builds and infrastructures, world demand for decorative paints is slated to grow from €70 billion in 2021 to around €100 billion by the year 2030, ie. a CAGR of over 4% for the period. However, due to increasingly stringent environmental regulations and public pressure for more sustainable products, there has been a tangible shift in the coatings market away from solvent-based products towards more eco-friendly low- or zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and water-based coatings. These paints have lower resin levels which can make them less resistant - particularly when used for exterior applications. Formulators are therefore looking for raw materials that can both improve the ecoprofile of their paints but which can make their formulations more durable.

The External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) market is another fine example. In the face of energy shortages and pressure to reduce global warming, governments are introducing new legislation governing building insulation and energy efficiency. ETICS are proving to be excellent solutions for the long-term thermal insulation of exterior walls and cladding in both new and refurbished buildings, and the global ETICS market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% between 2022 and 2030. Here again, ETICS and exterior renders producers need materials that are extra tough - long term.

Likewise, the building and construction sector holds the largest share of the adhesives and particularly sealants market. As the building and construction industry expands, so does demand for adhesives and sealants for applications such as flooring, glazing, ceilings, windows and curtain walls. Trends in the construction industry and changing building regulations are spurring adhesives and sealants suppliers to find solutions which enable construction companies to build with effective, easy-to-apply, fast-drying, durable materials, which have a lower carbon footprint.

Imerys is spearheading the minerals additive market with its one-stop-shop of innovative sustainable solutions that can provide a partial response to all of these challenges.

#3. What are current and future market trends and your customers’ most critical challenges, and how are your innovative solutions leading the way?

With regard to decorative interior and exterior paints and as mentioned earlier, trends are towards more environment-friendly water-based, organic, and low or zero-VOC paints. Indeed, in very mature economies like the U.S. and Western Europe, demand for these kinds of paint is rising exponentially, fuelled by stricter legislation and increased public awareness of the potential health hazards linked to certain paint ingredients, such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and to volatile organic compounds.

Imerys is contributing to meeting this demand with a wide portfolio of 100% natural, multi-functional fillers. These products allow coatings formulators to partially replace opacifying agents like TiO₂ whilst continuing to provide excellent hiding power. They contribute to reducing the VOC content of paint formulations by reducing resin demand. Their highly lamellar morphology improves the mechanical properties and scrub and weather resistance of paints contributing to making these paints tougher and extending their life cycle - even for outdoor applications.

The same applies to industrial coatings such as marine, OEM and automotive paints. Our customers are looking to produce low-resin, low-VOC coatings which can still provide good corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Imerys offers a range of natural mineral solutions which improve corrosion and mechanical performance whilst reducing binder demand, hence VOC content, to meet the most stringent environmental regulations.


Low-VOC Coatings with Corrosion Resistance Property
For adhesives and sealants, customers are seeking quick-drying, easy-to-apply products which can provide excellent insulation properties along with good water, oil, and chemical resistance. Imerys has designed a range of multi-functional mineral fillers which can improve many of these properties, ensuring they do the job better and for longer. Our recent innovations include a full range of sealant additives to improve the mechanical properties of both primary and secondary insulation glazing units (IGU).

With regard to ETICS, renders and plasters, excellent insulation properties, ease-of-use and durability are crucial parameters. Imerys offers a range of sustainable mineral solutions which promote fast drying, excellent rain resistance, anti-cracking, and pin holing for end products that stand the test of time.

#4. For the European Coatings Show, what are the solutions Imerys showcased?

At the European Coatings Show, our specialists focused on promoting the following sustainable innovations:

Our Nyad® range of mineral solutions for powder coatings. Nyad® wollastonites are excellent TiO₂ extenders which improve corrosion resistance, coating durability and lifespan; reduce VOC levels, and lower the overall carbon footprint and cost of customer formulations.


Mineral Solutions by Imerys for Powder Coatings
Our high-performance, multi-functional mineral fillers for interior and exterior decorative paints. These include our range of cost-effective TiO₂ extenders and stainblocking minerals which provide superior mechanical and optical properties, as well as enhanced rheology and weather resistance, improving the durability, hence service life of the end product.

Our solutions for ETICS, renders and plasters which promote fast drying, early rain resistance of renders and thick facade paints, as well as anti-cracking and pin-holing for end products that stand the test of time.

Our full range of sealant additives which improve the mechanical properties for primary and secondary insulation glazing units (IGU). As well as our portfolio of mineral solutions for reactive adhesives, structural adhesives, and butyl, latex and acrylic sealants which enhance mechanical properties, rheology, shelf-life and adhesion, making end products last longer, and, in some instances, replacing costly and environmentally harmful chemicals.

Finally, our unique portfolio of high-performance mineral solutions and TiO₂ extenders for inks which improve properties in flexographic, offset and rotogravure applications.

#5. Can you tell us more about your overall approach to sustainability and how you are lowering your own carbon footprint?

Imerys is leading our industry’s response to climate change and has expressed this commitment through its membership of the French Business Climate Pledge. Through our SustainAgility™ programme, we ensure our systematic approach to combating climate change permeates all aspects of our business, from the energy we buy and the processes we use, to the way we manage our supply chain and the products we provide to customers. We have a clear climate change roadmap in line with the commitments of the Paris Agreement, with transparent objectives and concrete actions to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of our operations and develop low-carbon solutions for our customers.

At the end of 2022, we have progressed against all our mid-term sustainability targets, exceeding half of our objectives. We have reduced our GHG emissions by 31% relative to revenue since 2018 - with a target of -42% by 2030. We have assessed over 50% of our suppliers regarding their sustainability maturity, and we have set 13 new objectives with specific targets for 2025, including aligning our climate change ambition on the 1.5°C trajectory.


Imerys Progressing with Sustainability Targets
With regard to our product portfolio, we ensure that all our business decisions on new products and innovations are built on scientific data related to sustainability criteria. In 2018, we launched our SustainAgility™ programme which aims to unlock the sustainable potential of our mineral portfolio so as to be a positive force for change across our value chain. The methodology we use is inspired by the Solvay “Sustainable Portfolio Management” (SPM) methodology and aligned with the Portfolio Sustainability Assessment (PSA) framework that was developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Our resulting “SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment” is a scientific, fact-based method which measures the social and environmental impact of our products from cradle to grave and includes the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of our minerals. To date, 55% of our product portfolio has been assessed using the SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment framework. Our Pioneer product ranges rated as top contributors are paving the way for a more sustainable future.

For every project, every initiative, every decision, at Imerys we ask ourselves the following question: are our actions unlocking better futures for our people, our customers, and our planet? If yes, then we can truly be recognized as a sustainable business going forward.

VIEW COMPLETE FILLERS RANGE BY IMERYS

About Jelena Arsic van Os

Dr. Jelena Arsic van Os Imerys Performance Minerals Vice President Plastics, Paints, Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants (ACS) & Rubber EMEA and APAC, is a senior executive with more than 20 years experience working in the Chemical Industry. Prior to Imerys, Dr. Jelena Arsic van Os held several general management positions at AkzoNobel managing complex global and regional businesses in both Western Europe, China, and the US and South America.

She has a strong track record for growing the market share of high-performance businesses as well as leading successful large organizational turnarounds and transformations. She is a member and chairman of the board of several legal entities. She is also interested in talking or advising in areas of change management, profitability acceleration, business turnarounds, go-to-market models, growth strategies, and organizational design.

Find out more about Imerys’ solutions for Paints & Coatings and Adhesives, Caulks and Sealants at the European Coatings Show (Hall 5/Booth 443) and on our website (https://www.imerys.com). Brochures and datasheets can be obtained from our download center (https://www.imerys-performance-minerals.com).