Table 1—Coating Biocide Consumption by Region in 2008 ($MM)
Type/Region
North
America
Europe Asia
Rest of
World Total
Dry film and preservative........... 150
Marine, excluding
cuprous oxidea ............................ 6
Total ......................................156
175 100
30
455
15 77
190 177
7
37
105
560
(a) Cuprous oxide, nearly 120 MM lb in 2008; price varies with copper price.
Source: Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney
ronmental impact, antimicrobial activity, low toxicity, and VOC content (if any) top the list,” states
Mike Growney, a principle consultant with KNG.
“Interestingly, only one of those factors is related to the
performance of the biocide.” Other factors include stability, effective concentration required, cost (as used),
coating formulation compatibility, and ease of use.
Environmental and regulatory concerns dominate
the criteria list for a reason. Compliance with VOC
limits in the United States and the Biocidal Products
Directive (BPD) and REACH legislation in Europe are
driving much of the formulation development that is
occurring today. Even in emerging regions, where the
market is growing most rapidly, the transition to water-based systems is a key driver for that growth.
Competition will be fierce as market leaders look
for ways to grow their shares. They will also face different challenges depending on the region. In Europe,
for example, consolidation of both product formulas
and companies will likely occur in response to the
dramatically increased regulatory costs. “The ability to
identify products as ‘green’ or ‘antibacterial’ will help
these leaders to differentiate themselves and take share
from competitors. For innovative companies, double
digit growth—at the expense of their competition—is
possible,” believes Donald A. Shaw, vice president of
development for Troy Corporation. Consolidation of
the customer base is also forcing a certain level of interregional harmonization of biocidal usage, according to
Celso Magri, strategic marketing manager for material
protection with Dow Microbial Control.
“Green” products are zero VOC with lower toxicity
or better safety profiles for both humans and the environment. It also means products with a reduced carbon footprint—such as higher concentration products,
products made using renewable resources, etc.
Antimicrobial, or antibacterial, products are in demand from consumers, who have become more aware
of health issues, possibly because of the recent threats
of potential pandemics, according to Shaw. “Our customers, in response to this growing awareness of health
issues among consumers, want to be able to identify
their products as ‘antibacterial’.”
“Increased regulatory scrutiny, public perception, and
competition are all playing major roles in the evolution
of biocide product offerings,” observes Greg Hertenberger,
manager of sales development for Industrial Biocides with
ISP Performance Chemicals. “At the same time, the high
costs involved in registering new actives are hindering the
introduction of vital technologies the market requires and,
at times, raising costs beyond a point where they are viable in the coatings market.”
The proliferation of regulations around the world
will continue to dramatically limit the availability of
chemistry choices, agrees Shaw. “The multi-billion dollar overall investment required for regulatory compliance will deplete the dollars available for investment
into new technologies. Overall, this will force companies to offer the same set of chemistries—those which
have passed the regulatory hurdles and have demonstrated their value to the marketplace through years of
performance. We already see this with the rapid increase
in companies offering products based on IPBC or BIT.”
In addition, certain actives such as carbendazim
and diuron, which have found widespread use in
blends, have come under increasing scrutiny because
of California Proposition #65 and the EU’s Biocidal
Products Directive, according to Hertenberger, although
they remain a key technology in Southeast Asia and Latin
America. There has also been pressure on formaldehyde
releasers in Western Europe, North America, and Japan,
but they continue to be acceptable in developing regions.
Add to these issues the fact that the continued shift to
waterborne products and elimination of harmful components in all paint formulations has made these products
more susceptible to microbial contamination. There has
also been a growing microbial resistance to some biocides in use today, which presents yet another challenge.
“In response to this situation, we are seeing a strong
move towards more sophisticated biocide formulations
based on multiple actives that can cope with the
microbial challenge,
yet have minimal
environmental impact and are safe
for users,” notes
Magri. Emphasis
on improving plant
hygiene to avoid
contamination
from process water,
raw materials, and
other items is also
driving demand for
formaldehyde-free
sanitizers.
Company Market Share (%)
16
14–15
14–15
11
9
7
Source: Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney
Table 2—Leading Global Suppliers
of Coating Biocides
Arch Chemicals
ISP
Dow Microbial Control
Troy Corporation
Thor Specialties
