International Paint LLC Marks a Century on the Surface
Industry 'firsts' add value that lasts
Houston, March 12, 2007 - International Paint LLC, U.S.A., has embarked on a year-long celebration of the people, products and achievements that have contributed to its first century of success.
"We catalogued historical achievements and surveyed a number of long-term clients, employees, competitors and other important stakeholders for their perspective on how International Paint has helped shape our industry over the last 100 years," said Ian Walton, International Paint's Chief Executive Officer, Americas, Marine and Protective Coatings.
"We also unveiled a special commemorative emblem designed for our 100th anniversary celebration. The red curves in the emblem symbolize adaptability and protection, forming an I, and a P that represents marine and protective coatings equally," Walton said.
In-depth interviews confirmed that International Paint has earned a reputation as the industry expert on coatings technologies, with customers depending on the company for technological expertise, field services and the unparalleled knowledge and experience of it's people.
"When we asked, 'What does International Paint do best?' internal surveys reported that our key strengths are maintaining, building and transferring knowledge," Walton said. "External surveys ranked us highest for providing excellent product quality, technical support and responsive service in the field."
Walton also acknowledged the importance of sustaining long-term growth and profitibility by looking beyond today's successful products to anticipate future demands and pressures on the markets they serve. Few companies could survive to see their second century in business without developing a mindset that continually thinks ahead of the next technology wave.
"One of many challenges we've faced as a manufacturer of high-performance coatings is to continually introduce technologies that provide greater value and offset the higher costs of raw materials," Walton said.
As an example, Walton cites the past three years, which have forced the entire industry to adapt to a short supply of raw materials while it has absorbed steep increases in the cost of petroleum-based materials, as well as copper, zinc and aluminum.
"But this is hardly a new challenge," Walton observed. In 1917, Otto Levin, acting chairman of the organization, told shareholders even in wartime, the company would maintain high quality at all costs. This commitment would be met despite the scarcity of raw materials, which Levin said were "abnormally dear," and might rise still further in price.
In the 1940s, similar global challenges caused major disruptions in raw materials and fuel supplies throughout the industry. "Then, as now, we've had to find new solutions that required less of the scarse materials, develop products with alternative chemistries, or refine formulations that performed better or lasted longer and thus, offset their higher upfront cost," Walton said.
Compounding these challenges, International Paint's customers' businesses have continued to expand into harsher, more demanding environments while requiring a higher degree of environmental compliance. The whipsaw effect of these forces compels International Paint to develop new technologies to serve both purposes: more protection for the customers' assets and for the environment.
Recent examples include new epoxy-based intumescent coatings that International Paint developed for the commercial building industry.
The new coatings provide superior fire-proofing protection against hotter, hydrocarbon-based fires. At the same time, they offer the aesthetic versatility architects need for exposed steel designs. With better durability and adhesion characteristics, these flexible fire-proofing materials can be spray-applied in as little as one coat right at the fabrication shop, saving builders substantial time in labor and equipment costs associated with onsite application.
Other technologies that promote human and structural safety are cold-spray aluminum polymer coatings. These coatings provide a laminate-like barrier against Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) and significantly mitigate the subsequent fire and explosion risks common in industrial environments.
International Paint also has a history of "firsts" in anti-fouling technologies. In the early 1900s, anti-fouling trials were carried out in the New York Harbor. Another new technology introduced during that time, moving pictures, was used to document the experiments and helped to bolster International Paint's burgeoning reputation.
Some of the most sought after, environmentally friendly anti-fouling coatings on the market today are copper-free. These silicone-based coatings were first introduced to the marine industry as biocide-free specialty coatings. Over the last decade, however, these coatings demonstrated increased fuel-efficiency due to their low surface tension, while delivering the same levels of protection as typical biocide-containing self-polishing copolymer anti-fouling technologies against organisms that attach to ship hulls. These silicone-based products have now become the preferred industry choice.
Technology that increases manpower efficiency includes coating disbonders that dramatically shorten surface preparation time, and one-coat direct-to-metal products that eliminate the use of primers altogether. Additionally, water-borne, low VOC peelable coatings can be applied over painted steel surfaces to prevent damage while being transported to the job site. After installation is complete, the coatings are discarded, significantly reducing the need for touch-ups and costly repairs.
"International Paint has a century of experience in developing higher performing products that help our customers achieve increased productivity during application, as well as tangible cost savings through the extended lifetime performance of the product," Walton said.
Continued emphasis on research and development helps International Paint understand which products deliver the best value to customers, a key to earning customer loyalty, regardless of unfavorable global pricing.
While the challenges faced today are uniquely those of the 21st century business climate, Walton said one hallmark of International Paint has remained unchanged for more than a century, and that is the continued desire for improved quality linked with superior technology and innovation.
"It is this thinking that drives us forward by questioning assumptions, always asking, 'it may be good, but can it be better?' And that will be true for our next century, as well."
About International Paint LLC:
International Paint is a leading global provider of high performance coatings products offering an extensive range of high performance coatings for the oil, gas, chemical processing, power, paper and pulp, rail, steel structure, mining and marine industries. With operations in over 54 countries, manufacturing in 18 factories and over 300 stock locations, International Paint is the first choice for quality products, manufactured, delivered and serviced to the same standard across the globe. International Paint is a part of Akzo Nobel, a market driven, technology-based company specializing in coatings, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Media Contact:
Vicki Schauer
Public Relations Manager
International Paint LLC
615-491-5557
schauergv@bellsouth.net
