Automotive Coatings: 70% of car production is based on water-borne base coating

The fourth ‘Sauradip Chemical Industries Pvt. Ltd. Visiting Fellowship Lecture’ was held on 3rd October, 2019 at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai. The lecture was delivered by Mr. Laxman Nikam, Vice President, Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd., on the subject ‘Trends in Automotive Coatings.’

Mr. Nikam noted that India is the second largest market for two-wheelers, the fourth largest passenger car manufacturer, the largest small car manufacturer after Japan, the second largest bus manufacturer, and the seventh largest maker of commercial vehicles.

Addressing the topic of VOC reduction in automotive paints, Mr. Nikam noted that this is achieved in several ways including:

Improvement of discharge efficiency by using electrostatic gun, metallic bell painting and robot painting; Reduction in use of washing thinner and its recovery after use; Adoption of high solids paints; and Adoption of water-borne paints.

Mr. Nikam noted that globally, at present, 70% of car production is based on water-borne base coat. Another trend in the industry is the integral painting of body and bumper, which has the advantage of shortening overall process time. A common primer for body and bumper also gives chipping resistance to the body, and conductivity & adhesion to the bumper.

Promoting industry-academia collaboration

Welcoming the participants, Dr. Shashank Mhaske, Head, Department of Polymer and Surface Engineering, ICT, thanked Dr. Kishore Shah, Chairman, Sauradip Chemical Industries Pvt. Ltd. (SCIPL) for introducing the series of lectures.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Shah said that under the fellowship lecture series, every year an eminent person from industry gives a lecture with the aim of promoting interaction between industry and academia.

Mr. Rajive Shah, Managing Director, SCIPL spoke on the company’s philosophy of developing sustainable products for a ‘greener’ planet. Mr. Jaideep Shah, Executive Director, SCIPL, stressed the need for offering world-class services to customers, and how world-class companies strive to do the same.