Sustainable and environmental friendly coatings

02/02/2012

The combination of these technical/environmental strengths together with a global footprint and a worldwide network gives the best answer in quality, cost, delivery and environment for anticorrosion protection.

Interview of Eric ROS, Sales and Marketing Director of NOF METAL COATINGS EUROPE – (AUTOREVISTAS Magazine – Spain)

What are the projects your company working on to give the best answer in terms of quality, cost, delivery and environmental protection to the automotive industry?

NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP invented zinc flake anticorrosion coatings more than 35 years ago and since, has constantly improved the performance to reach with GEOMET® a:

- chrome-free high corrosion resistance coating

- thin layer (5-10 µm) compared to alternative technologies

- coating without any risk of hydrogen embrittlement

- waterborne compound (whereas other zinc flakes are solvent-borne)

The combination of these technical/environmental strengths together with a global footprint and a worldwide network gives the best answer in quality, cost, delivery and environment for anticorrosion protection.

What will be the main trends in chemical coatings in the coming years? How a specialist in this field is studying the coating of new substrates in the way of offering the best performance and added value in its products?

The main trend will certainly be the growing need for sustainable and environmental friendly products. Since 2004, NOF METAL COATINGS EUROPE S.A. has been focusing on further environmental and health benefits:

- in 2009, our company was awarded with the “Pierre Potier Prize” for chemical innovation favouring sustainable development

- in 2010, our company was awarded with the “European Responsible Care” prize

These prizes highlight innovative production processes that allow a dramatic reduction in the VOC for our – already waterborne – chemicals.

Beside this, our final customers are looking for solutions solving current issues and for new development requirements in terms of high temperature resistance, contact corrosion with extra light weight materials, life-resistant coatings for hollow chassis parts (including inner areas)…

NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP is using its worldwide R&D centers as well as its process pilot lines to investigate and develop new solutions in these fields.

How can you describe the impact of price variations (particularly when they rise up) on raw materials in your activity and what is your forecast in a short term?

Raw materials inflation has been a massive issue over the past years for all industries and without compensation within the whole supply-chain, no supplier would have even survived. We do not expect a drop in the next years while environmental regulations will certainly drive to further global cost increase in our industry.

This being said, NOF METAL COATINGS EUROPE S.A., as a major and responsible supplier to the automotive branch and to the whole industry, has launched at the same time cost reduction actions and technical optimisation programs in order to support its customers.

How is your company working to get better and more fluid relationship in the whole value chaín of your activity: customers (OEMs and tier1), suppliers, others?

We have developed for years now a multi-level approach to meet the OEM’s requirements while understanding the Tier 1’s specific needs (assembly, environment….) as well as the adequation of our chemicals with the processes of their part makers (fasteners, stampings, castings…).

On top of this, we offer a global product availability with a local support in all big regions (Asia, Europe, North America, South America…). Moreover, we pay attention to specific needs within these regions with local contacts in main countries (i.e. Germany, Spain, Italy, France, UK…in Europe).

Throughout the whole supply-chain, our global quality improvement system has proven to be a very efficient value-added key success factor over the last years. To strengthen the company corporate culture focused on quality, we have opened in 2011 our European training center dedicated to zinc-flake technology, where our customers will be trained in all fields of product, process and quality regarding anticorrosion protection.

For further informations, please contact:

NOF METAL COATINGS EUROPE
Tel: +33 (0)3 44 64 63 62
E-mail: infofr@nofmetalcoatings.com

YONIX S.L.
(Sales Representative in Spain and Portugal)
E-mail: yonix@cambrabcn.es
Tel.: +34 (93) 467 14 11