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RadTech 2008 Showcases UV, EB Technologies

By David Savastano
Editor

The UV and EB markets have enjoyed excellent growth in recent years, as the benefits

Day one of RadTech showed strong traffic on the show floor.

ofenergy-curable technologies are leading to new industries and applications. RadTech UV/EB Technology Conference & Expo 2008, which was held May 4-7 at the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, showcased the latest technologies, through its technical conference, end-user sessions  and exposition.
   
The gains being made by UV and EB technology can be seen by the companies that spoke at these sessions. Representatives from major companies such as Ford Motor Company, Kraft Foods, BASF, PPG Industries, 3M, Northrup Grumman, Armstrong World Industries and Red Spot Paint and Varnish, as well as representatives from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, were on hand to discuss the advantages of UV and EB.
   
According to RadTech officials and exhibitors, the show did extremely well considering the economy.
   

More than 170 attendees were on hand for the UV & EB For Direct Food Contact Packaging session.

“Not only are we happy with the turnout, but considering the state of the economy for the manufacturing sector, it is a reflection of how energy curable technologies can help companies stay competitive as well as move ahead in key areas such as sustainability and the environment,” said Gary Cohen, executive director of RadTech North America.
   
“I feel that the show is doing very well,” said Petra L’Abbe of PPG Industries, president of RadTech North America. “We have a really high concentration of end-users, significantly higher than in the past. We also have a large international contingent here, which is a plus.”
   
Among the highlights were the end-user sessions, covering areas as diverse as wood finishing and

Attendees gather information at Sartomer’s booth.

building; automotive OEM, Tier One and refinish markets; aerospace and defense; sustainable printing and packaging; and industrial applications.
   
Perhaps the most successful session was UV & EB For Direct Food Contact Packaging, which as attended by more than 170 attendees.
   
“I’m impressed with how RadTech 2008 started off,” said Dr. Mike Idacavage of Cytec, RadTech’s incoming president and co-chair of the technical conference. “The traffic looks strong, and there seems to be a lot of in-depth conversations going on. The technical sessions were good, notably the waterborne and food packaging sessions, which indicates a clear interest in lower-VOC chemistry and sustainability.”
   
Dr. Molly Hladik of Hewlett-Packard, co-chair of the technical conference, said that a record number of papers were submitted this year, and she was impressed with the diversity and quality of the presentations.
   

Lubrizol showcased new products at RadTech 2008.

“The papers and presentations we received were very high quality,” said Dr. Hladik. “We have a diverse group of presenters and topics, and we are covering a lot of innovative and new topics, including green chemistry and sustainability.”
   
Exhibitors said they were pleased with RadTech 2008’s opening day.
   
“The show has been very good,” said Henry Miller, UV/EB technical development manager, Sartomer Company. “We had a good mix of traffic and a good base of customers asking us about new applications.”
   
“The show was very good for us,” added James Goodrich, UV/EB technology manager for Sartomer. “There is a lot of good information here, and we are seeing a lot of interesting applications. We’re working on renewable resources, but no matter how much you do, acrylic acid is oil- or natural gas-based. It can’t be 100 percent renewable. We’re evaluating backbones and have products commercially available.”
   
“It’s been a good show for us in terms of volume and mix of customers and end users,” said Doug

King Industries meets with attendees.

McClellan, marketing communications – Americas at Cytec Industries, Inc. “We’ve seen good interest in bioligomers and hardcoats.”
   
“We’ve been pleased with the turnout,” said Ron Levitt, market segment leader for Shamrock Technologies. “This year’s show is improved from 2006. We have seen a broad spectrum of customers from different countries.”
   
“We’ve had some high quality leads so far and a lot of new contacts,” said Jeff Norris, platform manager – hyperdispersants for Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “Attendees are asking specific questions, which is good.”
   
Patrick Heraty Jr., sales manager – Midwest, Tego Coating Additives & Specialty Resins, said his company had good traffic.
   

PPG was active at RadTech 2008.

“We are meeting with many formulators who are looking to adapt their energy curable products to meet their customers’ needs,”  Mr. Heraty said.
   
Sue Jaszkowski, marketing communication manager for BASF, said that RadTech has been an ideal setting to showcase the combined capabilities of BASF and Johnson Polymer.
   
“The show has been going well,” Ms. Jaszkowski said. “The traffic has been nice and steady, and interest has been spread out among different applications and markets. For us, it has been good to integrate our Johnson Polymer line into the BASF legacy lines. It’s a new market for Johnson Polymer, so we’re doing a lot of learning. We’ve also been integrating our R&D efforts, which is allowing us to utilize the best of both worlds to create new technologies.”
   
Ink industry attendees felt that the show was a valuable experience. “This is my first RadTech, and I am

Attendees check out the exhibits.

impressed by the show,” said Tom Farmer, president of Premier Ink Systems. “I’m trying to learn everything I can.”
   
Following up on this year’s show, RadTech North America announced that its next major show, uv.eb West 2009, is scheduled for Feb. 17-18 in Los Angeles, CA. In addition, RadTech 2010 will be held May 23-26 in Baltimore, MD.

Innovative New Products Launched at RadTech 2008 By Tim Wright Editor RadTech is a launching pad for both raw material suppliers and coatings manufacturers who use the exposition as an opportunity to showcase their portfolios to industry. This week the RadTech show floor will be ripe with the very latest UV/EB product and technology innovation.     Prime Coatings is showcasing a whole new series of UV coatings, trademarked UVacron. “The company will be promoting energy efficiencies and energy cost savings associated with this new line,” said Bonnie Gluth, marketing and customer relations, Prime Coatings.          Red Spot will be showcasing a blend of current and new technologies. “Our new technology offerings are a result of refocusing and expanding our core competencies into new and innovative applications both for automotive and specialty markets,” said Eileen Weber, UV product manager, Red Spot Paint & Varnish.     Among these products are a series of new hardcoats for automotive headlamp lenses. “These technologies are a next generation development designed to meet the needs of a changing market,” said Weber. “Also new this year is a range of flexible hardcoat products for diverse plastic film, sheet and solar panel applications. Our product offering also includes a highly weatherable technology that can be further custom modified to meet the specific performance and application needs of the individual customers.                 “Finally, new this year is a range of coatings for use with various PVD (physical vapor deposition) metals that provide unique decorative finishes in applications across multiple market sectors,” Weber added. “These technologies provide an environmentally friendly and cost effective alternative to chrome plating. Also, this PVD technology provides the design flexibility to create unique designs and appearance not feasible with plating.”     Mid-America Protective Coatings is presenting several new products at RadTech 2008.     “The wood and building products market will be interested in Mid-America’s new Aqua UV Clear Finishes for the wood components and cabinet industry,” said Mid-America’s Don Hart. “These products have the look of solvent-based finishes in a nearly zero VOC finish.  Mid-America will also be showing its 100% Solids Clear for galvanized vacuum coated applications and black UV curable spray finishes for pre-treated automotive metal applications. Mid-America Protective Coatings has also developed an exterior durable finish for vinyl building products that will be available soon.”     On the raw material side of the business, at RadTech 2008, BASF launched its new Laromer PR 9052 UV-curable, high performance resin in the U.S. “With outstanding abrasion and scratch resistance, Laromer PR 9052 is ideal for creating highly durable wood coatings. Laromer PR 9052 is very easy to formulate and can even reduce production complexity,” said Steven Wendzinski, BASF Resins. “Also making its U.S. debut is BASF’s new photoinitator, Lucirin TPO-XL, which provides UV curing of even thick, pigmented films. Its liquid form makes it very easy to process and its very low yellowing allows it to be used in pastel and white UV-curing coatings.”     BASF’s RadTech exhibit also featured a broad range of the company’s functional vinyl monomers. “As reactive diluents, these monomers are used in radiation-curing coatings, printing inks and adhesives,” continued Wendzinski. “It is their high reactivity, excellent diluting properties and low toxicity that make them outstanding for this use.”     Sartomer Company is showcasing a wide variety of products at RadTech 2008, covering graphic arts, specialty coatings, adhesives and sealants, exterior applications, elastomers, electronics, resists, photopolymers and acrylics.     On the graphic arts side, among Sartomer’s new products are its CN2207 polyester acrylate for litho inks, which offers good pigment wetting, high viscosity, good ink rheology and low tack; and CN9165US urethane acrylate for screen ink, which provides toughness, resiliency and scratch resistance. For specialty coatings, Sartomer highlighted its CN2003B modified epoxy acrylate for plastic, metal and wood coatings, which offers abrasion and wear resistance and adhesion to non-porous substrates. Among the highlights for adhesives and sealants, Sartomer showcased its CN3150 acrylic oligomer for laminating adhesives, providing metal and glass adhesion, good clarity and moisture resistance; and CN9021 acrylic esters for pressure sensitive and laminating adhesives, which offer excellent flexibility.     Lubrizol Advanced Materials showcased new products, including its Solsperse X300 for the dispersion of pigments in UV graphic arts systems, and its UVC87 adhesion promoter for energy-cured plastic coatings.     “The Solsperse X300 is our new dispersant technology that is UV reactive,” said Jeff Norris, platform manager – hyperdispersants, performance coatings for Lubrizol. “It is ideal for coatings and inks. Compared to traditional technology, Solsperse X300  has the ability to crosslink into the structure of the system, thus improving abrasion resistance, speed of cure and chemical resistance.”     Evonik will be showcasing its new name and its capabilities during the show.     “New since the last RadTech show, of course, is the name Evonik Industries, which is now our legal entity,” said Christopher Howard, group leader, Tego Coating Additives & Specialty Resins. Tego Coating Additives & Specialty Resins, a business line of Evonik Industries, showcased new products from its dispersing line like the Tego Dispers 685 as well as highlighting its cross-linkable Tego RAD additives for radiation-curing systems.     Shamrock Technologies, Inc. had sales and technical associates available to discuss various products from its portfolio including EverGlide UV 600D abrasion resistance compound, EverGlide UV 636 slip and scuff resistance emulsion, EverGlide UV 691 silky feel emulsion, UltraMatte UV 50-GDA, matting dispersion and UltraMatte 76 polyurea powder for matting.     Cytec has a variety of new products on hand, notably its new Ebecryl 5000 series of bioligomers for offset, flexo, screen and overprint varnishes. These bioligomers are partially based on renewable resources, with renewable content ranging from 10 to 62 percent. Hexion also introduced new products, including its new LED ink, which can print films without deformation; its new Hexistretch series; and its Phase Change Ink, which pins itself when it hits the surface, and doesn’t have to be cured between colors. Phase Change Ink is ideal for a single pass environment, thus eliminating the need for additional units and capital expenditure. It's good for 3D objects and industrial applications on substrates as varied as glass, metals and plastics.