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Powder Coating: the sustainable finishing technology transforming modern manufacturing. When you look at the cars on the road, the appliances in your kitchen, or the metal framework of a modern building, there's a good chance you're looking at a powder-coated surface. Over the past few decades, powder coating has evolved from a niche industrial process into one of the most widely adopted finishing technologies across manufacturing - and for good reason. What Is Powder Coating? At its simplest, powder coating is a dry finishing process. Finely ground particles of pigment and resin are electrostatically charged and sprayed onto a grounded part. The charged particles adhere to the surface, and the part is then cured in an oven, where the powder melts, flows, and forms a uniform, durable film. What makes this process fundamentally different from liquid painting is that powder coatings contain no solvents. They're 100% solids. That single difference has enormous implications for environmental impact, durability, and manufacturing efficiency. Why Powder Coating Outperforms Liquid Paint The performance advantages of powder coating are hard to overstate. Powder coatings form a dense, thermoset layer that provides excellent resistance to chipping, scratching, and corrosion. In many environments, a powder-coated surface can last 15 to 20 years before needing any maintenance - compared to five to ten years for conventional liquid coatings. The material efficiency is equally impressive. Powder coating boasts an average material utilization rate of about 95%, with overspray able to be collected and reused. In some operations, utilization rates can reach up to 97%. Liquid paints, by contrast, often waste a significant portion of the material applied. From an environmental standpoint, the benefits are substantial. Powder coatings are formulated without solvents, resulting in negligible VOC emissions. This isn't just about regulatory compliance - it's about cleaner air, safer workplaces, and a smaller carbon footprint. Studies have shown that switching to powder coating can reduce CO[2] emissions by over 23 kilograms per vehicle compared to traditional solvent-based processes. The Technology Is Getting Better What's particularly exciting is how quickly the technology is advancing. Low-temperature curing powders now cure at temperatures as low as 110 to 140°C, compared to the conventional 177 to 204°C. This has opened up entirely new applications, allowing powder coatings to be used on heat-sensitive substrates like wood, medium-density fiberboard, plastics, and composites. Manufacturers can reduce energy consumption by 30 to 60% while expanding their capabilities. UV-curable powders represent another breakthrough. These coatings cure in seconds under ultraviolet light at low part temperatures, enabling ultra-fast production lines with minimal energy use. There's also growing momentum around bio-based and recycled resin systems. Companies are developing powder coatings using renewable plant-based feedstocks and recycled plastics, including post-consumer recycled PET. These innovations are reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering embodied carbon without compromising performance. Where Powder Coating Is Used The applications are remarkably diverse. In automotive manufacturing, powder coatings protect wheels, chassis components, trim, underbody parts, and accessories like roof racks and running boards. The growing electric vehicle market is creating new opportunities, with powder coatings increasingly used in battery systems, busbars, electric motors, and power electronics - where safety, durability, and thermal management are critical. Architectural applications are another major growth area. Powder-coated aluminum curtain walls, window and door systems, railings, and structural components provide decades of protection against weathering and corrosion. In fact, some architectural powder coatings come with 20-year warranties. Beyond these, powder coatings are essential in appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, ovens), furniture, agricultural equipment, and pipeline protection through fusion-bonded epoxy systems. A Market on the Rise The numbers tell a compelling story. The global powder coatings market was valued at approximately $16.30 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $23.07 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual rate of nearly 6%. The Asia-Pacific region dominates with about 58% of the market share, while North America and Europe each account for roughly 20%. Key players including AkzoNobel, PPG, Sherwin-Williams, and Jotun continue to invest heavily in R&D, capacity expansion, and sustainable product development. What's Next Looking ahead, the trajectory is clear. Powder coatings are moving beyond their traditional role as an environmentally friendly alternative to liquid systems. As curing limitations diminish and performance profiles continue to diversify, powder coatings are becoming a platform technology capable of addressing both sustainability goals and advanced functional demands. For manufacturers, specifiers, and designers, the message is simple: powder coating isn't just a finishing method anymore. It's a strategic materials choice that delivers durability, efficiency, and environmental performance - all in one coat.

PPG SIGMAGLIDE 2390 marine coating receives prestigious green chemistry award from the American Chemical Society. Published: 6-Jul-2026 PITTSBURGH-(BUSINESS WIRE)- PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced that it has received a 2026 Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute. PPG was recognized in the Design of Safer Chemicals category for PPG SIGMAGLIDE(R) 2390 coating, a biocide-free, silicone-based fouling release technology that helps vessel owners and operators improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and avoid the release of antifoulants into marine environments. The ACS Green Chemistry Challenge Awards recognize technologies that advance sustainability through innovative chemistry and deliver environmental, economic and performance benefits. "This recognition from ACS underscores the role innovative solutions can play in addressing complex sustainability challenges," said David Bem, PPG senior vice president, science and technology, and chief technology officer. "With PPG Sigmaglide 2390 coating, our scientists took a fundamentally different approach to marine fouling control, designing a solution that eliminates the need for biocides while delivering significant performance benefits. The coating is also suitable for electrostatic application, a method PPG introduced to the marine industry that helps reduce overspray and waste during dry dock applications. This award recognizes how material design can help address environmental challenges at their source." Marine biofouling on vessel hulls increases hydrodynamic drag, resulting in higher fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. PPG Sigmaglide 2390 coating incorporates PPG HYDRORESET(TM) technology, which senses the presence of water and reorganizes the coating surface at the nanoscale to create an ultrasmooth, ultra low-friction interface. Marine organisms do not recognize the surface as a suitable substrate for permanent attachment and are more readily released during vessel movement. Third party evidence following ISO 19030 and the International Towing Tank Conference standards demonstrates that the coating can provide potential power savings of up to 20% and potential reductions in CO[2] emissions of up to 35%, with actual performance depending on vessel type and operating conditions. "The marine industry is increasingly focused on solutions that improve operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact," said Amy Ericson, PPG senior vice president, Protective and Marine Coatings. "PPG Sigmaglide 2390 coating demonstrates that ship owners and operators do not have to choose between sustainability and performance. By helping reduce drag without relying on antifoulants, the technology delivers meaningful value for our customers while helping protect the marine environments in which they operate." The award reflects PPG's commitment to developing innovative, sustainably advantaged solutions that solve customers' biggest challenges. Through technologies such as the PPG Sigmaglide 2390 coating, PPG combines high performance with responsible chemistry to help customers improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and advance their decarbonization goals. PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD (R) At PPG (NYSE:PPG), Ppgpmc work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty products that its customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, Ppgpmc solve its customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Ppgpmc operate and innovate in more than 50 countries and reported net sales of $15.9 billion in 2025. Ppgpmc serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. The PPG Logo and Ppgpmc protect and beautify the world are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. HydroReset is a trademark and Sigmaglide is a registered trademark of PPG Coatings Nederland B.V.