Vehicle refinishing product

The European so called solvents emissions directive provides the currently most stringent regulations on the release of odours from VOCs or fogging of the interior windscreen by semi volatile emissions (SVOCs (semi-volatile organic compounds), FOG) with the maximum limit values for vehicle refinishing products (European Commission, 2004, 2010). 

European Commission (2004) Directive 2004/42/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products and amending Directive 1999/13/EC. Off. /., L143, 87-96. 

The aim of the European Solvents Directive is to assist Europe in reaching the reductions in VOC emissions that it has to make under the 1991 Geneva Protocol. The VOC Directive contains a solvent consumption threshold for the vehicle refinishing industry of 500kg solvent per year. To ensure that small refinish shops are covered, a product-based Directive, where the VOC content of paints used in the sector would be regulated, may be introduced. The current situation in the US regarding VOC limits on coatings used in the architectural and industrial maintenance sectors is examined. 

The original development of non-isocyanate acrylics was targeted in the early 1980 s at the vehicle refinishing market. The products were developed to be direct alternatives to the isocyanate cured acrylics and polyesters used in this market, due to the inherent toxicity problems of the isocyanate crosslinker. However, the slower cure and lower resistance characteristics of the non-isocyanate products restricted their development in this field and wholesale replacement of two packs by non-isocyanates has not taken place. Nevertheless the anhydride/hydroxyl and amine/epoxy systems have developed well in the captive VR markets in North America and Western Europe, respectively. 

As a result of its excellent fastness properties, P.R.170 is used in high grade industrial paints. The pigment lends color to finishes for tools, to implements, agricultural machinery, and commercial vehicles the opaque varieties are also used for automotive finishes, such as automotive refinishes. Thorough testing is necessary before a product can be used in original automotive finishes, for which full shades of P.R.170 are sometimes employed. 

The automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) sector is one of the easiest paint subsectors to define, and is arguably the one with the highest public profile it includes all paints applied to the vehicle body shell in the paint shop of the manufacturer s production line. It does not include parts painted offline (e.g. plastic components, underbody or trim parts) or refinish items. The sector is dominated by car and light vans both in terms of unit volume production and paint tonnage used other commercial vehicles only account for about 15% of European automotive coating use the percentage is similar in the USA. 

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