OEM & Lieferant Ausgabe 2/2019 - OEM & Supplier 2/2019 by VEK Publishing

148 Products and Markets Sustainable action along the value chain By Ralf Otte, head of Marketing OEM Automotive Coatings EMEA at BASF’s Coatings division Paint is a product that not only contributes to aesthetics, but also plays a fundamental role in the durability of a product. Cars are not protected from corrosion and external influences until they have been coated. Paint producers and OEMs continuously develop processes and products that not only ensure a perfect surface but also simultane- ously save resources and energy. A holistic sustainability concept, such as the concept at BASF’s Coatings division, is applied in a number of places in the value chain. During the procurement of raw materials a few parameters can already be adjusted to improve the sustainability of the end prod- uct. The transparent selection of the suppli- ers that ensure safe working conditions and environmentally compatible extraction of raw materials are among others key criteria for the purchasing process. An additional approach involves long-term replacement of critical raw materials bymore sustainable alternatives. For example, the use of lead pigments was already eliminated in the OEM area years ago. Certified sustainable production In production, BASF’s biomass balance ap- proach enables the use of renewable sources. With this approach, fossil ressources are re- placed by biogas or bionaphtha at the begin- ning of the manufacturing process. The more customers buy biomass-balanced products, the greater the share of renewable resources in overall production will be. The European REDcert² certification system guarantees that the share of renewable resources is cor- rectly calculated and allocated. The products contribute to measurable savings of green- house gases such as CO 2 . The formula, qual- ity and performance are identical to that of conventionally produced paints. For OEM automotive coatings, BASF currently offers a biomass-balanced version of an e-coat, an integrated basecoat system and a clearcoat. The sustainable design of the production sites also helps to save resources. For example, dirty washing solutions used to clean con- tainers are cleaned and reused. The contam- inants separated from the solvent are then used in a waste incinerator to generate steam and heat. Products and processes with added value Products that stand out for their reduced share of harmful ingredients and efficient use of materials also offer customers added value. One example of this is the CathoGuard ® 800 RE e-coat, which forms an ideal basis for the further paint system. The product does not use organic tin compounds and has a low solvent content. An optimized film thickness distribution permits material to be saved and, at the same time, guarantees protection of the entire body thanks to its good throwing power. CathoGuard ® 800 RE also contributes to sus- tainability by reducing waste water, which in turn reduces the amount of fresh water re- quired for the process. The “Integrated Process” also offers customer added value. In this process, the primer’s functions are integrated into the basecoat, which allows customers to save an entire step in the coating and drying process. This leads to 15 to 20% lower energy consumption compared to the conventional process. Fur- thermore, the process reduces CO 2 emissions by up to 20%. Functional paints for mobility of the future End customers also profit from BASF‘s devel- opments. The innovative Chromacool paint technology combines color and functionality. A special paint system ensures that the high-en- ergy near infrared radiation (NIR) is reflected, thus reducing the temperature on the vehicle surface by up to 20° C. As a result, the vehicle interior stays cooler and the need to run the air conditioning is minimized. This in turn positively impacts the vehicle’s energy con- sumption and is particularly apparent in the electromobility sector through the increase in range. The paint system therefore not only of- fers protection and an attractive appearance, but also permits additional comfort and higher efficiency. BASF thus integrates the notion of sustainability into the entire paint production value chain. Graphics: © BASF BASF Coatings Division www.basf-coatings.com Website Compared to a standard paint system (left), Chromacool (right) ensures that the vehicle surface does not heat up as much.

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