Germany-based Wacker Chemie has said its latest innovations are supporting the Gulf’s need for durable paints and coatings.

“The market for paints and coatings in the Gulf region is continuously growing, especially the demand for durable coatings that suit the regions harsh climatic conditions,” a regional spokesman for the company has said. “Being close to the sea, buildings and structures in the Gulf face high chloride ingress and can be exposed to algae, moss and efflorescence. For this reason, Wacker Chemicals Middle East expanded the Technical Centre in Dubai to incorporate a laboratory for VAE copolymer dispersions and silicone additives and binders for paints and coatings applications. With this expansion, the Munich-based company can specifically support customers in the paints and coatings sector in developing new products and applications taking into consideration locally available raw materials and environmental conditions.”

One of the latest product innovations from Wacker is Silres BS 1346, a product that improves the breathability of the paint and enhances its ability to repel water and dust by creating a barrier on the surface of paints and coatings. Silres BS 1346 also offers an extended open time, an effective combination of the outstanding properties of both mineral and synthetic resin-bound paints. These include very high water-vapour permeability, extremely low water uptake and tremendous durability.

Wacker paint treated with Silres

Silicone resin emulsion paint (SREP), the base technology for the new product, is one of Wacker’s key innovations for the paints and coatings sector. First introduced in 1963, silicone resin emulsion paints based on Silres BS rank among the most advanced facade coating systems today and the product range develops continuously to accommodate to new market demands. With such properties, SREP paints and coatings are permanently protected against UV light and washout.

Another new product in the Gulf market is the low environmental impact, low odour, Vinnapas EF 3818. Designed for decorative coatings, Vinnapas EF 3818 combines excellent properties, such as excellent scrub resistance, high opacity, very good processing properties, good blocking resistance and a favourable cost-benefit ratio, with the potential for formulating low-emission, water-borne interior paints. This new product is ideal for low-odour and low-emission interior paints that have a low VOC content and satisfy current regional environmental and safety standards.

“As the Gulf region is a developing market, builders and manufacturers are continuously building and refining the regional standards,” the Wacker spokesman observed. “Today, regional builders are increasingly demanding more breathable paints and masonry coating because they provide an excellent shield against moisture and dust. Such technology allows water vapour to travel or permeate through the coating system allowing water to evaporate away rapidly unlike regular paints and coatings that are likely to trap moisture inside them. Now, builders in the region realise that using paints with high water permeability makes façades and structures more durable and save money that might be spent on repairs.

“Another key trend in the Gulf today is the increased awareness about the importance of using eco-friendly products. This trend is fostered by new government policies that regulate the standards of buildings and construction materials especially in the UAE having issued earlier this year through the Dubai Municipality the green buildings standards for paints and coatings.”