China's increasingly prominent regional compound air pollution is closely linked to the coatings industry. Therefore coatings enterprises should play an important role in reducing air pollution. Water paint (water-based paint) is an environmentally friendly coating that effectively reduces air pollution. Using water as diluent and containing no organic solvents, it has no benzene series, formaldehyde, free TDI (toluene diisocyanate) or toxic heavy metals, and is non-toxic and non-irritating. Generally, traditional solvent-based coatings release about 50% VOC - one ton releases about 500 kg of harmful volatile gas - while water paint emits about 1/10 of oil-based paint, roughly 50 kg per ton. As environmental awareness grows and the state tightens regulation, traditional oil-based products face major upheaval, and new low-pollution water-based coatings are gradually taking the market and becoming the industry's future direction.
Huge opportunity in industrial coatings
As a key supporting material for the national economy, coatings output has hit record highs with the development of real estate, automotive, shipbuilding, furniture, home appliances, containers, bridges, steel structures, rail transit and new energy. China has ranked first globally for 12 consecutive years, with output surpassing 24 million tons.
Compared with architectural coatings, China's industrial coatings hold about 60% of the market but remain fragmented. Currently, of the nearly 70%-share industrial coatings, the water-based ratio is below 15%. Under stricter environmental policy and the "carbon neutrality" strategy, the eco-friendly trend in industrial coatings must accelerate; water-based, high-solid, UV-curable, powder and solvent-free coatings will gradually replace oil-based paint, creating opportunities in the transition.
China's industrial anti-corrosion coating demand is about 2.5 million tons/year, of which up to 1.8 million tons could be replaced by water-based industrial anti-corrosion coatings. Due to limitations of traditional coatings, resource waste reaches over 4 billion yuan/year, with immeasurable environmental harm. Reform of the coatings industry is imperative; water-based industrial anti-corrosion coatings will inevitably replace traditional ones. Internationally the revolution is complete - water-based coatings hold 70%-80% of the market, even 90% in some developed countries.
Corrosion protection and environmental protection have long been in tension, mainly because, to better protect and decorate steel structures and industrial machinery, we still use vast quantities of solvent-based coatings. From production to use, these emit large amounts of VOCs, harming air, water and human health. The industry never stops exploring the balance. Against corrosion, fully using innovations in corrosion science could cut corrosion losses by one third. Against pollution, we transform - replacing oil with water, overcoming corrosion through technological innovation that is also more eco-friendly and energy-saving.
Developing environmentally friendly heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings is a key project many developed countries are actively exploring, and an emerging field in China. Driven by national policy, green high-efficiency products have been widely applied. Under the call for green heavy-duty anti-corrosion, water-based industrial coatings have been promoted and their use in industry is rising.
Changzhou Lihe Xu Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. specializes in eco-friendly water-based industrial paints and coatings. For product details, technical data and consultation, please contact us at 13809076780.
