Ashland Specialty Ingredients recently received a Ringier 2013 Coatings Technology Innovation Award for its breakthrough Natrosol™ Performax paint thickening technology. It is the third consecutive year Ashland has won the innovation award. Natrosol Performax was officially introduced to China's market in 2012.

BASF has acquired new business with Ford Otosan and has supplied basecoats and clearcoats for the company's plant in Kocaeli, Turkey, since the beginning of this year. Ford Otosan, the leader of Turkish automotive industry, is positioned as the commercial vehicles production hub of Ford Europe.

The European Commission has launched a new three-year project "Bio Base NWE" to support the development of the bio-based economy in North West Europe (NWE). The €6.2 million (£5.35 million) project will work mainly with small and medium businesses (SME's) to help facilitate innovation and business development in bio-based technologies.

Kuraray has recently announced a Commercial Acceleration program with SpecialChem to support the growth of its MPD based Polyols in Coatings & Adhesives markets. SpecialChem will support Kuraray in the business development strategy of its MPD based Polyols. The custom Commercial Acceleration Solutions have been designed to bring speed and market reach as well as act as an extended arm of Kuraray business development team...

MACtac® Roll Label secured Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Recognition for EFI Jetrion UV digital label inks used with its durable films, including: FAD6914, BDE6914 and FCD6914. "With the shift toward digital printing, UL Recognition for printing our durable films digitally is a major advantage to converters," said Kim Hensley, Product Manager, MACtac Roll Label.

Delta Manufacturing, Inc., a Newport, Ark.-based maker of steel trailers, announced that it has selected PPG Industries' commercial coatings group as its paint supplier. Ron Yarnell, PPG OEM sales manager for commercial coatings, said, "We are very pleased Delta has chosen PPG as its coating supplier. We are proud to provide them with our proven technologies, total color solutions, and best-in-class service - key areas of support that are critical for Delta and the entire trailer industry."

For the second consecutive year Oxiteno has won the Paint & Pintura award, the "Oscar" of the Paint industry, in the Oxygenated Solvents category. The 17th edition of the award was held on May 3rd in São Paulo. The event was attended by 883 professionals of the paint industry that competed in 50 categories, assigned to recognize the best practices of suppliers, the best paint manufacturer and the professionals of the year.

Over the past few years, the Indian paint market has substantially grown and caught the attention of many international players. The growth in the market is driven by emergence of the middle class in India, growing infrastructure, increase in the tendency to spend and growing young population inclined towards lavish lifestyle. On the back of such advocacy, it is anticipated that the sector will post a CAGR of around 16.2% during 2013-14 to 2015-16, according to RNCOS recent research report, "Booming Paint Industry in India".

Edeniq, a biomaterials and sustainable fuels company, recently announced that the company's first demonstration plant, located at its Visalia, CA headquarters, has completed a successful "performance test" that exceeded the benchmark of 1,000 hours of continuous operation. The Corn-to-Cellulosic Migration plant utilizes Edeniq's proprietary technology to process over one metric ton of cellulosic feedstock per day to cellulosic ethanol, exceeding the plant's initial target.

Industrial Nanotech, Inc. announced that the Company has recently received an initial order of 3300 gallons of Nansulate® Crystal for a large project. The retail value of the initial order is $280,335 and this is the first of five similar size orders planned for a commercial building renovation. The Company anticipates that all five orders, totaling over 15,000 gallons and $1,400,000 in retail value, will be filled over the next 12 months.

Transparency Market Research's latest report "Powder Coatings Market for Automotive, Electronics, Architectural and Industrial Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2012 - 2018" comprises a detailed description on the forecast and analysis of the powder coatings market on a global as well as regional level. The forecasted demand is based on volumes (kilo tons) and revenue (USD million) for a time period ranging from 2012 to 2018.

The American Coatings SHOW and CONFERENCE has been named one of the "Top 250 Trade Shows of 2012" in the United States by Trade Show News Network (TSNN). The AC 2012 SHOW and CONFERENCE made its debut appearance on the annually published list, ranking #202 of 250. The 2012 Top 250 Trade Shows ranking is the second major trade shows industry recognition for the 2012 AC SHOW and CONFERENCE.

The Valspar Corporation (NYSE: VAL) has reported second quarter 2013 net sales of $1.03 billion, equal to the prior year. Reported net income and earnings per diluted share for the current and prior year include several nonrecurring items, which are detailed in the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included in this release. Second quarter 2013 adjusted net income and earnings per diluted share, excluding these nonrecurring items, were $83 million and $0.91, respectively.

BASF announced that it has appointed Chemroy Canada Inc., as a Canadian distributor for polyurethane chemicals to the Coatings, Adhesives & Binders, Sealants and Elastomers (CASE) market. With world-scale production facilities in Geismar, Louisiana, BASF has a strong presence in the CASE market via the direct and distribution sales channels. The addition of Chemroy Canada Inc. in Canada strengthens BASF's presence, and further emphasizes the strategic importance of the CASE market segment.

Laser direct structuring (LDS) has established itself as the most flexible process for producing three-dimensional strip conductors on plastic. The boundaries are now being pushed further by an experimental coating powder with an LDS additive: now metal surfaces can also be upgraded to three-dimensional molded interconnect devices...

Every time a firefighter braves an inferno, a scientist wonders if a new material or special flame-resistant coating could be created to protect him. Today, armed with nanocomposite techniques and insights into bio-based materials, new classes of smart, adaptable super-surface coatings are possible, according to European researchers.

Solar Impulse, the solar airplane of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, successfully launched the "Clean Generation" initiative by completing the first leg of the 2013 Across America mission – the first crossing of the United States by a solar-powered airplane capable of flying day and night. By crossing the United States André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard are launching the "Clean Generation" initiative...

The American Coatings Association (ACA) has announced the availability of updated figures for its U.S. Paint & Coatings Industry Market Analysis: 2010-2015. The discontinuation of the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Industrial Report program, which had collected and published quarterly and annual information on shipments of paints, coatings, and allied products...

Evonik Industries has started basic engineering for a production plant for precipitated silica in Brazil. Subject to the approval of the responsible bodies, Evonik aims to complete the plant in the year 2015 to market precipitated silica in the South America region from local production. The planned facility in Americana, with an investment...

BASF's Automotive Refinish business awarded its 2012 ColorSource Distributor of the Year Award to Micro Auto Paint and Supply based in Highland Park, Michigan at its annual ColorSource™ Conference on April 19th in Clearwater Beach, Florida. ColorSource PREMIER is a program designed by BASF exclusively for single-line distributors of BASF refinish paints and coatings...