Coatings SA July 2020

Issue 2 | Volume 8 | 2020

Calcium Carbonate v Dolomie

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AND INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS

AR

NESS

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ILDING

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Benefits of being a SAPMA member

BU

H

10 YO U R

Industry stalwart retires

D WA R E B U

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EDITORIAL EDITOR Johann Gerber Tel: 011-713-9042 Email: johann.gerber@newmedia.co.za SUB EDITOR Gill Abrahams Email: gill.abrahams@newmedia.co.za LAYOUT & DESIGN Kyle Martin Email: kyle.martin@newmedia.co.za ADVERTISING ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES Natalie Sanders Tel: 082-450-2317 Email: natalie.sanders@newmedia.co.za

ontents Issue 2 | Volume 8 | 2020

PHOTOGRAPHS

Unless previously agreed in writing, Coatings SA owns all rights to all contributions, whether image or text.

SOURCES Shutterstock, supplied images, editorial staff.

DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Felicity Garbers Email: felicity.garbers@newmedia.co.za UPDATE YOUR DETAILS HERE Email: register@media24.com Web: www.diytradenews.co.za PUBLISHING TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Dev Naidoo PUBLISHING MANAGER Johann Gerber Email: johann.gerber@newmedia.co.za

News: World Coatings Council praises SA

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News: Ferro Group launches 80% alcohol-based hand sanitiser

8

News: Praise for SAPMA’s sterling stalwart

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News: Benefits of joining SAPMA

13

News: SAPMA again raises alarm over methanol

18

News: Plascon has rebranded

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Feature: Calcium Carbonate v Dolomite

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PRODUCTION MANAGER Angela Silver ART DIRECTOR David Kyslinger MANAGEMENT MANAGING DIRECTOR Aileen Lamb COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Maria Tiganis BRAND STRATEGY DIRECTOR Andrew Nunneley CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Venette Malone CEO: MEDIA24 Ishmet Davidson Head Office: New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 Tel: +27 (0)21 417-1111 Web: www.newmedia.co.za

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All rights reserved. © DIY Trade News. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

Business agility Businesses have endured an extremely difficult period. If you have received this edition of Coatings SA, and your doors are open, your staff operational, and you are finding new ways to innovate and grow your business, I tip my hat to you.

And that is where I am leaving the talk about Covid-19, the economy, and anything else we can turn into a negative conversation. I am much more excited about what has happened since our March issue of Coatings SA! SAPMA’s AGM went 100% digital, and it was an excellent broadcast.

Yes, they experienced a minor hiccup or latency issue, but overall the meeting was great.

Tara Benn has also assumed the position of executive director at SAPMA. We wish Tara well, and I am excited to work with her. Coatings SA did a quick-fire interview with four of the SAPMA executive members in this issue and we’ll feature more in the next, read the interviews on page 24 and 25.

Tara’s appointment also means

ed’s note

the departure of one of this industry’s major cogs – Deryck Spence. Deryck did not want to reminisce about the past, but I have to say a couple of things Johann Gerber about him. It was around 2012 that I received a phone call from Eben van Zyl telling me that I had to set up an appointment with a guy called Deryck Spence.

In Eben’s words, “Deryck is going to keep you busy!”

How true those words were, one phone call, a meeting, a lunch and voila a relationship was started.

Deryck, as you start a new chapter, I am going to miss our conversations, and those ‘quick’ lunchtime meals to discuss almost every single issue plaguing the coatings industry.

Nothing could deter you from achieving your desired outcome.

Enjoy your retirement!

Keep safe,

news

SA initiatives praised by World Coatings Council

Doyle told the AGM that apart from sustainability, other important current WCC objectives include: • The support of the availability of safe, effective biocides in paint production • The broadening of efforts to deal with plastic pollution caused by coatings manufacture • The elimination of Indian child labour in the sourcing of mica, which is globally used as raw material for paint production • The prevention of EU propagation for the classification of titanium dioxide

The South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) plays a dominant and exceptionally important role in the goals and operations of the World Coatings Council, according to WCC president, Andy Doyle.

D

oyle, based at the WCC headquarters in Washington, was the guest speaker in the recent SAPMA online annual general meeting. “South Africa stands out both in consumption and influence among the 60 countries that make up the Middle East and Africa Chapter of the WCC. South Africa’s annual production volume is 12% and its yearly coatings output is valued at 17% of the MEA Chapter’s values with SA demand for architectural and automotive coatings among the highest in the MEA,” Doyle told the meeting.

He praised the enterprise and initiatives emanating from SAPMA that contributed to one of the WCC’s main goals: sustainability.

Andy Doyle, president of the World Coatings Council based in Washington, has singled out the SA Paint Manufacturing Association representing the SA coatings industry as a dominant WCC member on the African continent.

4 | Coatings SA

SAPMA, and South Africa, is regarded by the UN as the strongest proponent for the elimination of lead in paint on the African continent and has often in the past been consulted by the WCC (an UN-recognised NGO) on the global initiative towards lead elimination.

“The efforts of SAPMA in this regard are highly commendable and hugely appreciated by the WCC,” stated Doyle.

Established in 1992 as the International Paint and Printing Ink Council (IPPIC), the WCC was initially formed for information exchange and cooperation on issues facing the paint and industries worldwide but later evolved into a highly-respected global advisory organisation. c

news

Paint retailers need top-notch skills Online training through SAPMA is now more important than ever, culminating in staff becoming certified paint and coatings advisors.

B

enn says pre-virus research had shown that the sales volumes of retailers are directly proportional to the technical and application expertise of sales staff and their ability to offer professional advice to DIY consumers and paint contractors.

“Now, facing vastly increased competition caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, retailers are operating in a new environment. They will need both expertise as well as products to survive,” states Benn.

SAPMA’s online training is open to all retailers, including non-SAPMA members, and can be downloaded from the SAPMA website www.sapma.org.za. After each module is studied, trainees must

pass an on-line assessment of the lesson before being allowed to proceed to the next of a total of 10 modules. “Once a trainee has successfully completed the 10 modules, he or she must pass an overall assessment of the modules studied before SAPMA issues a Certificate of Competence.

The training videos acquired under licence are not transferable to other parties,” explains Benn.

She says the modules were formulated in collaboration with the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) and cover the use of correct painting systems, selecting materials and tools to be used, plus important health and safety advice. c

5 | Coatings SA

The modules offer training in the painting of: • Gutters and downpipes • Internal and external plastered walls • Concrete roof tiles • Gypsum board ceilings • Window frames • Palisade fencing • Bathroom tiles • Metal roofs • Exterior walls • The varnishing and sealing of external wood.

For more information, e-mail training@sapma.org.za or visit www.sapma.org.za and click on the Education and Training tab.

news

Training vital edge for pandemic survival The South African coatings industry needs trained staff at all levels to successfully regain its momentum after the economic ‘bloodbath’ suffered because of Covid-19 production and staff lockdown losses, members of the SA Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) were told at the recent SAPMA annual general meeting.

T

he meeting, held online to comply with lockdown regulations, was repeatedly warned that the coatings industry would, post-pandemic, be a competitive battleground on which only companies with high level of expertise, and trained personnel could hope to survive.

Aggie Argyrou, who was re-elected as chairman of SAPMA, bemoaned the historical low level of interest in the training of staff offered by SAPMA’s training arm, the SA Paint Industry Training Institute (SAPITI), and said there were no longer any excuses for such apathy. “Every

training programme offered by SAPITI is accredited by the various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and therefore government-funded.

The training also earns points in terms of BBBEE training expenditure for the development and transformation of employees.

There is therefore no reason for any SAPMA member to say his or her company cannot afford training as it is refundable by the SETAs,” stated Argyrou.

Sanjeev Bhatt, who was also reelected as SAPMA vice-chairman, said training is likely to be the vital

6 | Coatings SA

distinguishing factor between companies that will survive the viral bloodbath. “The South African economy, in a sorry state before the pandemic, has been pushed over the edge and it will take at least two years before it will start coming on track again. The coatings industry’s future will now rely on professional revival, handled by competent and trained staff,” Bhatt stated.

Magan Soobramoney, chairman of the SAPMA Training and Education Steering Committee, told the AGM that SAPITI now enjoyed a sound working relationship with the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) which would help streamline post-pandemic training and that government accreditation for paint application tuition was now also operative. He added that SAPITI was also being assisted by online training modules from the British Coatings Federation (BCF) and would also receive tuition assistance from the Oil & Colour Chemists’ Association (OCCA) in future. c

“The South African economy, in a sorry state before the pandemic, has been pushed over the edge and it will take at least two years before it will start coming on track again.

The coatings industry’s future will now rely on professional revival, handled by competent and trained staff” – Sanjeev Bhatt

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news

Ferro Group launches 80% alcohol-based hand sanitiser Considering the current Covid-19 pandemic and the need for clean hands and a safer work environment, the Ferro Group developed Ferroclean hand Sanitiser – an 80% alcoholbased disinfectant hand sanitiser that ticks all boxes. The risk of citizens buying hand sanitisers, at excessive prices, that don’t meet acceptable quality raw materials and standards, motivated the team at Ferro to use their culture of technical innovation and expertise of working with hazardous chemicals to develop a manufacturing line that gives the consumer what they need – a disinfectant that is effective, reliable and priced responsibly.

A

ccording to the WHO the end-product of a hand sanitiser should have concentrations of ethanol 80% v/v or isopropyl alcohol 75% v/v, glycerol, hydrogen peroxide and distilled or purified water.

In addition, the guidelines on hand hygiene in health care recommends using an alcohol-based hand rub for routine hand antisepsis in most clinical situations.

Ferroclean has a total alcohol content of more than 80% which is significant as most of the market is at 60-70% total alcohol.

All the alcohols used in Ferro’s hand sanitiser, are based on either pure potable ethanol (food grade), or pure ethanol 99.9% (USP grade) which have been denatured with approved pure isopropanol 99% (USP grade) or other approved non-toxic denaturants such as Bittrex.

The various alcohols were specifically manufactured to remove toxic levels of methanol or acetates.

It does not contain any dyes or

fragrances that could potentially result in an allergic reaction or skin irritation.

Water is sourced from municipal potable (drinking) water that is regularly tested by the municipality to ensure that it meets the requirements of the South African National Standards (SANS 2411:2015).

The water, used in Ferroclean, then undergoes further purification by the Ferro group using ion exchange resins to produce de-ionised water.

This step removes any traces of toxic heavy metals. Deionised water is classified as ‘'purified water’ in accordance with the US Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines.

A further purification step is applied, that satisfies the requirement for ‘protection against microbial contamination’ and involves the use of hydrogen peroxide in the formulation, which destroys any bacterial spores that may still be present either in any of the raw materials or on the inside of the packaging.

8 | Coatings SA

PRODUCT RANGE Ferroclean Hand Sanitiser is available in bulk tankers of 25 000 -litres and pack sizes of 5-litre jerry cans, 25-litre kegs and 250-litre drums, at extremely competitive prices, with a minimum order quantity of 540-litres (1 pallet).

It is the Ferro Group’s mission to supply a high-quality product at affordable prices without compromising on the quality of raw materials, neither on the processes followed. c For more information, email sanitiser@ferrosa.co.za.

It is the Ferro Group’s mission to supply a high-quality product at affordable prices without compromising on the quality of raw materials, neither on the processes followed.

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news

Praise for SAPMA’s sterling stalwart Deryck Spence retired as executive director of the SA Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) at the association’s annual general meeting on May 12 after having led SAPMA for 11 important years in its 82-year existence.

P

raise for Deryck’s role in the growth of SAPMA has been expressed by both the SAPMA chairman and vice-chairman.

Aggie Argyrou, chairman, says: “Deryck has not only revived an association that was floundering, but also rejuvenated and given the entire coatings industry of South Africa a voice and economic recognition. He used all his vast corporate experience of dealing with officialdom at top level to SAPMA’s advantage and has, in true terrierfashion, never allowed any obstacle to deter him from fighting for the rights of the local coatings sector.

“He raised membership significantly but, even more importantly, brought into the fold the smaller players who collectively now also have unified strength as members of SAPMA. “We cannot thank him enough for his perseverance and passion, which outclass the performance of people half

An icon of the industry - Deryck Spence is retiring as Executive director of SAPMA. his age. Enjoy your retirement, Deryck, and thank you for grooming your successor and still being there to help if SAPMA needs you.”

Sanjeev Bhatt, vice-chairman, states: “Deryck has steered SAPMA to heights where it is now a formidable body not only in South Africa, but globally among equivalent associations in UK, Australia and Canada for example, and as a result SAPMA is now a respected

member of the World Coatings Council.

“His passion for SAPMA was infectious and his never-give-up attitude is one we all have to learn and emulate.

An excellent orator and accomplished author, his great sense of humour always helped to break the ice at the most formal of meetings.

“Despite a long corporate career during his years at Burmah Castrol, Deryck nevertheless understood the importance of small- and mediumsized manufacturers and the value these would add to by bringing them on board.

Today, SAPMA represents over 85% of paint manufacturers and associate industries in the country.

“Deryck is leaving a legacy of success and we are fortunate that he will still be on board as non-executive director to guide all of us through difficult and challenging times.” c

Sancryl peace of mind Sancryl is introducing new health and safety standards at all of its premises - named San-Safe, this series of initiatives will bring its staff and clients peace of mind by adding an additional layer of protection for everyone. Here are just some of the measures that have been introduced.

A

rrival on site: On entering the premises you will asked to social distance in a queue 1,5m away from anyone else in front of you, your temperature will be checked digitally and you will be asked to either sanitize your hands with the disinfectant provided or walk through a sanitizing mist tunnel. You will also be asked to fill in a short questionnaire about your health. After conducting your business before leaving the premises you may disinfect your hands and clothing again if so desired.

with its customer support team will be launching soon. It will allow customers to browse the company’s product offerings, technical information, place orders and request one on one contacts, get technical advice and report book experiences.

Breathing Room: After departure each meeting room will be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly and will be sealed for two hours. This waiting period will be mandatory prior to setting new meetings for the next visitor.

The British Government is being urged not to alienate it from the EU.

Digital customer service App: A live chat solution enabling direct contact

Safety & Hygiene Technology: The company will use the latest

10 | Coatings SA

technologies, such as alcohol cleaning, Cu+ copper protection materials and ultra violet C sterilisation, to ensure all high-touch areas and objects remain disinfected. It will also be disinfecting all objects entering and leaving the premises, such as raw materials, boxes, paper and other stationary and supplies.

A dedicated SanProtect Agent will be responsible for implementing new cleaning protocols, as well as ensuring the latest health and safety guidelines are communicated to staff.

The company is looking to the future with optimism and looks forward to welcoming production back. c

49 2017

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news

85% of business that fail don’t belong to an association The NSBC is the largest SME organisation in Africa with over 141 000 SME members growing at a rate of more than 3 500 new SME members per month. It is an organisation that looks out for SME business interests and improves their value, visibility and credibility. This is a unique opportunity to share news, ideas and best practices; qualify for higher negotiated group savings on the products and services and become better connected with key markets and the resources they need to serve them.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Being an NSBC member comes with many benefits that can boost a business. Members enjoy an exceptional return on investment by leveraging the NSBC’s marketing, savings, advocacy, and networking benefits. While the motivation for joining the NSBC may vary according to the needs of the member, here are some of the top benefits of a membership and how the members can take advantage of all of them.

•ThisNetworking is the most common and most obvious benefit of joining the NSBC. The NSBC provides frequent forums for like-minded individuals to come together to share ideas, strengthen ties, and make connections that would not be possible without the NSBC. If your business is ever in need, you’ll have a massive community of business owners to turn to for help.

Training and education •Continued education and development are crucial to business and entrepreneurial success. If your business is already successful, education is a key to remaining on top. The NSBC holds ongoing webinars, online workshops, and morning virtual networking events that help members to grow, learn, connect, be inspired and have fun.

•

Influence One of the key benefits of joining the NSBC is the ability to support the mission of the organisation and possibly influence legislation that

affects the industry. The combined resources of the members of the NSBC can be used to lobby Government and sway public opinion more positively towards the goals of the NSBC. With the increased level of government regulation in many industries, this is an absolute necessity for the survival of all businesses in this field.

Discounts •Through the NSBC, you can gain discounts on many of your business needs. You can get discounts on insurances, office supplies, logistics, marketing, accounting and payroll services.

•

Information Membership at the NSBC means immediate access to any news or developments that affect your business and the industry. of ideas •NotExchange only do members have access to information about updates to the SME sector, but they can also play a large role in determining these changes.

The NSBC provides a forum for members to share ideas and develop new ways to improve the sector.

Relationships •Aside from all of the benefits that are available through the NSBC, they also provide an opportunity for members to build friendships and personal relationships that can last a lifetime.

Credibility •Being an NSBC member makes your business more desirable to customers.

12 | Coatings SA

When an SME is an NSBC member, other businesses and consumers are 80% more likely to purchase goods or services from the business in the future.

•TheMarketing NSBC will promote your business, from when you first become a member and every day thereafter.

The NSBC has many marketing avenues, including our websites, electronic publications, online expos, social media, and various national events. development •TheProfessional NSBC hosts ongoing professional development events. These events might include training or meeting opportunities. These opportunities help you learn or improve upon skills that are essential to running your business. You can use the professional development events to better your company. involved •By Get maximising your involvement, you will become more aware of business issues. You can help solve problems, and members can help you solve your problems. The more you engage, the more you get out and the quicker you grow your business.

•YouTaxwilldeductions be able to deduct membership fees as a business expense. This helps counteract the cost of the membership.

•TheAdvocacy NSBC supports member

feature businesses. It acts as a voice for the common interests of members, fighting the good fight to protect and grow the interests of every member business.

These are just some of the

most common benefits of the NSBC membership.

According to recent research, over 85 per cent of businesses that fail are not members of an association, so why not choose the most successful SME organisation.

No matter the industry, the NSBC gives their members many advantages in a fast-paced, competitive world. c For more information, visit www.nsbc.africa

The many benefits of belonging to SAPMA With the lockdown providing increasing proof of the merits of the unity, and collective bargaining power, that comes from belonging to a recognised industrial body, Tara Benn, executive director of the voice of the coatings industry, the SA Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA), explains what SAPMA is and does for its members.

E

stablished 82 years ago, the South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA), is the official body representing coatings producers as members as well as associate members who are involved in coatings in an ancillary capacity. In total, SAPMA has over 220 members and is well-known and recognised by various government departments in South African and globally. SAPMA is a member of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) as well as the World Coatings Council (WCC).

The association assists its members with up to date industry relevant information and insures that members are well represented and involved in relevant deliberations and legislation at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Environmental Fisheries and Forestry (DEFF), ITAC (International Trade Administration Commission), as well as the Department of Labour and various other state departments including transport and regulation authorities.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SAPMA MEMBERSHIP? SAPMA represents all sectors of the coatings industry, including manufacturers, suppliers (Associate Members), paint contractors, retail outlets and franchises. Being the united

voice of all these players in the coatings sector, helps to ensure that all sectors of the industry are working together in matters vital for the industry. No matter how big or how small the organisation, it is important to belong to one unifying association so that all levels of industry can benefit and take advantage of the benefits. These include: • Lobbying influence: SAPMA is part of a COVID-19 task team of the Master Builders Association.

This helps to keep members, including paint contractors, to stay informed regarding lockdown regulations and ensure that negotiations on their behalf come from one voice to government organisations.

Apart from this function during lockdown, the combined resources that represent the industry on SAPMA’s Technical Committee, Retail Committee, Education Committee as well as the proposed SAPMA Confederation, deal with regulatory issues and lobbies at government level for the benefit of all in the coatings industry.

SAPMA also constantly tries to obtain relevant and important statistics from members to verify its stature and lobbying clout with government, as well as assist in many other operational issues.

This is an important issue that still needs more commitment and full cooperation from members.

• Training and education: SAPMA’s training arm, The SA Paint Industry Training Institute (SAPITI), offers accredited short courses as well as more technical courses to all members of the coatings Industry.

This assists personnel to perform their daily jobs efficiently by assisting them to understand more about the coatings industry, the formulation and components of paints and different coatings.

Continued education, training and development are critical to all companies, and education is key to a successful business and vitally important to ensure staff remain motivated and committed.

• Information: SAPMA members are kept informed about the latest industry news and developments nationally as well as internationally. SAPMA sends members up-to-date information as well as hosts webinars on relevant topics of discussion affecting the industry. SAPMA also has a WhatsApp group for urgent information dissemination to members.

• Networking: SAPMA hosts a biannual Golf Day for all its members – an event with important networking opportunities in the coatings Industry.

continues on page 16

13 | Coatings SA

A VIRUS WE MAY HIDE FROM ... BUT QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE? NEVER! At Sancryl Chemicals the greatest care is taken when we manufacture our products.

Health and Safety are primary concerns when it comes to our staff and customers!

Our quality controlled products are made in a clean, sanitized, and Covid free plant.

BECAUSSEE AU BEWC E CARE!

WE CARE!

All employees are screened twice daily and every precaution is taken to ensure that our products are not contaminated.

After all - we care about you!

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846 A Water based styrene acrylic copolymer possessing specialized reactive groups which impart excellent water resistance, excellent alkali resistance, extremely good flexibility and very good binding power.

A fine particle sized adhesion promoted acrylic emulsion with excellent water resistance and increased interactivity. Used to make very high quality paints, mostly specified by architects and used in commercial buildings for the best of finishes.

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feature In collaboration with dmg events and OCCA (The Oil and Colour Chemists Association), SAPMA co-presents the Coatings for Africa exhibition and seminar event now due to the held in June 2021 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

This gives all members of the coatings Industry an opportunity to keep abreast of new developments and showcase their products and services to the industry. It also allows networking between suppliers, manufacturers and other sectors in the industry.

Members who attend these functions can build relationships and partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

• Discounts for marketing: Members of SAPMA enjoy discount benefits when booking a stand and exhibiting at this major bi-annual Coatings for Africa Show in mid-2021.

Members also receive discounts

on SAPITI training and education, and SAPMA also allows members to advertise their products and services to other members on its website to inform members of aspects new to the industry.

SAPMA sends this and other information out via the database to assist members • Credibility: Being a member of SAPMA endorses the company’s reputation and products. Being a member of SAPMA influences consumers to trust a business and therefore stimulates sales and profits • Marketing: SAPMA regularly issues professional press releases and publishes articles in various publications such as the quarterly Coatings SA magazine, to distribute information that is industry related • Professional development: SAPMA is in the process of forming a Confederation of many different facets of the

coatings industry, not limited to but including OCCA, CORRISA, WTASA, SCEA, SAPMA and SAPITI.

It is hoped that the Confederation will become a recognised Professional Body, which will benefit the industry as a whole on a variety of issues including wages and transformation.

WHAT SAPMA NEEDS FROM ITS MEMBERS SAPMA would like to hear from its members. Whether an email, a call, or WhatsApp message, all suggestions and comments, good or bad, are needed to optimise the service provided to members. Finally, SAPMA also urges members to pay membership fees promptly to ensure that it can continue to operate and serve its members, and provide the many benefits outlined above. c

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news

Plascon Mobihel races ahead Never underestimate the importance of finishing well, whether you’re referring to a car race, or life itself. In the competitive automotive coatings industry, the perfect finish is what drives customer retention and business growth.

E

nter Plascon’s flagship brand Mobihel, a European auto refinish product with premium technology, that offers a staggering lifetime warranty. Mobihel, which was launched by Plascon in the South African market in September 2019, has been met with such an excellent

uptake that Plascon is expanding its footprint in 2020.

In addition to this Mobihel will not be taking an annual price increase in 2020 so that it can continue to offer a superlative quality product at an affordable price – further testament to Plascon’s commitment to quality and

In addition to this Mobihel will not be taking an annual price increase in 2020 so that it can continue to offer a superlative quality product at an affordable price band – further testament to Plascon’s commitment to quality and putting the customer first. putting the customer first.

Mobihel’s suite of products includes cleaners, degreasers, putties, primers, hardeners, additives, thinners, basecoats, clear coats and fillers. In short, it’s a onestop-shop for those in the automotive refinishing industry.

Although Mobihel is still relatively new to the South African market, it comes with 90 years of experience in producing highly accurate colourmatching topcoat solutions.

Mobihel has earned its impressive reputation by using the innovative ‘firsttime-right’ system to make the repair process quick and easy – saving time and money. With the latest in refinishing technology, consumers can trust that Mobihel will, like other Plascon products, continue to exceed expectations in the automotive industry. c For more information, visit www.plascon.com

17 | Coatings SA

news

Lethal methanol-spiked home brews now rampant warns SAPMA The alarming death toll from the consumption of homebrewed alcohol spiked with methanol during the lockdown in Cape Town has again showed how urgently the government should implement legislation against the use of methanol in paint thinners.

T

his was the view of Tara Benn, executive director of the SA Paint and Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) after seven people had already died after drinking toxic homemade alcohol at a Cape Town house party.

Thirteen others were hospitalised, of whom five were in a critical condition, after they had also consumed the brew that was tainted with methanol.

Because methanol deaths are often misdiagnosed as acute alcoholism, SAPMA believes that there probably have been many more unreported methanol deaths during the lockdown period when alcohol sales were banned, and that home brews laced with lethal methanol are still being widely produced countrywide by locals who cannot afford to buy liquor.

Benn says the fact that bottles of methanol, in the form of lacquer paint thinners, are widely available from retail outlets, should be of deep concern to the government. “The Department of Health years ago announced that methanol had undergone the necessary Socio-economic Impact Assessment (SEIAS) study and legislation for its banning was with the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation for approval. This gave SAPMA hope that methanol would

soon be eradicated from South African retail shelves – but we are still awaiting any meaningful action,” she adds.

“Drinking just a quarter cup of methanol as substitute for alcohol can be fatal or cause blindness.

Death would also result if a child should drink, or just excessively sniff, from a bottle of lacquer thinners left unattended in a garage or workshop.

Methanol is a banned substance in many overseas countries, including

Tara Benn

18 | Coatings SA

China, yet it is freely used in South Africa and invariably sold without any cautionary labelling.

SAPMA is appealing to the government to urgently take action against this poison, which exacerbates the pandemic threat to lives,” adds Benn.

SAPMA prohibits the unmarked use of methanol in its Code of Ethics and labelling, clearly warning that a product contains methanol, is compulsory for SAPMA members.

“SAPMA has now for more than four years tried to have the retail sales of methanol and its use in paint thinners banned. The government should take note of the devastating loss of life experienced in the rest of the world by methanol – and it is undoubtedly also now happening here,” states Benn.

Long before the global pandemic, India has had a thriving moonshine industry, and methanol-tainted illicit liquor has killed thousands of Indian people in the last three decades.

In Europe, also, methanol-laced alcohol has been killing hundreds of people annually for many years with countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia and Poland fighting a booming bootlegging industry which relies heavily on methanol for its deadly product mix. c

news

Plascon looks to the future

Plascon has remained one of South Africa’s go-to coatings manufacturers for over 130 years, as a result of its ability to continuously reinvent itself. This year marks Plascon’s biggest brand renewal yet, with rejuvenated products, exciting initiatives and a bold new look, to top things off.

I

n preparation for this relaunch, Plascon has been in a state of metamorphosis for quite some time. “Businesses are facing a number of challenges this year and an already tough economic climate has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. To continue to remain relevant, we’ve set 2020 as the year to add even more value to our customers in this already difficult market.

In addition to the brand’s refreshed aesthetic and corporate identity, a new range of innovative and eco-friendly products that offer incredible new technologies with advantages for personal wellness and the planet will be available through renewed operations, logistics and distribution,” says Alan Cotton, director of Sales and Marketing at Plascon.

The concept behind Plascon’s new logo is a vision of the future. This idea of a forward-looking vision is intertwined with the golden thread of re-invention that runs through the company.

It tells an inspiring and confident story.

The striking new logo replaces the former ellipse shape and takes the typography of the brand name into a more accessible lower case – with a bolder and upright form that communicates

confidence and leadership. The letter forms are created with even stroke weights as if made with a paint roller or brush, which adds an extra dimension to brand storytelling.

Its iconic oval lives on in the open space created by the new vision field and allows the logo to adapt easily to various online and offline communication platforms.

The logo lives predominantly in a field of red that is intuitive and responsive and can be used as a tag on various executions.

Its colour landscape has also been updated from the previous light red to a rich bold red.

The primary colour palette is vibrant and evokes the sense of a new Africa, creating standout appeal across the brand assets, elevating Plascon’s presence in the mind of its customers.

The new photographic style includes images that speak to its brand story with the paint as the hero.

The style is clean, African, modern and approachable.

Rooted in Plascon’s heritage, the new identity embraces simplicity and contemporary styling, whilst maintaining the boldness and integrity for which it is known.

Furthering its commitment to environmental conservation has been a big part of the relaunch.

The brand is taking meaningful steps to reduce its impact on the environment with the introduction of new, eco-friendly products. One of the innovations that the company will bring to market in 2020 is Plascon TradePro Roof & More, which contains no APEOs – these harmful chemical compounds pollute the water cycle and destroy marine life.

Expect a range of other powerful new products from the country’s leading coatings brand in the latter half of the year, to be launched under the brand’s refreshed corporate identity.

These changes affirm Plascon’s reorientation and refreshed commitment to focus on people and purpose. c For more information visit www.plascon.com.

19 | Coatings SA

feature

Understanding calcium carbonate and dolomite as extenders

Author: Harshil Kansara, technical director, Victoria International.

If the image of coating extenders were on par with the price to performance properties as well as durability – extender manufacturers and suppliers would be highly pleased. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some paint chemists have reservations on the selection of extenders for paints.

E

xtenders may vary in characteristics such as reactivity, sensitivity and solubility in water, as well as ph of their aqueous mediums.

Reactivity may be due in part to origin and processing methods, but some is inherent in the particular extender itself an example, calcium carbonate is more readily affected by acidic conditions.

The reason may lie in the knowledge of their chemical and physical characteristics.

Further extenders may be used in significantly high quantities in paints relative to pigment, binder and additive levels. Paint chemists must recognise the necessity of evaluating these extenders carefully or work closely with the manufacturers and suppliers in open and effective discussions.

In this article the authors examine the use of calcium carbonate vs dolomite in a typical universal matt acrylic paint and textured coating.

Three grades were evaluated: 5microns, 10microns and 45microns (textured). The main purpose is to highlight the individual physical and chemical characteristics of calcium carbonates and dolomite (naturally occurring grades), in terms of their mineralogy, crystal form, presence of impurities, and degree of refinement and processing, mainly for the paint chemist to make specific selections to achieve certain end results in their paints and coatings.

EXTENDERS The range of naturally occurring white minerals and synthetic white inorganic pigments that are relatively colourless and transparent in organic binder films are referred to as extenders.

Extenders are paint additives that are insoluble in the binder and solvents of formula and have little or no opacity or colour effect on the film. They are added to modify the flow and mechanical properties of

Calcium carbonate

the paint as well as the permeability, gloss and levelling characteristics of the paint film.

Extenders are generally used in paints to give or enhance certain properties. They have extensive application, the major areas of use being as fillers and sanding aids in putties. It is used as filling compounds, primers and undercoats as a flatting agent to give inter-coat adhesion.

It has been used as viscosity modifier in matt and semi-gloss paint, as well as a surface modifier in texture paint. Higher micron size such as calcium carbonate 45 or dolomite 45 are used to give the texture effect.

There are several types of extenders available, main extenders used in the coatings industry for various properties are: calcium carbonates, dolomites, barytes, kaolin clay, talc, mica, silica, wollastonite (calcium metasilicate), perlite and vermiculite.

Dolomite

20 | Coatings SA

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feature CALCIUM CARBONATES Calcium carbonate is considered a high-volume usage extender in the industry. It has been the workhorse in the extender range.

It is the most widely used of the extender pigments and is employed as a bright, yet inexpensive extender for titanium dioxide to increase the bulk and lower the cost, as well as to control rheology and gloss levels. It is available in many grades varying in average particle size and particle size distribution.

Calcium carbonate is used throughout water and solvent based coatings for both interior and exterior applications. In exterior application calcite has good weatherability except in highly acidic atmospheres. Its hydrophilic nature accounts for easy dispersibility, especially in water-based systems.

The low oil absorption of calcium carbonate is an advantage as it requires less vehicle to bind it and subsequently leaves more vehicle available to bind to the substrate.

Other than natural calcium carbonates it is also available in synthetic form, which is precipitated

calcium carbonates and nano calcium carbonates, which are used in specific applications.

the major differences in minerology, structure, whiteness, brightness and so forth.

DOLOMITE Dolomite is magnesium calcium carbonate, which is generally used in paint as a filler. Dolomite is a hard mineral, thus it imparts very good scrub resistance to the paint. It is a white extender, which does not interfere with paint colour and give opaqueness to paint film. It is easy to disperse due to its hydrophilic nature same as calcium carbonate.

TECHNICAL COMPARATIVE EVALUATION To highlight the main advantages of using these two extenders interchangeably, a short evaluation on universal or general purpose super acrylic emulsion formula with pvc of 30-35% with carbonate loading of 16% or 200g/l.

The typical 5-micron grades were used in this case.

The results are coming out very similar in terms of washability, opacity, whiteness with slight change in formulation.

The 10 and 45 micron grades were compared in a typical coating formula with a pvc of 76% and 37% loading or 600g/l incorporation of combined 10 and 45. Where it is noted that dolomite with more hardness than calcium carbonate is giving slightly better hardness, which can be obtained by calcium carbonate also by some change in formulation.

Different kinds of calcium carbonate such as precipitated calcium carbonate and nano calcium carbonate makes it more advantageous than using dolomite due to special advantage of brightness and opacity with higher scrub resistance.

PROPERTIES OF CALCIUM CARBONATES AND DOLOMITE Calcium carbonate, the chemical formula of which CaCo3, and similarly dolomite with chemical formula CaCo3MgCo3, does not reflect the complexity of these natural minerals.

In fact, each carbonate deposit has its own genesis and identity, having products with equivalent chemical compositions, but different end properties. Source, origin, temperature and pressure differences and quantities of the original chemical compounds are the root of

Serial Number

Parameter

Calcite 10

Dolomite 10

1

D97

9 to 11

9 to 11 2.5 to 3.5

2

D50

2 to 3

3

Brightness/whiteness

Min 94

Min 94

4

Oil absorption

21 to 23

23 to 25

5

W.d

23 to 25

25

6

Bulk density

800 g/l

900 g/l

7

Specific gravity

2.7

2.89 42.08

8

Loss of ignition

43

9

Mohr hardness

3

3.5

10

Refractive index

1.54

1.58

11

Chemical composition

12

CaCo3

98

40 – 45 40 – 50

13

MgCo3

1

14

Mix oxide

1

5 – 10

15

Filling property

Average

Good

16

Hardness

Average

Good

17

Output

More

Less

18

Chemical formula

CaCo3

CaCo3MgCo3

19

Refractive index

1.5 – 1.64

1.6 – 1.62

20

Chemical reactivity

Affected by acidic conditions

Less reactive than caco3 in acidic conditions

21

Main properties

Whiteness/price

Whiteness/low reactivity

22

Particle shape

Nodular

Rhombohedral crystal

22 | Coatings SA

MARKET RESEARCH The customer base to use extenders include paint, ink, rubber, ceramic, paper, construction and plastic industries. Market research is showing that there is potential of 60 000mt (metric tons) to 100 000mt (metric tons) of market available for carbonates in the South African coating industry per annum where the majority of companies are using calcium carbonates than dolomite due to large production capacity and imports of calcium carbonates against dolomite.

The work horse is calcium carbonate where dolomite is slowly gaining with better consistency and better quality with more equivalent

feature grades to calcium carbonates. Chemists have a wide range of carbonates to choose from depending on cost factors and loading of carbonates and required properties.

Dolomite also has potential of larger volume over time providing a broader range of products competing with equivalent grades to calcium carbonates.

Local companies of dolomite is emerging with higher volume production and with increasing numbers of resourcing where it was a challenge in the past. Other challenges such electricity supply, the right equipment to produce the required micron size material which leads in broader choice of carbonates availability in market have also been overcome.

CONCLUSION Considering the supply of the differing grades, consistency, quality and availability of the local and imported calcium carbonates and dolomites in South Africa, the three grades selected for these evaluations were most appropriate. In our test we found dolomite is harder and thus gives more hardness in texture coatings on coarser particles, and on the other side calcium carbonates are found to be more brighter depending on source of origin.

Calcium carbonates have an advantage in terms of its varieties available in the market over dolomite, which can be used for special applications.

These two products can be interchangeable in some formulations depending on what properties are more desirable for particular formulation.

Chemists can make decisions based on their extensive work in the lab and can interchange with some tweaks in formulation. Further and more extensive work needs to be done on their suitability in other coatings at varying pvc levels and varying loading levels.

In my personal experience I worked with dolomite 45 and dolomite 10 rather than calcium carbonate 45 and 10 and vice versa and both are interchangeable depending on pvc level and desirable properties.

This article is based on basic evaluation done with three different kinds of carbonates used in two universal formulations.

More detail evaluation of different grades of calcium carbonates and dolomites in different kind of formulation will follow in later stage and would be presented in a future article. c

Dolomite also has potential of larger volume over time providing a broader range of products competing with equivalent grades to calcium carbonates.

23 | Coatings SA

Interviews

Meet the SAPM

In every issue we’ll do a quick-fire Q&A with selected members of SAPMA. We kick this off with SAP executive director and Magan Soobramoney, chairman: Education Committee.

Name and Surname: Argyros Argyrou (Aggie) Position at SAPMA Executive: Non-executive chairman Company Name: Warrior Paints and Coatings Focus areas for you during the next year: Growing the coatings industry Beer or Wine? Wine Which sports team do you support? Tottenham Hotspurs and the Bulls Eat out or Eat in? In Which of your habits drive your colleagues mad? My passion for sticking to systems On time or fashionably late? On time Coffee or Tea? Coffee Jacques Kallis or Ricky Ponting? Jacques Kallis Eben Etzebeth or Bakkies Botha? Bakkies Botha Words you live your life by: Respect all people as you expect them to respect you Any talents the industry might not know you have?

Finance and computer skills

Name and Surname: Sanjeev Bhatt Position at SAPMA Executive: Vice chairman Company Name: Synthetic Polymers Three focus areas for you during the next year: Business footprint in Africa, plant optimisation and product development Beer or Wine? Single Malt Which sports team do you support? Indian Cricket Team and the Mercedes Petronas Team (Formula one) Eat out or Eat in? Both – EAT is the common denominator Which of your habits drive your colleagues mad? Perfection and impatience On time or fashionably late? Depends on the occasion Coffee or Tea? Coffee Jacques Kallis or Ricky Ponting? Jacques Kallis Eben Etzebeth or Bakkies Botha?

Eben Etzebeth Words you live your life by: Die another day Any talents the industry might not know you have? Car racing and gardening

24 | Coatings SA

Coat inter

Interviews

MA Executive

PMA chairman, Aggie Argyrou, SAPMA vice-chairperson, Sanjeev Bhatt, Tara Benn,

tings rview

Name and Surname: Tara Benn Position at SAPMA Executive: Executive director Company Name: SAPMA Three focus areas for you during the next year: SAPMA Membership, SAPITI Training and Surface Coatings Employee Association. I would like to grow the SAPMA membership as we have seen during times like these that we are currently living, it is important to have one voice and let your association be the voice for the Coatings Industry.

People need to be stimulated within the industry they work in and need training to enhance their skills and give them a better understanding of the industry, and why it is such an amazing industry to be a part of. The SCEA, needs to be recognised and all SAPMA members need to be a part of this to be able to play a bigger role in wage negotiations and being heard within the NBCCI Beer or Wine? Neither Which sports team do you support? Definitely South African rugby Eat out or Eat in? Eat in Which of your habits drive your colleagues mad? When I sneak up on them and give them a fright. I love doing this, everyone has a good laugh in the office. I love hearing people laugh, it makes me happy On time or fashionably late? Definitely on time‌ I hate being late or making people wait for me. I have a huge respect for people and time Coffee or Tea? Coffee Jacques Kallis or Ricky Ponting? Jacques Kallis Eben Etzebeth or Bakkies Botha? Eben Etzebeth Words you live your life by: Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today Any talents the industry might not know you have? I love to run and keep fit, I love gardening and crafty projects.

Name and Surname: Magan Soobramoney Position at SAPMA Executive: chairman: education committee Company Name: MLK Consulting Three focus areas for you during the next year: Working closely with SAPITI and CHIETA; Education and Training in the Industry; Setting up an independent testing laboratory for R&D project work (MLK) Beer or Wine? Whisky Which sports team do you support? Proteas Eat out or Eat in? In Which of your habits drive your colleagues mad? Talking too loudly, even when we are right next to each other.

On time or fashionably late? On time Coffee or Tea? Coffee Jacques Kallis or Ricky Ponting? Jacques Kallis Eben Etzebeth or Bakkies Botha? Eben Etzebeth Words you live your life by: Truth, honesty, respect, integrity and compassion Any talents the industry might not know you have? Technical training and research project work.

25 | Coatings SA

Image Credits: Shutterstock

Last word

Readjusting 2020 Many businesses were forced back to the drawing board as the global health pandemic caused by Covid-19 forced world economies to a halt. Coatings SA afforded companies within the coatings sector to share some of their thoughts and company news.

BAMR What does 2020 and beyond look like for BAMR? Dire, the extended lockdown was a seriously flawed decision by the powers that be and the repercussions will be long lasting.

The quicker things return to the prelockdown scenario the better.

Any exciting new products being launched that you can share with our readers? Elcometer as our major supplier are always very innovative in their planning and new product launches. With the delays from Covid-19 impacting all industries, the research and development for new instruments have stalled. There are, however, plans though to introduce a new Coating Thickness Gauge as well as gauges that will measure thin coatings on non-metallic substrates.

The timing of these launches is uncertain with the economic uncertainty but the planning is in the pipeline.

SYNTHETIC POLYMERS What steps should the industry implement to navigate the impact of Covid-19 on the South African Coatings Sector? The global economy was already in a precarious place in 2019. Risk of global recession this year is extremely high as nations shut down economic activity to limit the spread of Covid-19. The virus outbreak has disrupted manufacturing supply chains and has sharply curtailed commodity demand.

The SA Coatings sector has followed the same trajectory, if anything it’s slightly worse due to already weak domestic demand and household spending.

This would mean a double whammy

for our economy, as it will have to bear the brunt of both domestic and global demand destruction.

The industry will have to work as a collective to navigate through this very bumpy terrain. Most chemical companies and downstream coatings manufacturers are small to medium scale units and have minimal working capital buffer. Banking assistance would be needed to provide working capital loans on flexible and favourable terms – the same should be lobbied with the government.

Review of import tariffs on essential feedstocks, which are not available locally will also help tremendously.

In a nutshell, this crisis is a story with an uncertain ending. However, this has led to new challenges in the business environment, which calls for a measured, practical and informed approach.

What does 2020 and beyond look like for Synthetic Polymers?

Synthetic Polymers is not immune to the crisis outlined and 2020 definitely is challenging and an adopting phase to the new normal. It's very difficult to predict further into 2021 as there

26 | Coatings SA

are countless variables to consider.

However, the only saving grace being a solid foundation of customer service and quality, which we have laid over the last few years coupled with a varied solvent borne resin product portfolio. This will truly assist us in weathering this storm – not forgetting the support from our loyal customer base that have always stood by us and even more so in such times.

Any exciting new products being launched that you can share with our readers? Synthetic Polymers is constantly developing new products and variants of current resins to ensure optimisation of number of coating formulations.

Especially during such tough economic times it is very imperative to be in position to be innovative and think out of the box. A number of high solids low viscosity products have been successfully manufactured and marketed such as Styrenated Alkyd & Medium oil.

The Acrylated Alkyd for manufacture of DTM (direct to Metal) Coatings has gained much traction and acceptance in the marketplace. c

The polymer that creates colour Synthetic Polymers produces high-quality polymers for various myriad sectors such as decorative coatings, automotive coating, medium to heavy industrial coating and wood coating etc. Solvent based polymers are Synthetic Polymers core focus; however, our plant also has the capability of producing water-based polymers. A wide variety of resins including acrylics, aminos, saturated polyesters and the more popular alkyd resins as well as some specialist resins are produced using the strictest quality standards in our plant. Research and development take place in our state-of-the-art laboratory with the latest equipment and highly qualified polymer chemists. Convenient delivery with our twenty-metric ton bulk delivery vehicle with lead times between twenty-four and seventy-two hours.

• Long oil alkyds • Medium oil alkyds • Short oil alkyds • Short & Medium chain stopped alkyds • Urethane alkyds & Oils • Styrenated alkyds • Hydroxy functional acrylics • Thermoplastic acrylics • Specialty alkyds • Amino resins • Thermoset acrylics • Saturated oil free polyesters

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