under
development, and the first commercial products are
expected
in the coming years.
In the packaging coatings sector, mercury vapor lamps
and LED lights are used to cure certain coating systems.
The latter
have clear advantages: longer runtimes, consistent
quality, lower energy needs, less heat generation, and
avoidance of dangerous mercury. Legal requirements restrict
the use of mercury vapor lamps in Europe. For curing
with LED lighting systems, ACTEGA has successfully developed
suitable printing inks and coatings and established
them on the market.
Replacement of Critical Substances
In the year under review, ALTANA succeeded in replacing
further critical substances. For example, at BYK a solvent
was replaced whose use hitherto was drastically limited
by export regulations. An alternative solvent combination
was found that leaves the product properties unchanged.
The substitution of N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), classified
as a reprotoxic substance, was pushed forward in
several projects.
For instance, new formulations of wax dispersions
could be developed without NMP.
At ECKART, the effect-pigment specialist, a group of
emulsifiers was replaced whose use has been restricted
increasingly
within the EU in recent years due to the toxicological
effect of its degradation products on water or-
ganisms. As an alternative, ECKART developed metallic pigments
for environmentally friendly aqueous uses on a
different raw-material basis and introduced them on the
market.
At ACTEGA, adhesives for the PROVALIN product
family
were developed without Bisphenol A. In addition,
these products are free of PVC plastisols and plasticizers
suspected of having negative effects on health.
82 Products
ELANTAS is also continually developing new products with
improved environmental properties. The focus is on low-
emission water-based systems. A challenge in the development
of organic solvent-free technologies is the preservation
or improvement
of the product characteristics and the
performance features. Therefore, the rheological proper-
ties of water-based systems can be optimized and thinner
films can be achieved with the same or better efficiency.
With the product ELAN-Guard 6965, an impregnating
resin
for electric motors, for example, this is achieved through
special emulsion manufacturing processes.
In the period under review, ACTEGA Rhenania developed
and marketed new water-based products with significantly
lower emissions. These products are used in packaging for
animal feed products, among others.
Sustainable Effects for Customers
ALTANA products can simplify our customers’ manufacturing
processes and simultaneously significantly improve the
products’ properties. Both effects not only have economic
advantages, but also have a positive impact on the environment.
ELANTAS’ rapidly hardening impregnating resins, for
example, make a lasting contribution. Through the use
of this technology both the electricity consumption and the
time needed for impregnating low-voltage motors can be
reduced
significantly. Furthermore, through targeted adjustment
of the flow properties the use of solvents can be
largely avoided, contributing to occupational safety, sustainability,
and cost reduction.
With a focus on using resources more efficiently,
ACTEGA
acquired a technology for a new label printing process.
One advantage is that printing can be carried out
with significantly less waste. This technology is currently