Q. One of our painted products has a matte finish per a customer request, but we have received numerous complaints that the paint scuffs too easily. How can I scientifically explain why matte finishes scuff more easily than gloss finishes? J.C.

A. Since matte finishes contain more pigment than gloss finishes, there are more pigment particles on or closer to their surfaces. Therefore, when a matte finish is scuffed, it is actually burnished (polished by removing surface or near-surface pigment particles). This results in a change of reflectivity in the scuffed area. Gloss finishes also can be scuffed, but the results generally show as scratch marks.

You should look into the possibility that the vehicle in your paint does not provide the scuff resistance of other paints. You may be able to solve that problem by changing to a more mar-resistant or scuff-resistant material. The better paint may be more expensive, but will be worth the cost if it stops customer complaints.

To read more of Carl Izzo's Q&A on Painting, please click HERE

Columbia Chemical has been granted zinc nickel approval by General Motors for Trivecta Ni-Z Black 70 with Trivecta Black Sealer 350 under the GMW 4700 Type B, BL specification.

Columbia Chemical’s unique black all trivalent passivating conversion coating for electroplated zinc nickel alloy is now part of GM’s limited list of approved finishers for zinc nickel.  Ni-Z Black 70 with Trivecta Black Sealer 350 meets all of the GMW 4700 TYPE B, BL specification minimum requirements including 240 hours to white corrosion, 1,000 hours to red corrosion and 61 cycles of the cyclic test.

Columbia Chemical Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of zinc and zinc alloy plating additives.  For more information, contact Columbia Chemical at 330-225-3200, or www.columbiachemical.com

Randy Pappal - Executive Director Global Exterior Purchasing GM, Joseph Schmondiuk, Vice President Global Accounts BASF, Beate Ehle, President Market and Business Development BASF, Greg Warden - Executive Director Global Engineering Body/Exterior GM

For the ninth time in the past 11 years, BASF has received General Motors’ Supplier of the Year Award.

Beate Ehle, President Market and Business Development BASF North America and Joe Schmondiuk, Vice President of Global Accounts BASF Corporation, accepted the award on behalf of the company’s Coatings Division during GM’s annual awards ceremony on March 13 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

“We are honored to have once more earned this recognition from GM.  It demonstrates the great commitment and capability of our team to offer the innovative solutions that GM needs,” said Ehle.

“BASF views GM as a key partner in the automotive industry and we are pleased that we were able to support them on key product launches in 2012 including the 2013 Cadillac XTS and the 2013 Cadillac ATS,” said Schmondiuk.

BASF’s Coatings Division supports GM by combining modern paint processes with special effect pigments and technologies. BASF offers a broad array of color solutions and development capabilities that enable carmakers to improve productivity and environmental performance.    

“BASFhelped play a critical role in GM’s success in 2012 through their dedication and commitment to consistently exceed our expectations by being innovative, delivering high quality products and services on time and by creating outstanding value,” said Grace Lieblein, GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “We are thrilled to recognize BASF, who we consider to be a world-class supplier.”

GM’s Supplier of the Year program began in 1992, and each year a global team of purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives determine the winners of the Supplier of the Year Award. Winners represent "World Class" performance leaders in the areas of quality, technology, price and service.

The Electrocoat Association’s ECOAT14 Conference Steering Committee is accepting abstracts for technical presentations at the 2014 conference, which will be April 22-24 in Orlando, Florida.

The conference is seeking speakers focusing on a multitude of topics within keynote addresses, general sessions and focused workshops. Suggested topics include:

·Application case studies

·Using electrocoat with other finishing processes

·Technological innovations

·Electrocoat as a single-coat process and as a primer

·Process advantages and efficiencies

·Operating an electrocoat system

·Maintenance, quality and safety issues

·Material handling systems

·Troubleshooting/problem solving

·Pretreatment and conversion coatings

·Environmental issues

·Filtration and ultrafiltration

·Marketing electrocoat to end-users 

·Converting to electrocoat from another finishing process

Selected speakers receive complimentary full-conference registration; there is a 50 percent discount for co-presenters. As an added incentive for end users, if a presentation is selected as this year’s best, the Electrocoat Association will pay the presenter’s way to Orlando to present it at ECOAT14, including airfare and up to three nights hotel accommodation.

The deadline to submit an abstract is May 15, 2013. To submit, download the submission form; complete and email to Karen McGlothlin, Conference Manager, or submit your abstract online at www.electrocoat.org

Questions? Contact Karen McGlothlin at 800-579-8806 or kmcglothlin@electrocoat.org.

Coventya has acquired Premium Solutions of Rochester NY. The company says the agreement increases Coventya's market position in the geography served by Premium, and will strengthen Coventya's sales and technical group with the integration of key employees.

Premium Solutions has been in business for 15 years, and theaddition will allow Coventya to continue expansion within the American metal finishing market.

With this acquisition, Coventya also welcomes new employees Tom Casselman and Dave Cadwallader. As of April 1, Casselman will serve as the Northeast Regional Sales Manager while Cadwallader will join in Technical Sales.