Doing More with Less: Why Efficiency and Durability Are Redefining Sustainability in Surface Finishing

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Q: Sustainability in coatings has traditionally centered on emissions and materials content. Why is the conversation now shifting toward efficiency and durability?

A: Sustainability in manufacturing is often driven by regulatory compliance — volatile organic compound (VOC) limits, reporting requirements and material disclosures. But today, customers, brands and supply chain partners are increasingly focused on life cycle impact — not only what goes into a product, but the energy it takes to create that product and how long its usable life will be.

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In industrial finishing, efficiency and durability play critical roles in overall sustainability. A coating that takes fewer resources to apply and performs well over time reduces short-term consumption and longer-term maintenance, meaning less raw materials, energy, labor and transport.

The shift in sustainable thinking

Sustainability is no longer a differentiator reserved for a select group of manufacturers — it’s becoming a baseline expectation. Research from Bain & Co. shows that half of corporate buyers are already increasing business with suppliers that demonstrate stronger sustainability performance, and nearly 70% plan to do even more over the next three years.

For manufacturers, this means sustainability is no longer assessed solely by what a product contains, but also by the resources used to create that product and how it performs over time.

So, what role do coatings play in this new way of thinking? Let’s put regulatory compliance aside for a moment. Today’s manufacturers are constantly challenged to do more with less. Operational efficiency has become a new measure of sustainability, and one that contributes to profits as well as reputation.

Modern coating technologies can help manufacturers reduce environmental impact by improving process efficiency, including:

• Low-, fast- and ambient-cure chemistries shorten or remove bake cycles.
• Single-cure formulas streamline processes and reduce oven demands.
• Lower oven temperatures reduce energy consumption.
• Shorter dwell times increase line speed and throughput.
• Improved transfer efficiency minimizes material waste.
• Less hazardous formulations help reduce exposure risks.

If efficiency reduces impact at the start of the process, durability multiplies those benefits over time. A durable coating helps:

• Extend the service life of finished products.
• Reduce material and energy consumption associated with maintenance.
• Minimize waste and disposal of unprotected products.
• Lower the frequency of recoating and rework.

Industrial coatings have long supported sustainability by protecting substrates from corrosion, wear and environmental exposure. The longer a coating performs as intended, the fewer resources are required over the product’s lifespan, making durability one of the most effective sustainability levers available in surface finishing.

Efficiency and durability in supply chain sustainability

For most companies, the largest share of emissions comes from their value chain, particularly upstream activities like suppliers, materials, energy use and transportation. Under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Scope 3 standard, these indirect emissions can make up more than 90% of a company’s total footprint, depending on the industry and business model.

Because Scope 3 emissions occur outside a company’s direct control, collaboration is essential. Manufacturers are increasingly evaluating suppliers based on how their products contribute to energy efficiency, long-term performance, reduced waste and life cycle performance.

In industrial manufacturing, durable coatings can support these goals by keeping products in service longer and reducing the need for replacement materials — an important step toward more sustainable, resilient supply chains.

A smarter path forward

To remain competitive in an increasingly sustainability-driven market, manufacturers must look beyond surface-level metrics and consider full life cycle impact.

By prioritizing coatings that combine efficient application with long-lasting performance, manufacturers can reduce environmental impact over time, support customer sustainability goals, improve operational efficiency and drive responsible growth across supply chains.

For decades, industrial coatings have helped extend product life. By continuing to innovate around efficiency and durability, the industry is well positioned to help manufacturers meet today’s expectations and tomorrow’s challenges.

About the Author

Jerimy Erickson

Jerimy Ericson is global director of product management for Sherwin-Williams General Industrial. Contact: industrial.sherwin-williams.com