MAY 2013 3

F O C U S O N P O W D E R C O A T I N G S

INDUSTRYNEWS

Russkie Kraski shows revenuegrowth above market levels

Russkie Kraski (Russian Coatings)had total sales of Roubles 4.6 bnin 2012, a rise of 9% on theprevious year. Physical output wasdown by 3.6% at 33,400 tonnes.The fall was due to lowerproduction of decorative paintsbased on organic solvents.Demand for the paints andcoatings used in architecture andconstruction fell 5.4%. Sales ofmaterials used in industry wereup 20.5%, the automotive repairsector was up 2%, and powderpaints were up 24.2%. Thecompany’s main aim in 2013 is tobring new industrial-grade paintsand coatings onto the market andincrease local capacities at theDupont-Russkie Kraski jointventure. The company is also toexpand production of powderpaints (manufactured at theYaroslavl Powder Paint Plant), andreverse the downward trend in thesales of decorative materials(Yaroslavskie Kraski brand).

Original Source: RCCnews, 20 Feb 2013,(Website: http://www.rccnews.ru/eng) © RCCnews.ru 2013

Protech/Oxyplast Group announcesexpansion

US-based Thermoclad Co willdivest its thermoplastic powderand liquid coatings businesses toCanadian firm Protech/OxyplastGroup. The liquid and powdermanufacturing operations ofThermoclad in Erie, PA, USA, willbe maintained by Protech.

Original Source: Paint & Coatings Industry(PCI), Feb 2013, 29 (2), 20 (Website:http://www.pcimag.com/) © BNP Media 2013

Hentzen Coatings announcesacquisition of CrossLink PowderCoatings in Clearwater, Florida

Hentzen Coatings Inc ofMilwaukee, WI, USA, a

manufacturer of industrial coatingsin the USA, has announced theacquisition of the assets ofCrossLink Powder Coatings ofClearwater, FL, USA, effective 28 Feb 2013. CrossLink producesand sells powder coatings for thegeneral industrial and architecturalmarket segments, and has beenin business since 1996.

Original Source: Hentzen Coatings, 2013.Found on SpecialChem Coatings and InksFormulation, 5 Mar 2013, (Website:http://www.specialchem4coatings.com)

Teknos, Finland acquires KemifloraKaubandus

Teknos, Finland, a maker ofpaints and coatings, is seeking toacquire Kemiflora Kaubandus,which is a subsidiary of theKemiflora group, Estonia, duringFeb 2013, subject to approval bythe Estonian competitionauthorities. The 2 groups havecooperated over several years.Kemiflora imported Teknosproducts into Estonia. KemifloraKaubandus has a turnover ofabout €5 M/y. This acquisition willenable Teknos to strengthen itsposition in Estonia, where itsmain activities are liquid paints,powder coatings for metalproducts and industrial coatingsfor wood and architecturalcoatings. In Nov 2012, Teknosacquired Wedevag Farg, aspecialist in paints for wood andmetal industries with a turnover of€13 M. Teknos took over itsSwedish research & development(R&D) centre, to be a centre ofexcellence for interior wood.Teknos has production units in 7countries: Finland, Sweden,Denmark, Germany, Poland,Russia and China, with a turnoverof €250 M/y.

Original Source: Double Liaison, Mar 2013,(591), 10 (Website: http://www.idexpo.com)(in French) © Le Groupe ETAI 2013

AkzoNobel closes 2012 in the redand modifies strategy

2012 was not a profitable year forDutch chemicals group AkzoNobelwhich posted net losses of €2.17

bn. This decline was blamed onthe marked downturn in itsdecorative paints business (mainlyin Europe) during 3Q 2012. InSep 2012 AkzoNobel posted netlosses of €2.4 bn. However, 2012earnings before interest, tax,depreciation and amortizationgrew by 4% to €1.9 bn. Turnoverwas up 5% to €15.39 bn. Saleswere boosted by favourableexchange rates and higher prices.However the group suffered adecline in sales by volume, largelybecause of falling demand inEurope. Turnover from decorativepaints increased by 2% to €4.3bn. Sales progressed well in Asia,thanks to demand from China. Bycontrast the situation was moredelicate in Europe (particularly inFrance, Spain, Italy and Greece)where sales fell by 1%.

At end 2012 AkzoNobel sold its N American decorative paintsdivision to US company PPG for$1.05 bn. AkzoNobel’s secondlargest division (performancecoatings) increased its 2012turnover by 10% to €5.7 bn. Thestrongest growth (13%) wasregistered by the marine andprotective coatings segment. Insummer 2012 AkzoNobelstrengthened this division throughthe acquisition of Germancoatings manufacturer Schramm,plus the coatings business of SKorean company SSCP.AkzoNobel’s third branch(speciality chemicals) posted a4% increase in turnover to €5.54bn. Although this business started2012 well, it began slowing downin 2H because of falling demand,particularly in Europe. Howeverthe integration of Chinesesurfactants producer BoxingOleochemicals at end 2011resulted in a 15% in sales ofsurface chemicals. AkzoNobelpredicts that 2013 will be adifficult year with no fundamentalchanges in the economic climate.The group is aiming for operatingprofitability of 9% (of turnover) by2015. At end 2015 it expects toreturn to an investment level of14% of turnover and a net debtsto earnings before interest, tax,