Innovative products
BackInnovative products
The producers of prepainted metal and the suppliers of the metal substrate and the organic coatings are continually innovating to meet the needs of the market and to satisfy customer needs. There are three main fields of innovation in prepainted metal products:
Innovation in basic properties
The basic properties of the organic coatings for prepainted metal include:- Protection of the metal substrate
- Durable and resistant to the effects of weathering
- Flexible to withstand the forming process
- Hard and robust against physical damage
- Aesthetically attractive
There are naturally trade-offs between these properties but prepainted metal products are constantly evolving to provide improved performance at an economic cost to the customer.
The durability of prepainted metals for the construction market is illustrated by the length of guarantees (up to 40 years) that are now offered by the leading producers of the product. The latest products for the appliance sector continually show improvements in flexibility and robustness.
Innovation in surface appearance remains a key focus for the industry. Metallic-effect colours are now common, while two-tone colours are also available. Tinted clear-coats can give interesting metallic effects and high-gloss or high-matt finishes open up new possibilities for designers.
Added functionality for prepainted metal
Prepainted metals are available with additional functionality included in the organic coating. Examples of this added functionality are:
- Anti-bacterial
- Anti-fingerprint
- Anti-dirt
- Easy-clean
- Non-stick
- Heat-reflective
These added functionality gives added value in many applications, but the coatings of tomorrow may include even more such as self-healing coatings or the ability to convert sunlight into energy or capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere...