The future of coatings

Producers of prepainted metal in partnership with suppliers of the metal substrate and organic coatings are innovating to meet evolving market needs. Progress continues to be been made in several areas, including innovation in basic properties, additional functionality, and reducing environmental impact.

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

Trade-offs between these properties are diminishing fast, as new generations of prepainted metal products emerge. Guarantees of up to 40 years routinely being offered to construction customers are evidence of the confidence leading producers have in the credibility and durability of prepainted metals. Meanwhile, the latest prepainted products for the appliance sector continue to show improvements in flexibility and robustness. Innovation in surface appearance is also making waves in the industry. Metalliceffect colours and two-tone colours are popular. Tinted clear-coats can give striking metallic effects, while high-gloss or high-matt finishes continue to inspire.

Added Functionality

Additional functionality is a rich area of innovation. In offering features that add value across environmental, performance and economic metrics, the prepainted metals sector is driving new possibilities of what a coating can be and do. Prepainted metal applications can be integrated with an ever-growing list of additional features including:

  • Anti-bacterial
  • Anti-fingerprint
  • Anti-dirt
  • Easy-clean
  • Non-stick
  • Heat-reflective

These added functionalities already exist in many applications. Meanwhile, current product developments specifically address sustainability performance and reduction of environmental impact. Future innovations could include coatings with built-in ‘self-healing’ qualities or the ability to convert sunlight into energy or capture carbon.