Press Room
May 13, 2003
Cognis system capability spans from industrial floors to the reproduction of tiles of historical significance.
The Cognis WATERPOXY® water-based epoxy resin system has been tested and proven for individual solutions and reconstructions.
The Cognis Waterpoxy product line is an adaptable water-based epoxy resin system that can be tailored for specific applications by simply adding customary fillers or sand, or by dilution with water. The concrete and corrosion protection properties of the Waterpoxy system are ideal not only for large industrial floors, but also for the detailed reconstruction of historical materials such as tiled and wooden floors.
The capabilities of this Cognis system were clearly demonstrated during the renovation of the Federal Office for Goods Transport in Munich, Germany. During the installation of a one-hundred year old elevator in the building, gaps had appeared between the base plate and the entrance. Additionally, some of the original floor tiles, already exhibiting damage over time, were further altered during the process (note Figure 1 and Figure 2). The customer, therefore, decided to have the tiles restored to their original condition using a Cognis Waterpoxy coating.
In order to guarantee consistency in the appearance of the floor, all impurities were initially scraped out while loose particles were removed form the background. Subsequently, the gaps in the tiles were filled using a mortar on the basis of Waterpoxy. The decorative work was then carried out the following day using a self-distributing Waterpoxy coating.
The heavily damaged tiles in the transitional area between the tiled floor and the entrance to the elevator were completely removed and filled using the special mortar. To reinforce the area, gauze and an expansion joint were added to the mortar. After two days it was also possible to level off and smooth out the background using the self-distributing coating. Finally, a special Waterpoxy top coat was applied that exactly matched the shade and structure of the historical tiles. As the last stage of the process, the floor was sealed using a matted coating lacquer from the same product line.
Michael Merkel, Chief Executive Officer of Merkel Coatings, the company commissioned for the job and located in Gattendorf near Hof (Germany), was impressed with the versatility of the Waterpoxy coatings. “It would not have been possible to reproduce the historical tiles using traditional materials. The ease of water dilution and length of processing time really contribute to the amazing ability of this system to reproduce such exact details—without even getting the tools too sticky. The best thing about it, however, is the extensive durability of the coatings—which is why we also prefer them for projects involving industrial floors.”
As the formulation does not contain any solvents or reactive diluting agents, the water-based epoxy resin has a very low toxic level and does not emit any offensive odors during processing. Additionally, tests have shown excellent pigment wetting combined with good resistance to chemicals.
Guido Willems, head of the Cognis business unit Functional Products, is highly pleased with the positive reaction of the system to date. “At Cognis, our strategy is to develop highly-effective, environmentally-friendly products that help our customers achieve their goals. We are very proud of the success our customers are achieving in the industry and we look forward to continued close working relationships with them in the future.”
WATERPOXY® is a registered trademark
About Cognis:
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients with almost 9,000 employees in close to 50 countries. The company has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Additionally, Cognis provides solutions for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles and plastics, as well as agro and mining.
Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and Schroder Ventures Life Sciences. In 2002, Cognis recorded sales of 3.1 billion euros and an operating profit before depreciation, amortization and exceptional items (EBITDA running) of 393 million euros.
Contact:
Dr. Thorsten Roloff, Technical Manager PCI
Cognis Deutschland, GmbH & Co. KG
Telefon: +49-211-7940-9148
e-mail: thorsten.roloff@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com
Martin Hrzibek, Application Engineer PCI
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Telefon: +49-211-7940-6176
e-mail: martin.hrzibek@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com
Wulf Klüppelholz, Corporate Communications Manager
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Telefon: +49-211-7940-6679
e-mail: wulf.klueppelholz@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com