November 26, 2003
German Version
Cognis Innovation Award (Silver): environmentally friendly rheology modifier for paints
Cognis’ new DSX® 3075 represents a genuine breakthrough in rheology modification technology. DSX® 3075 is an associative thickening agent containing no solvents or alkylphenol alkoxylates, enabling manufacturers to produce much more environmentally friendly emulsion paints, latex adhesives, and industrial coatings. It is also over 30 percent more effective than existing rheology modifiers, meaning paint manufacturers can achieve significant cost savings. Cognis has recognized the achievement of the staff responsible for this environmentally friendly high-performance product by giving them its Silver Innovation Award.
The quality of modern water-based coating systems is largely dependent on the additives they contain – defoamers, dispersants and especially rheology modifiers. These must enhance paint flow and leveling so that both domestic and professional users can achieve better results in all kinds of conditions. However, most of the existing synthetic rheology modifiers currently in use contain solvents to facilitate their incorporation into the paints. This is undesirable, since these give off a smell, and release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the environment.
Cognis’s DSX® 3075 rheology modifier is entirely solvent-free, yet is still significantly more effective as a thickening agent. As such, it helps meet the current demand requirement for low-VOC and VOC–free paints. This kind of environmentally friendly product is already being used for many applications, and is likely to increasingly dominate the market in future.
Successful North American launch
Ken Breindel, Technical Manager Coating Additives and a member of the team that developed DSX® 3075, says: “Optimizing the associative properties of the polymer and the thickener has a lot of advantages for the paint manufacturers: DSX® 3075 is environmentally friendly, improves flow and leveling, minimizes syneresis and is resistant to bacterial contamination.” Because it is more than 30 percent more efficient in terms of high shear viscosity build than rival products, lower quantities of the rheology modifier are required, reducing production costs for Cognis’s customers. As a result, revenues from DSX® 3075 continue to grow.
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 agriculture 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 recurring) of 393 million euros. The Cognis group generated sales of approximately 2.25 billion euros in the first nine months of 2003.
Note:
Pictures of the 2003 Cognis Innovation Award ceremony can be downloaded from the Cognis image database (www.cognis.com).
Contact:
Ken Breindel, Technical Manager Coating Additives
Cognis Corporation
Phone: +1-215-628-1550
E-mail: ken.breindel@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com
Rainer Höfer, Director Technology Coatings, Graphic Arts & Polymers
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Phone: +49-211-7940-8567
E-mail: rainer.hoefer@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com
Wulf Klüppelholz, Corporate Communications Manager
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Phone: +49-211-7940-6679
E-mail: wulf.klueppelholz@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com