PRODUCTS & PROCESSES
How are sustainable innovations impacting the world of coatings ?
As any material or packaging manufacturer will know , perfecting the finished coating of your chosen packaging type is critical for a wide range of reasons . Whether you need to stand out on the shelves , protect the contents of your package , or ensure your goods will adhere to relevant industry guidelines , quality control is critical .
From polishing your paint to curing your coatings , we understand your needs will be varied . As your global test and inspection partner , we offer a wide range of packaging , product , and material test and inspection solutions available for manufacturers , production lines , and laboratories across the globe .
Sustainable packaging challenges
We ’ re always eager to learn more about the challenges facing packaging and material manufacturers . So , we decided to reach out to industry experts to gather insights on an ever-changing topic .
Our latest insight report , ‘ 2022 Global Outlook of Sustainable Packaging ’ surveyed 255 packaging decision makers across a range of markets – including the inks and coatings space . These insights allowed us to find out how sustainable innovations are impacting quality control . Interestingly , 71 % of respondents told us that new developments make things more difficult . ( https :// industrialphysics . com / campaign / what-the-world-thinks-about-sustainablepackaging-and-quality-control /? utm _ source = publication & utm _ medium = surface _ world & utm _ campaign = publication _ march22 )
Adhering to relevant compliance standards
When asked about testing standards in relation to sustainable materials , almost half ( 49 %) said that their ability to meet safety and testing standards was one of their biggest challenges .
Nico Frankhuizen , Manager of Product Management at Industrial Physics , offered some background on this obstacle , “ A lot of new materials mean that we are dealing with limited established test methods . So , if a customer comes to us thinking they may need a certain type of equipment or test , we may end up advising them that a different tool might be better .”
A lot of the time when dealing with new sustainable materials , the biggest obstacle centres around the fact that conventional standards may not be fit for purpose in this new context .
“ We had one customer who had serious issues with their packaging ,” says Nico . “ They wanted to test the quality of cardboard drink boxes , but there was no real method to test the hardness of the coating on the box .” This is where working with a testing and equipment partner became critical . “ We have technology within paints and varnishes that ’ s been used for 70 years ,” explains Nico , “ so when we applied our expertise to their problem , we were able to give them a means of differentiating between good or bad results .”
Inks and coatings test methods providing issues
When asked to name testing applications that were providing the biggest challenge in relation to meeting quality standards , testing surrounding coatings came out on top . 44 % of respondents mentioned coatings , printing , and labelling as a top obstacle in this area .
So , what does this mean for surface and coatings testing moving forward ? If we are striving towards the development of new sustainable materials , does an investment need to be made in delivering new test methods ? Or is there scope to enhance existing methods to make them fit for purpose ? One thing ’ s for sure – as the industry evolves , test and inspection partners like Industrial Physics need to be at the forefront of this revolution .
About Industrial Physics
Industrial Physics – the parent company of numerous brands such as TQC Sheen – has been providing test and inspection solutions to organizations across the globe for almost 100 years . If you ’ d like to find out more about how they can support your unique needs , get in touch .
Contact form online : https :// industrialphysics . com / campaign / speak-with-a-member-of-theteam-thoughtleader /? utm _ source = publication & utm _ medium = surface _ world & utm _ campaign = publication _ march22
Visit for more information : https :// industrialphysics . com twitter : @ surfaceworldmag MARCH 2022
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