Gomposite decking Euro breakthroughs benefits from

j'-l r-onal ADVANCEMENTs in materials and manufacturing Ufeatured at the 20 13 European Coatings Show & Congress are finding their way to the latest composite decking materials, according to Dr. Shae Brown, senior chemist at NyloBoard, Covington, Ga., who recently attended the show in Nuremburg, Germany.

Many European product and manufacturing advancements have been borne out of a need to innovate in the midst of stringent environmental regulations, coupled with a desire to achieve greater sustainability. Brown said this setting offers excellent opportunities for U.S. companies to proactively address product development in the context of increasing concerns over similar issues domestically.

Brown recounts top trends and insights from the show, along with their potential impact for NyloDeck: l. Shared knowledge is helping manufacturers address production holistically to identify individual opportunities for greater sustainability.

"By learning from other companies' and industries' best practices, we're looking at how a single step in our production line can either be removed or combined, without sacrificing any quality. That one change can add up to significant energy efficiency, which contributes to improved sustainability."

2. Coatings, which are considered more environmentally friendly, are becoming increasingly prevalent for building materials, without compromising durability.

"We currently use an advanced flexible, yet incredibly durable coating, which provides superior UV protection that enables us to offer a Z5-year fade and stain warranty on top of our 25-year limited residential warranty. However, we continue to work with our coating partners to identify the latest proven technologies that are both environmentally friendly and highly effective against UV exposure."

3. tR llnfrured reflective) coarings have the potential to enhance the properties of decking materials.

"IR reflective coatings can create cooler surface temperatures by efficiently reflecting near-infrared rays of sunlight. This is an exciting advancement not only in the coatings industry, but in the decking industry as well, because this may lead to decks that stay cooler to the touch, even in the heat of the summer."

4. Aduan..ments in weather testing equipment are delivering even higher levels of confidence in product performance.

"By using the most sophisticated weathering testing and equipment, both internally and with third-party labs, we are able to accelerate weathering conditions faster and with more quality control than ever before."

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