EDITOR’S LETTER
Nowadays, quality is an imperative for any durable consumer good.
Richiedi la versione in italiano a info@ipcm.it
In a life of consumption subjected to the tyranny of the moment (from “Consuming life” by Zygmunt Baumann, 2007), the “fast” philosophy has imposed itself in some market segments (let us think about the spread of fast fashion), i.e. the consumption of goods that are easy and quick to produce as well as replace because they are cheap, conformed, and of poor quality. In other sectors, however, consumers prefer to purchase robust goods, based on sophisticated technologies, with durable, wellfinished, and aesthetically pleasing surfaces, and highly customised. One of these sectors is the automotive one. The car industry is going through a boom period, especially in Asian markets, and OEMs are making significant investments to offer vehicles with superior performance in any segment. Whereas driving performance and comfort are the first factors in the choice of a car, we know that its surface is the “emotional factor” that determines its purchase. In medium-high market segments, consumers increasingly tend to prefer specialeffect colours and multi-layered, iridescent, and matt surfaces. On the other hand, the choice of increasingly lighter construction materials, such as aluminium and carbon fibre, for greater consumption efficiency and lower environmental impact entails new challenges in terms of coating. Furthermore, the trend towards evergreater personalisation calls for the implementation of coating technologies combining speed, efficiency, quality, and extreme flexibility. The era of Industry 4.0 and production digitalisation helps meet all these needs, and the latest developments in chemistry enable the formulation of increasingly sophisticated coating products, with a much lower environmental impact than in the past. Water-based base coats and two-component clear coats are now a reality in the automotive industry, while the first low cure systems are starting to appear, allowing to simultaneously coat different substrates, e.g. aluminium and carbon. This issue of ipcm® includes a technological premiere: Ferrari, the Italian manufacturer of sports cars that are the dream of any passionate motorist, is the first OEM to have implemented a coating system curable at low temperatures for clear coat layers. This project required an 18-month old design and industrialisation process and the involvement of various technology partners, both for the plant and product aspects. It is an absolute novelty in the world of automotive coatings, as well as a solution to the long-standing problem of coating different substrates in-line with the same finishing quality. You will find this and much more in the issue of ipcm® you have in your hands, including a feature article about the technological trends in the auto industry, which has always determined colour trends and driven the development of advanced products and technologies that later reach other sectors…
Alessia Venturi
When the automotive one is already thinking about the next step.
Editor-in-chief Direttore Responsabile
international PAINT&COATING magazine - MAY/JUNE 2018 - N. 51
05
