Client News: Mirror manufacturers benefit from Valspar’s continued investment in high-performance, cost-saving coatings

Valspar, a global leader in delivering innovative technology to the coatings industry, continually invests in mirror coatings and solutions benefitting the interior, automotive and solar markets around the world. Several new products are under development to support mirror manufacturers’ performance, economic and environmental goals.

“Valspar’s philosophy on new product development is centered on driving high-performance technology in mirror coatings and solutions to optimize mirror production costs, while simultaneously providing for a cleaner and safer environment for workers and end-users,” says Petra L’Abbe, Valspar’s global business director for mirror coatings and solutions.

“As in every other one of our businesses, Valspar is investing substantially in new technology development to enhance product performance,” adds Dr. Jochem Effing, technical director of industrial and automotive for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India research and development.

Based in Eschweiler, Germany, Effing works with a team of dedicated research and development professionals. He notes, “Our team is committed to developing the next generation of coatings and solutions technologies for Valspar mirror customers around the world to keep them on the cutting edge of performance and, just as importantly, optimizing their costs.”

Valspar’s new mirror coatings and solutions product developments include:

• High Surface Performance (HSP) technology for interior mirrors– Valspar’s HSP technology provides high-performance surface protection, while decreasing coating film weight and associated costs. This new technology also is available in a waterborne coating option.“This new resin technology has been developed into a high-performance coating platform for interior mirror applications that enables a 20-25 percent reduction in applied coating film to the finished mirror, while providing the high level of performance expected from Valspar products,” describes Bernhard Esser, technical manager for Valspar’s mirror technology. “This new technology results in significant savings potential for our customers.”

  Meeting or surpassing industry standards, test results for interior and automotive mirrors coated with Valspar’s HSP technology indicate a high resistance to corrosive atmospheres as validated by the copper accelerated acetic acid salt spray (CASS) test and the hydrochloric acid (HCL) dipping test. Valspar’s HSP technology is derived from high-performance resin technology designed for coatings applied on mirrors in solar fields that withstand extreme climates.

• Since 2003, Valspar has supplied coatings to the solar mirror industry. Used in the production of both flat and parabolic solar mirror reflectors, Valspar’s materials now are relied on in solar fields across the globe. Today, Valspar is the leading supplier of coatings and solutions materials utilized in the manufacture of mirrors used to produce concentrated solar power (CSP).Traditionally, coatings for solar mirrors have required a three-coat paint system. Reducing costs for CSP manufacturers and end-users, Valspar developed a new, two-coat paint system to protect the reflective silver metal layer of solar mirrors, reduce the film weight and save up to 25 percent in associated costs.

  Subjected to natural static weather testing in Florida, a comparison with traditional three-coat systems showed that Valspar’s two-coat paint system delivers the same, high-performance protection for surface and edge corrosion.

• Zero-lead, water-based paint system for solar mirrors – “Historically, solar mirrors have been manufactured with a lead-containing, solvent-based paint and copper solutions. Valspar is on the brink of commercializing the industry’s first zero-lead, water-based paint system for solar mirrors -- supporting the environmental goals that renewable energy, solar power represent,” explains L’Abbe.She continues, “Furthermore, Valspar is investing in developments to provide the industry with the ultimate environmentally friendly choice -- a copper-free solar mirror finished with a zero-lead waterborne coating.”
• In addition to driving technology advancement for mirror coatings, Valspar also is advancing the chemistry utilized in the solutions that provide the reflectivity of the mirror. For more than 15 years, Valspar has been a leader in the commercialization of the copper-free mirror solution process.
• Demonstrating continued innovation, Valspar launched a new, super sensitizer solution that enhances the integrity of the metal film with the glass, while simultaneously providing the mirror manufacturer with a significant material cost savings.

“Valspar is constantly striving to bring innovative, market-ready technologies to life,” reiterates L’Abbe. “Our innovation strategy benefits from a tremendous capacity for polymer development and makes safety and product stewardship a primary concern. The coatings industry is constantly changing. That is why it is so important for manufacturers to partner with a leader that has resources, research and knowledge to help predict and adapt to these changes.”

Learn more about Valspar’s mirror coatings and solutions at www.Valspar.com/mirror, email mirror@valspar.com or call +33 385 27 18 08.

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