Tikkurila has received an award from the RadTech Europe Association for the development of the UVITEC ultraviolet (UV) coating system which utilizes UV curing under inert atmosphere. The award was presented at the occasion of the RadTech 2005 Conference in Barcelona, Spain. The competition was open to all companies employing this technology.
RadTech Europe (RTE) Association for UV/EB technology hosted for the 2nd time the RTE Award for Innovation Competition. The competition has been designed to recognise and encourage innovative companies utilizing technology based on curing with ultraviolet radiation (UV) or electron beams (EB). The UV/EB technology is in use in a wide variety of industrial segments, and the trend is upwards because of the increasing pressure to decrease organic solvents and to improve product performance.
Tikkurila has launched an economical UV-curing coating method for chairs and other three-dimensional (3D) components for replacing the existing solvent-borne coatings in the furniture industry. The method consists of the water-borne LUMINOL UV-curing coatings, a spray booth with a recovery system and UVITEC, a new 3D UV-curing device, in which curing of water-borne UV lacquer takes place under inert atmosphere in carbon dioxide. The first industrial-sized device based on this concept is ready, and customer trials will start Q4/2005.
Tikkurila is responsible for the paints and coatings business of the Kemira Group and the leading paint company in North-East Europe with net sales of EUR 440 million and 2,300 staff. With production in seven countries, Tikkurila manufactures and markets decorative paints, industrial wood finishes and paints for the metal industry.
For more information, please contact:
Kari Soljamo, Vice President, R&D
Tikkurila Coatings Oy
Tel. +358 9 8577 4423, GSM +358 400 423 300