Time is Money: Bayer Helps Improve Shop and Field Painting Throughout by Reducing Finish Coat Handling Time

Tampa, FL, February 06, 2012 --(PR.com)-- In the world of blast-and-paint production for structural steel, rarely does a new technology make a game-changing difference in workflow, handling and transportation. However, polyaspartic technologies have and continue to do so. Polyaspartic coatings can reduce painting systems from three coats to two. They cure and can be handled up to five times as fast as competitive coatings systems. As a result, finish-coated steel can be stacked and shipped faster with virtually no damage to the coating, saving one or more days in a multi-day shop painting cycle, as well as possible expensive warranty claims.

For field painting, polyaspartic coatings allow coatings applicators to deal with changing temperatures and humidity much easier than in the past.

Bayer MaterialScience, LLC recognized these market needs and developed a new raw material that translates into topcoats for protecting metal surfaces that are more user-friendly.

The ingredient that makes this time-saving and user-friendly process possible is Desmodur® XP-2763 resin. This engineered polyisocyanate, when used in conjunction with polyaspartic coatings raw materials, produces a revolutionary topcoat that addresses application difficulties caused by fluctuating temperatures and humidity. Shop painters, contractors and applicators can benefit from its advantages, such as:

· Ability to be applied in a wide range of humidity levels while maintaining consistent cure
· Improved adhesion over steel and aluminum substrates
· Optimized cure response of polyaspartic esters
· Longer re-coat window
· High film build requires fewer coats
· Good low-temperature cure properties
· Fast curing times
· Excellent color and gloss retention
· Low volatile organic compound levels
· Good to excellent abrasion resistance

Topcoats formulated using engineered polyisocyanate raw materials along with polyaspartic resins from Bayer can be used for both interior and exterior applications to protect structural steel and metal surfaces in commercial and industrial buildings.

According to Mike Jeffries, strategic technology manager, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, “This new topcoat development is easier to work with in the field, enabling applicators to be more efficient. Its fast cure time and high build also allow for a rapid return to service, potentially saving both time and money.”

About Bayer MaterialScience LLC:
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with approximately 14,700 employees at 30 production sites around the world and 2010 sales of 10.2 billion euros. The company manufactures high-tech polymer materials and develops innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries. Sustainability is central to Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s business and is based around the key areas of innovation, product stewardship, excellence in corporate management, social responsibility and respect for the environment.

###