Pigments for Low-Carbon-Footprint Coating Formulations
By LANXESS, Cologne, Germany
Decarbonization is a major challenge for the coatings industry, with a large proportion of emissions stemming from purchased raw materials. In response, suppliers are increasingly focusing on improving the environmental profile of their products.
“Our customers' expectations are shifting more and more toward seeing a defined sustainability strategy,” said Renata Rodrigues, head of LANXESS Inorganic Pigments Americas. “The question to manufacturers and suppliers is: What are you doing to make our supply chain more sustainable?”
LANXESS is introducing a new low-emission product line under the Bayferrox Scopeblue label. The label identifies LANXESS products manufactured using sustainable raw materials, with a significantly lower carbon footprint than conventional products.
The new product line includes micronized iron oxide yellow pigments that are used in high-quality coating applications due to their specific properties. These products will be available as a more sustainable option for customers seeking environmentally friendly alternatives.
“In producing the Scopeblue products, we are using more eco-efficient raw materials made with renewable energy. This allows us to reduce the product carbon footprint of this pigment group by approximately 35% compared to the regular product equivalent,” Rodrigues said.
A life cycle analysis, calculated and certified by an independent auditor, confirms this reduction. The end products are chemically identical to conventional versions and are produced in the same facilities using identical processes, ensuring their color and functional properties remain unchanged. The allocation of raw materials to corresponding quantities of sustainable products is carried out by mass balancing, with an ISCC PLUS certificate verifying compliance with reliable balancing requirements.
The new product line is an important step toward integrating sustainable solutions into its business model by offering products that help reduce carbon emissions in the coatings supply chain. “In the production of pigment pastes, for example, we estimate that the footprint of the overall formulation can be reduced by 20% or more, depending on the pigment concentration,” Rodrigues said.
LANXESS is committed to providing sustainability benefits to its customers. In addition to products that enable climate-friendly solutions, the company aims for climate neutrality by 2040 and a fully climate-neutral value chain by 2050. The Inorganic Pigments business unit is targeting a 50% reduction in production emissions by 2030, which will continue to positively impact the carbon footprint of its pigment products and the coatings industry.
