We Had a Pleasant Conversation with Dr. Engin Çörüşlü

We had a pleasant conversation with Dr. Engin Çörüşlü, Chair of the Scientific Committee of Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016 "International Congress on Paints, Organic Coatings, Polymers and Raw Materials". Mr. Çörüşlü provided information about the congress and commented on the paint sector in our country. Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and professional experience? After secondary school, I studied Chemical Engineering. Later, I obtained a master's degree and doctorate in physical chemistry. I spent most of my professional career in the paint industry, and in nearly all of it I held technical positions. Before my doctorate, I worked for approximately five years at one of the country's leading paint companies first as a research engineer and then as a research specialist, after which I returned to university and completed my doctorate. Subsequently, I began working as a researcher at the company where I currently work. The name of our company was initially Kemipol, and as a result of partnerships we established, it later took the names Akzo Kemipol and AkzoNobel Kemipol in sequence. Currently, I serve as Deputy General Manager responsible for technology and quality at Kansai Altan, which we can consider a sister company of AkzoNobel Kemipol.

Could you provide information about Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016 "International Congress on Paints, Organic Coatings, Polymers and Raw Materials" and its topics?

We have been organizing paint congresses for quite some time. We started many years ago on the initiative of the Chamber of Chemical Engineers, and for the past few years we have organized them under the auspices of the Paint Manufacturers Association, with contributions from Vincentz Network. This year, the organization will continue to serve the sector as a single fair and single congress by merging with the Turkcoat Coatings Show Fair, which has been organized by Artkim Exhibitions since 2007, and therefore we have changed its name to Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016. The fair and congress can be thought of as two different faces of one event. Because it is international, we unfortunately cannot conduct the congress in Turkish; we must conduct it in English, but we provide simultaneous interpretation into both languages throughout the entire congress. Paint congresses are very important for fostering cooperation between universities, research institutions and industry, informing technical personnel in the industrial sector about scientific developments, and designing technologies of the future today. Some of the congresses of Vincentz Network, with whom we cooperate, have sessions titled "science today, coatings tomorrow"—a very meaningful title. It describes the relationship between science and technology, or between science and industrial applications very well. In our congresses, we make sure to include presentations in both the scientific field and paint technologies. The Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016 congress includes oral presentations and posters in many areas such as polymers, pigments and dyes, additives, solvents, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, functional coatings, paint production technologies, and paint testing and analysis methods. The congress opening will feature two keynote speakers, one from Germany and one from the United States. Both speakers are scientists who have worked in the paint industry and at universities throughout their professional careers. Both speakers will attempt to convey how university-industry cooperation is structured and conducted in their respective countries, drawing also on examples from their own personal experience. Given that one of the most current topics in our country's industry is currently the development and advancement of cooperation between R&D institutions in industrial sectors and universities, it should be said that obtaining information from these experiences and drawing lessons from them is very important for us.

Among the topics covered in the congress, which subjects do you believe hold the most critical importance for our country's industry?

The congress covers many subjects that are important for our country's industry. We have organized a comprehensive congress in terms of paints, paint raw materials, new technologies, and particularly polymeric materials used in paints. In addition to construction paints, we have included presentations on the introduction of new materials that could have applications across a wide range of industrial paints, from wood coatings to marine paints. There are also presentations on bio-based paint raw materials, a subject that is not currently on our agenda but certainly needs to be. Apart from the opening presentations, the congress includes a total of 26 oral presentations. These presentations will be made by scientists and industry representatives who are specialized in their fields and well-known both domestically and internationally. We have a total of 4 invited speakers from the United States, 4 from Europe, and 5 from Turkey. A total of 26 oral papers will be presented in 10 sessions. The sessions bear the titles: functional coatings, new materials, construction paints, sustainable technologies and regulatory compliance, manufacturing, testing and analysis methods. Additionally, immediately after the congress concludes, we have four paint schools on the afternoon of the second day. These schools will be presented by experts who have gained international renown in their respective fields. Our school titles are as follows: Construction paints, adhesives and sealant putties, fundamentals of pigment dispersion, biocides and current regulations.

Taking into account trade with the European Union, could we learn your views on REACH and other regulatory requirements in particular? Do you think domestic production meets all requirements, or does our domestic industry need to develop further?

REACH introduces certain restrictions. Its impact is felt mainly on costs. Under REACH, substances not registered with the relevant EU body or mixtures containing them cannot be exported to Europe. This mainly affects companies exporting liquid paint to the EU. Applied and dried paint on products is not covered by REACH; therefore, customers of the paint industry do not face any restrictions in exporting the products they apply paint to. If a product or dried paint contains certain heavy metals or toxic substances above specified ratios, the exporting company may face reporting obligations or, in some cases, restrictions with relevant authorities in the EU, but restrictions are not a commonly encountered situation in practice. Companies engaged in exports should not encounter any problems due to REACH when they act with knowledge of their obligations. On the other hand, adaptation of REACH to Turkey is under discussion in the near future. When this application begins, the chemical sector in general may face some additional challenges. The paint industry in Turkey is in fairly advanced condition. Production takes place in our country across a wide range, from more modest technologies to advanced technology requiring automotive paints. We rank as the 5th largest manufacturer in Europe. However, our per capita paint consumption is still below European averages. For this reason, we expect the sales potential of the paint sector in our country to continue to show higher growth rates than increases in Europe.

Could you assess the current situation regarding raw material supply in the sector? What kind of problems exist in this area, and how can these problems be solved?

Production of base materials, which are the main inputs for the chemical industry in our country, is limited. The vast majority of these materials are sourced from foreign sources. This places paint costs to a large extent at the mercy of the euro and other foreign currencies. Companies that sell in Turkish lira are forced to raise their product prices when exchange rates increase, which ultimately is passed on to consumers. On the other hand, there are significant difficulties in investing in base materials for the chemical industry. We do not expect any major changes in this area in the near future.

Could we learn your thoughts on the current situation and what needs to be done in the areas of sustainable raw materials, production and environmental impacts from the perspective of the paint and surface treatment sectors?

In surface pretreatment, the most important problem from an environmental and sustainability perspective is Cr (VI) compounds. Cr (VI) has been restricted in most sectors, but in some areas competitive alternative performance has not yet been achieved. However, some alternatives are gaining traction, particularly some ceramic-based nanotechnology products. We expect the role of Cr (VI) in surface treatments to diminish significantly within the next few years.

What kind of developments are taking place in technology, particularly in the field of nanostructures and nanoparticles, including in the paint and related sectors? Do you think the work being done in this area in our country is sufficient?

Nanoparticles or nanocomposites have important properties. Such particles have gained a very important place in paint design today, especially in the design of functional coatings. Unfortunately, insufficient work is being done in this area in Turkey. A small number of researchers from the university world are conducting work in this area, but these have not yet gained widespread adoption in industry. The nanoparticles used in industry are essentially imported to our country from additive-producing EU companies. The most important property that nanoparticles provide to paints and varnishes is high scratch resistance. Scratching not only causes an aesthetic problem; when scratches are deep enough, they can cause many substances that could damage the paint film to affect it and prevent the organic coating from adequately protecting the surface it is intended to protect.

Could we learn your thoughts on the industrial paint, coating and surface treatment sectors in Turkey? What do you think are Turkey's advantages and disadvantages with respect to these sectors?

In Turkey, the industrial paints and surface treatment sectors have recorded significant developments as a result of industrial expansion. Companies producing industrial paint and surface treatment chemicals do not address end consumers directly, so they do not attract much attention; consequently, their visibility and recognition by "the man in the street" is relatively lower. However, the products of these sectors have enormous impact on the products of the sectors they serve. The appearance of furniture, home goods, automobiles and every type of product, as well as their protection against various destructive agents, depends to a large extent on surface treatments being properly performed and an appropriate paint system being used.

Finally, do you have a message for the sector?

In general, the resources allocated to research and development in our country are insufficient. Last year we allocated resources equivalent to approximately 1% of GDP. A significant portion of these resources is used by public institutions. The private sector needs to allocate more resources to R&D. The competitiveness of the paint industry and its ability to maintain that competitiveness depends to a large extent on conducting effective R&D. It cannot be overstated how important it is for our paint-producing companies to employ more qualified technical personnel and allocate more resources to R&D. For some time now, the state has been providing significant support for R&D in our country. We hope these supports will be encouraging.