Omya and BASF Continue Partnership on Pilot Coating Center for Paper and Cardboard

Omya and BASF are raw material suppliers for the formulation of coating colors used in the paper and board industry. Omya provides mineral filler solutions based on calcium carbonate, complementary pigments and additives, as well as innovative coating concepts for paper and board production. BASF supplies a comprehensive and innovative range of binders and coating additives for the formulation of paper and board coatings. In 2003, both companies decided to combine their strengths in the paper and board coating sector and pool their expertise. At the center of the partnership is BASF's Pilot Coating Center in Ludwigshafen, Germany, which offers state-of-the-art pilot coating equipment including 2 pilot coaters, a supercalender and laboratory test equipment, operated by a highly qualified team. The existing partnership was set to expire at the end of 2021.

Continuing focus on technical service and coating expertise

Volker Scharffenberger, Head of BASF Pilot Coating Center Ludwigshafen, stated: "The pilot coating center facilitates the efficient transfer of technical solutions, new product developments and optimized formulations from the laboratory to the paper mill while reducing risk. This is even more important in today's challenging times with increasing competition and cost pressure. Reduced time to market and less off-specification production help our customers save money." Karlheinz Hurst, Director of Technical Services at Omya International AG, said: "Over the past two years, we have seen other market players reduce the services they offer to the sector. For example, PTS closed its VESTRA pilot coating facility in Munich in 2019, followed by Trinseo closing its pilot coating in Samstagern in 2020. We fully support our customers in formulating customized coating color solutions in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. For this reason, we have decided to continue using BASF's pilot coating center in the future. Both seek the best overall value proposition with a strong focus on technical service and coating expertise as a differentiating factor."   Source