PPG Industries’ commercial coatings group has announced that it will globally market and distribute a new urethane gel coat for the wind energy market.

Developed and manufactured by Plasticolors Inc of Ashtabula, Ohio (US), the gel coat is available in clear for wind blades and pigmented for nacelles. The companies will work together to address the advanced coating requirements of the rapidly expanding wind energy industry.

“The gel coat we’ve developed will be attractive to wind turbine manufacturers as a high-performance alternative to epoxy and polyester gel coats in use today,” said Scott Becker, president and chief executive officer, Plasticolors. “Since our expertise is manufacturing and development, we wanted to make sure we worked with someone who could give this product technology maximum exposure and the industrial consideration it merits. PPG has a long-term focus on, and understanding of, the wind energy industry. Their global sales and distribution channels make them a perfect partner for this technology.”

Steve Podlas, brand manager, industrial segments, PPG’s commercial coatings group, said, “Together, Plasticolors and PPG bring a complete commercial and technical package to the wind energy market when combined with our urethane primer, topcoat and technical service. Plasticolors has created a superior product, a product we know will be seen as the premium standard in the field.”

The clear gel coat, AGC200, features excellent adhesion to epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester and urethane composite substrates, low viscosity for smooth application, and the option of having open time for lamination up to three days. The clear and transparent liquid remains as such in a cured film.

The pigmented gel coat, AGC10000 Series, features similar adhesion properties and open time for lamination along with excellent outdoor durability and dimensional stability.

Gel coats’ benefits
Benefits offered by both gel coats include solvent-free composition, flexible urethane film, and the ability to be modified to meet application requirements. The clear gel coat enables visual inspection of composite laminate for defects and may be recoated using high-solids urethane and epoxy primers and urethane topcoats. The pigmented gel coat can be applied at lower film thickness than traditional gel coats and provides high gloss and distinctness of image.

A leading global manufacturer of coatings and fibreglass, PPG makes and supports a specialised portfolio of advanced products engineered to make wind-energy turbine blades and towers stronger, lighter and more efficient. High-performance PPG coatings offer adhesion properties for extreme operating environments and are available in a range of water-based liquid, high-solids and low-volatile organic compound technologies. PPG fibreglass products for turbine blades help to improve fatigue performance by enhancing the resin bond.

Plasticolors, a leading supplier of pigment and chemical dispersions to the paint, coatings, caulk, sealants and thermoset plastics industries, manufactures products for customers in the automotive, appliance, equipment, electrical, consumer and construction industries. The company’s colourants can be found in a wide variety of products including interior and exterior automotive components, epoxy flooring, electrical and appliance housings, and a myriad of paints, coatings and moulded composite applications. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO/TS-16949 certified.