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Summary

Geiger Brickel, a manufacturer of high-quality office furniture, switched from using a solvent-based topcoat on vertical surfaces to a water-based topcoat reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and material costs.

Background

Geiger Brickel was using a solvent-based, clear topcoat on furniture surfaces. The topcoat was a two-part urethane coating with a VOC content of 5.9 pounds per gallon.

Process Modification

Geiger Brickel switched to a water-based, clear topcoat for use on vertical surfaces. The water-based topcoat is a two-part urethane coating with an isocyanate catalyst. Vertical surfaces are coated using manual spray methods and conventional high pressure spray guns. The coated surfaces are then dried in forced air ovens. Furniture tops are still coated with a solvent-based topcoat due to the need for greater durability. The greatest challenge in switching to water-based lacquer was finding the correct formulation. Geiger worked closely with a vendor to develop a coating to meet strict quality requirements. Extensive testing and formulation modification were required to develop the coating. This project was partially funded under a grant from P²AD.

Results

Reduction Achieved:

The VOC content of the water-based coating is 0.32 pounds per gallon, compared to 5.9 pounds per gallon for the solvent-based coating. In terms of coverage, the water-based topcoat contains 0.5 pounds of VOCs per 1,000 square feet compared to 30 pounds per 1,000 square feet for the solvent-based coating. Conversion to a water-based coating reduced VOC emissions by approximately 25 tons annually.

Economics:

The cost of the water-based topcoat is approximately 50 percent higher per gallon than the solvent-based topcoat. However, the water-based coating provides two to three times more coverage than the solvent-based coating. A reduction in the amount of material needed resulted in an overall cost savings of approximately 40 percent.

Some aspects of this project increased operating costs. Additional forced drying capacity was required increasing energy costs. Steel paint containers and cups were replaced with more costly stainless steel. Total costs including research, testing, and rework were approximately $302,000. Rework due to early test failures was the largest portion of that cost, totaling $200,000.

From a performance perspective, the water-based coating is comparable to the solvent-based coating. The following chart lists some important parameters.