ratories,expanding itsbusinessandportfolio inBrazil,and implementingprojects
in thefieldof safetyandenvironment, amongother things.
Theman responsible for all of the company’s operations is Brazil, ReinaldoMe-
drano, chief executiveofficer, tellsPaint&PinturaMagazinedetails about IMCD
Brazil’splansandgrowthexpectations.
“Oneof ourmajor challenges is ensuring the companywill develop inagradual,
sustainablemannerandconsistently increase itsshare intheBraziliandistribution
market. Our goal is to be Brazil’s leading distributor of specialty chemicals and
food ingredients.”
IMCDBrazil also has solid partnershipwith internationally recognized suppliers
and serves severalmarket segments, includingpaints and coatings, buildingand
construction, adhesives, plastics, personal care, nutrition, synthesis, lubricants,
andpharmaceutical.
Mineral Fillersand Slurry -Micronizationon theRise
Technological breakthroughs inmineral additivesdeliverhighbrighteningpower
with small particle sizes, providingoutstandingperformanceand reducingpaint
formulationcosts,aswell asproductsconsidered tohave functionaleffects, such
asmatting,UVprotection, soft touch,washability, etc.
Constantlyevolving, themarket inmineralfillerscurrentlystandsoutbydevelop-
mentsmoreandmoreorientedtowardsparticlemicronization.There isarelentless
search forperformance improvements inall kindsofminerals,and this isbecause
theyhavebecomevery functional inpaint formulations.
Accordingly,developingnewproductswillalwaysbethemainpointofdifference
a company canhave in thismarket. “Improvements in thedispersionofmineral
fillers incomparisontotitaniumdioxidearealwayswelcome. Ibelieveparticlesize
reduction inmineral fillers isakeypointofdifferenceand theway togo.We lack
qualitytitaniumdioxideextendersatfairprices inBrazil.Oneoftheproblemareas
we find in particle size reduction is the balance between average diameter and
abrasion resistance. Reducingparticle size isnot enough. Themineral fillermust
haveexcellentopacity inthedryfilm,brightness, lowyellowingrate,andbeagreat
titaniumdioxidedispersantwithoutreducingthepaint’sabrasionresistance,”says
KensleyAlvesdeOliveira, technical salesmanager at Lamil.
LikeothersegmentsofBrazil’smanufacturingsector, thepaint industry is feeling
the slowdown in the economy. “On the other hand, however, this creates an
increasinglyhighdemand formineral additives that deliver highperformanceby
utilizing theirownspecificproperties, suchasbrightness,hidingpower, abrasion
resistance, UV protection, good dispersion, viscosity, chemical inertia, magne-
tism,molecularfiltration, etc., therebycausing theconsumptionofmineral fillers
in paint formulations to increase, as they replace traditional chemicals that are
extensivelyused in the industry,” saysMineraçãoCaledo Juquiá’s salesdirector
Marcel Gutierrez.
Thepaint industry is oneof the leading consumers ofmineral additives. For this
reason, therehas been significant evolutiononboth themineral additivemanu-
