Web特集
June 8, 2010
Series: Focus on Paint Market in Japan
Features of thermal barrier coating for roof 2010
Well-suited promotion to meet customer expectation and satisfaction is needed
Product standardization is being established as market is heating
According to Japan Paint Manufacturers Association (JPMA), total volume of high reluctant paint in FY 2008 was 4,515 tons (+15.2% vs previous year); 4,305 tons for architectural and 163 tons for road. FY2009 volume will reach over 5,000 tons.
Government approved in February 2010, "Law on Promoting Green Purchasing", it conduced to the establishment of new JIS JPMS27 (JPMS: JPMA Standard, JPMS27 stands for weatherable roof paint). New standard for high solar reflectance roof coating is being discussed and plan to be established next autumn. Government-subsidized project needing TBC is increasing, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government already kicked off such project in Shinagawa, Shinjuku and Toshima district from FY2009. Under this circumstance, the market demand for TBC seems strong.
However, paint producers don't have same strategy for this promotion, number of entry to proving project of environmental technology was 79 products and 40 companies in 2008 and 2009FY. The market for TBC is growing for water proof and road application, however, it is difficult for end users to find an advantage among many products. It could affect the market growth.
New JIS aims to make a definition on solar reflectance coating based on the digitalization of solar reflectance on every brightness and the retention rate of solar reflectance after 2-year weathering test. This is a trial to build performance data in general standard, therefore, the market pays close attention to this movement.
However, paint producers have different opinion on this standard from technical viewpoint. Particularly, for the coating including hollow balloon layer, the data of solar reflectance can not present exactly its heat barrier performance. The institute for JIS and JPMA is consist of scholars, job coaters and analytical organization, the members intend to integrate solar reflectance to main evaluation index, paint producers think.
Paint producers need to make each strategy; should choose to make an advantage based on new JIS or to seek for original technology. Mr. Motohashi, professor of Shibaura Institute of Technology and head of TBC committee in Japan Building Coating Material Association, told it is important first of all to make new JIS be in public and inform the performance depends on color.
New JIS made new technical objective. Some colors can not clear this standard yet, this place paint producers further load on production, coloring management. It result in additional cost increase, therefore, producers try to get more volume in the market.
NIPPON PAINT launched new brand "THERMOEYE", same time opened solar reflectance of each color. They try to use new JIS as marketing tool and other players will have to follow this approach.
If the promotion of TBC is made with a simple catch-phrase only to say reducing the temperature by some degrees, this paint will be categorized as general one finally face serious cost competition. Depending type of construction, parts and materials, players should propose suitable product. It is really important to promote properly in order to meet expectation and satisfaction of each customer.
Architectural paint takes key position in coating industry in Japan, total revenue has 20% share, however, its presence is rather low despite second largest volume after automotive use. That's why it is too low profitable business model. All of producers, dealers and coaters are suffering from low margin. Historically building constructors have been very strong and severely forced service suppliers to bear cost reduction, finally they have no choice but to accept the requirement, manage to survive together like an allied parties. Competition without differentiated technology might lead to this situation. Technical development regarding house-durability is fundamentally for its resident, but as coating material, the cost performance is actually required prior to technical advantage. Unfortunately, we have clearly big gap between the benefit coatings provide and reliability living people gain.
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