At the American Coatings Show 2026, R&D leaders from Standard Paints, PPG and Akzo Nobel discussed how coatings manufacturers are reformulating products to meet stricter regulations, sustainability targets and supply chain challenges, while still delivering performance and controlling costs. By Kirsten Wrede.
At the ACS Community Hub during the American Coatings Show 2026, Alix Stevenson, Vice President of R&D at Standard Paints, Brian Okerberg, Senior Research Associate at PPG, and Angus Findlay, R&D Director at Akzo Nobel, discussed how coatings manufacturers are balancing regulatory compliance, sustainability, performance, and cost amid increasing market pressure. The panel discussion was titled “R&D under pressure – reformulating for performance, compliance and sustainability”.
Key priorities in formulation
The panelists agreed that regulatory compliance is the top priority because it represents the “license to operate.” Safety and compliance requirements must be met before performance or sustainability goals can be pursued. Decision-making within companies is highly collaborative, involving R&D, product stewardship, sustainability teams, sales, marketing, regulatory experts, and suppliers.
Sustainability without sacrificing performance
Several examples highlighted how sustainability improvements can coexist with or even enhance product performance:
- Brian Okerberg explained how his team reformulated a powder coating product to eliminate PFAS while maintaining performance and incorporating recycled materials.
- Alix Stevenson shared a case where sourcing a 100% solids acrylic resin reduced hazardous solvents and improved safety without compromising coating performance.
- Angus Findlay discussed developing a low-bake clear coat for vehicle refinishing that reduced VOCs, improved workflow efficiency through wet-on-wet application, and delivered superior appearance quality.
The panel emphasised that successful reformulation depends heavily on collaboration with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
Raw material volatility and supply chain pressure
Supply chain disruptions since COVID-19, combined with geopolitical instability and rising energy costs, have shifted much of R&D focus toward short-term problem solving. Companies are dedicating significant resources to:
- Identifying alternative raw material suppliers
- Creating backup formulations
- Simplifying formulations to improve resilience
- Strengthening supplier relationships
The panelists noted that while companies still pursue long-term innovation, immediate supply continuity and regulatory adaptation dominate current priorities.
Growing regulatory complexity
Regulatory pressure surrounding PFAS, BPA, talc, microplastics, and other substances is reshaping formulation strategies. The speakers stressed the importance of proactively evaluating raw materials not only for present compliance, but also for future regulatory risk and environmental impact.
Global companies must monitor evolving regulations across all regions, not just their local markets. Customer preferences are also increasingly influencing material selection, even before regulations formally change.
The role of AI in coatings R&D
The panel viewed artificial intelligence as a useful but still limited tool. AI currently supports:
- Data analysis
- Research assistance
- High-throughput experimentation
- Identifying formulation patterns
However, the experts cautioned that AI cannot replace experienced chemists. Human expertise remains essential for asking the right questions, validating outputs, interpreting results, and ensuring data security. Concerns were also raised about inaccurate AI-generated information and intellectual property risks.
Future outlook: incremental vs. disruptive innovation
Looking ahead three to five years, the panelists predicted mostly incremental innovation rather than dramatic technological shifts. Ongoing pressures from cost sensitivity, regulations, and supply chain instability make large-scale disruptive innovation difficult.
Still, they acknowledged that many small improvements over time can collectively produce major industry transformation. Areas such as low-temperature curing, isocyanate-free systems, and radiation curing may gradually reshape the coatings landscape.
Academia and industry collaboration
In response to an audience question about academia’s role, the panel encouraged universities to focus more on:
- High-throughput experimentation methods
- Practical formulation problem-solving
- Regulatory awareness
- Cost considerations in product development
The discussion concluded with optimism about continued collaboration across the coatings industry despite mounting technical and regulatory challenges.
Source: www.european-coatings.com