Cool Roof Coatings Market Heating Up

JCT Coatingstech Magazine

March 2007

Volume 4, No. 3

Market Update

Page 50-55

Excerpts from… “Cool Roof Coatings Market Heating Up”

By Cynthia Challener, Contributing Writer

“The cool roof coatings market is a very dynamic segment that is evolving quite rapidly,” says Dan Murad, president and CEO of The ChemQuest Group, Inc. The consulting firm pegs the value of the cool roof coatings market at $430 to $440 million, with white elastomeric products accounting for $290 million and colored coatings containing infrared (IR) reflective pigments making up the remainder.

….White coatings, which are largely acrylic-based materials that are field-applied on flat commercial roofs, have been employed for about 10 years and are growing at a rate of 11-12% annually, according to The ChemQuest Group, Inc. In the past few years, coil coatings containing IR reflective pigments that are applied to metal roofs have been developed in a range of shades that are attractive for residential applications. These factory-applied coatings are growing at the more rapid rate of 15-17% per year.

…..Elastomeric acrylic coatings still have their limitations, though. “One of the key issues with the current technology is associated with the level of preparation required before the coating can be applied,” notes Murad. “The failure of these elastomeric roof coatings can often be traced back to poor preparation. As with many industrial maintenance coatings, advancements in resin and coating technology that will provide high performance without the need for extensive preparation are a focus area for manufacturers.”

….Even without expansion beyond the U.S. market, the potential is significant. “A key point to remember about cool roof coatings is that these products can take market share away from asphalt roofing. The situation presents an extremely rare opportunity for the coatings industry.” Murad asserts. “With the development of cool roof coatings for metal roofs, coatings producers and their suppliers have a new surface area to coat that was not available just 10 years ago. The value of that opportunity is approximately $10 billion.” He adds that there is further potential for cool coatings as they take on the challenge to expand to other surfaces such as pavements and siding.

(To read the complete article…see JCT CoatingsTECH Magazine – March 2007 issue...”Cool Roof Coatings Market Heating Up”)