Why are waterbased products gaining popularity in the manufacturing industry?
Over the past five years there has been a significant increase in demand for waterbased product alternatives in the woodworking and manufacturing industries. Let’s look at what has caused this shift and how you can future-proof your production lines with waterbased replicates.
Environmental awareness
As a hot topic of conversation, environmental concern goes back much further than the last half a decade. In 2010, the UK government published the Solvent Emission Directive which aimed to prevent or reduce the direct and indirect effects of VOC emissions. However, this scheme actually goes back even further to 1973, when the European Union approved an action program emphasising the importance of reducing air pollution.
But back to 2024, environmental awareness is still one of the primary reasons for the increase in demand for waterbased alternatives. Manufacturers and clients alike are now adhering to building regulations like the Green Building and Blue Angel standards.
Human Health
The use of solvents can lead to headaches, nausea and dizziness making it a priority for users and supervisors to remove these types of products from workshops. The use of waterbased products can mitigate the side effects caused by solvent based lacquers ensuring a cleaner, safer working environment.
Sustainability
In 2007, the United Nations endorsed the UN Climate Neutral Strategy which asked each UN entity to measure, reduce and offset their unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions. With manufacturers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, opting for a water-based alternative is an excellent way to reduce and offset VOC emissions.
Product Development
Water-based adhesive and paint options are continually being improved and developed, ensuring that you can enjoy the benefits of water-based systems without sacrificing the quality of the final product. Market leaders like Hesse Lignal Gmbh are using the Japanese methodology of Kaizen to continuously improve their water-based product range, taking advantage of nanoscience to produce innovative products.
Fire Risk
When solvent based products are removed from your workshop, fire risks reduce significantly, as water-based alternatives have higher flashpoints. While water itself does not have a flashpoint, water-based paints have other components still resulting in a much higher flashpoint than solvents. Additionally, any waste is classified as non-hazardous, making it easy to dispose of.
To learn more about the waterbased paint and adhesive options, contact our team of experts on 02392233310 or email sales@redwood-uk.com