The ChemQuest Group Newsletter
January/February 2024
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New Year’s resolutions are notoriously difficult to achieve. As 2024 gets fully underway, be assured that we at ChemQuest are always resolved – 24/7/365 – to support you and your business. Our team is uniquely equipped to not only help you identify achievable goals but to develop the strategies you can use in order to reach them.
One of the most useful tools in our toolbox is the Coatings TraQr® interactive dashboard. As I work to identify and evaluate key economic and market trends that will drive growth and opportunities in the coming year, I often turn to our unique interactive Business Cycle Analysis (BCA) tool. By tracking economic indicators such as Total Construction, Residential Construction, Nonresidential Construction, and Single-Family Housing Permits, for example, I’m seeing several promising trends in the construction sector.
BCA shows that these indicators are all either gearing up for growth or in active growth phases. Companies that market to the construction sector and have identified these trends (and others) within BCA might consider activities such as increasing inventories or hiring top talent to best position themselves to address the growing demand that appears to be on the horizon.
Whether you are interested in optimizing your strategic decision making, exploring opportunities in the increasingly positive M&A environment, expanding your market share via product development, or improving your manufacturing operations to achieve EBITDA gains, ChemQuest has the expertise and the tools to help you achieve your goals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can help.
Sincerely,
Daniel Murad, CEO, The ChemQuest Group, Inc.
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The ChemQuest team was busy writing many in-depth feature articles and informative columns to round out 2023, with topics related to various materials of concern, important end-use applications, and trends for the future. |
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Replacing Materials of Concern
by Douglas Corrigan, Ph.D.
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The process of investigating a replacement material is essentially the same whatever your reason for replacement. Once you have a thorough scientific process in place, or access to a trusted third-party partner, you can follow the same procedure across the board.
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Marine Topside Paints: Balancing Beauty and Endurance
by Cynthia Gosselin, Ph.D.
Though topside coatings don’t need to be as technically complex as their underwater counterparts, they must still impart corrosion and UV resistance while offering attractive aesthetics.
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The PFAS Controversy
by George Pilcher
Both producers and users of PFAS chemicals in a huge array of highly diverse industries are wrestling with the wisdom of replacing current PFAS-containing systems with equal- (or, more likely, lower-) performance products.
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Next-Generation Adhesives for Wind Turbine Blades
by Jean-Luc Guillaume, Ph.D.
The current turbine blade bonding technology may be completely reshaped by three opportunities: raw material availability, blade recyclability, and the evolution of blade designs.
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Global Trends Represent Growth and Innovation Opportunities for the Coatings Industry
by Victoria Scarborough, Ph.D.
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Challenges remain in the “new normal” (including economic uncertainty and increasing regulatory pressures, among others), but opportunities abound for innovative companies in the coatings industry. Which trends are we watching?
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We are partnering with industry organizations and publications to offer numerous informative webinars in the coming months. Please plan to join us and register via the links below. |
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Adhesives for Transportation Lightweighting
February 21 | 10-11 a.m.
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In this webinar, George Ritter, Ph.D., will examine the different types of materials that are likely to be encountered in various areas of the transportation sector and suggest adhesive types that might be used in joining those combinations. There will also be a discussion of adhesive market trends by end-use sector. |
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Previewing the Upcoming U.S. Market Analysis for the Paint and Coatings Industry
February 29 | 1-2 p.m.
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Presented by Daniel Murad, ChemQuest CEO, this webinar for members of the American Coatings Association (ACA) will preview the upcoming U.S. Market Analysis for the Paint and Coatings Industry, 2023-2028, which ChemQuest is preparing for the ACA (publication and purchase availability in March 2024).
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Powder Coating Fundamentals
March 14 | 1-4 p.m.
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This abbreviated version of the popular “PC Kitchen” course will introduce new formulators, chemists, and customer-facing personnel to the basics of powder coating. Presenters Eric Casebolt and Nathan Biller will discuss how powder coatings are formulated, important processing details, and laboratory test methods that are commonly used to evaluate powder coatings for performance. Participants will also be given a brief overview of where powder coatings are used, as well as their benefits and drawbacks compared to liquid coating technologies. |
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Our team is looking forward to sharing our insights and networking with colleagues during numerous key industry events over the next several months. |
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New Orleans, La. | February 4-9
Victoria Scarborough, Ph.D., our vice president of Collaborative Innovation, will discuss "New Technology Needs Inspired by Climate Change" on February 9 at the 51st Annual Waterborne Symposium.
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Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | February 23-25
On February 24, Daniel Murad, ChemQuest CEO, will share his insights related to "Challenges and Opportunities, Growth and Innovation Drivers for the Future of the Coatings Industry" with the Florida Paint & Coatings Association.
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We also hope to see you at these Q1 events:
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You may be aware that we offer a video library on our website, but did you know we also have a presence on YouTube?
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The ChemQuest YouTube channel offers informative videos, product demonstrations, and webinar recordings to help you better understand industry trends, economic drivers, and market opportunities. Please visit and subscribe!
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Privacy Policy: As a strict policy, The ChemQuest Group, Inc. does not sell, trade, rent or otherwise share your email address with any other company or third party.
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