In 2005 the Coating Industry made many advances and scientific innovations. There were new coatings for medical tools, which prevent the spread of viruses and disease. There were new anti-corrosion paint coatings and anti-fire resistant coatings which had UV protection applied with a one-step process. New window coatings, which were self-cleaning were further refined, able to better hold in heat yet reflect glare. The Auto Industry received many advances for robotic factories and the Aviation sector lighter coatings of paint, which could cover a 737 with less than 300 pounds of weight.

Ships, boats and marine vessels all saw new innovations reducing drag in the water and protecting hull surfaces. Department of Homeland security found coatings, which would turn color upon detection of WMP material or give off a unique color in a certain spectrum to detect, track or find bad guys. In fact there were so many new advances in coatings of everything from carbon nanotube sheets to popular plastics that one could say that 2005 was the greatest year of hyper innovation that the Coating Industry has ever had. Indeed, but you ask what is going to happen in 2006?

There are some new trends brewing on the horizon in aviation for instance such as radar energy collection to power up UAVs, new stealth coatings, boundary layer vortex inducing coatings for wings and anti-lightening strike coatings. In the Marine sector we are seeing new coatings for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and RAVs for silent running, as well as flexible coatings being developed for natural wave motion hulls. In Automotive we will see new coatings come onto the market with brilliant metallic finishes with depth, put on with a single coat and lasting the lifetime of the car.

With new materials being integrated into automobiles to make them lighter for enhanced efficiency and performance we will continue to see new coatings which are cross breeds capable of many type of surfaces and safe for the environment at end-of-life cycle for disposal or recycling. In the building industry we are seeing trends of anti-mold coatings, which can be applied during construction and new coatings for flexible concrete infrastructures. For space and military applications the coating market is truly out of this world with opportunity and performance and in 2006, we will see all this and more. Think on it.