PPG by the Numbers: 580, 690 & 700

By Joseph Keefe October 4, 2013

PPG caps a busy 2013 by launching three separate coatings; each intended for a specific application. As regulatory and operational requirements drive coatings decisions, it’s increasingly clear that, on the water, one size does not fit all anymore. You can get there, nevertheless, by the numbers.

It has been a busy year for PPG Protective and Marine Coatings (PPG). With at least three new marine product releases and even a new production plant in Poland, the Pittsburgh, PA-based global coatings and specialty products company hasn’t stopped long enough to give the proverbial barnacles the smallest chance to slow its growth. Founded in 1883 and operating in nearly 70 countries around the world, PPG’s sales in 2012 exceeded $15 billion.
PPG Protective & Marine Coatings markets its range of global marine coatings under the SIGMA COATINGS brand name, and prides itself on a global organization which matches the wide breadth of the marine industry infrastructure. According to Sijmen Visser, PPG’s Global Marketing Manager for Marine Products, the PPG business plan is driven by not only meeting the latest legislative directives and regulatory requirements, but also the need for owners and operators to run more cost efficient operations. This year’s new PPG marine coatings include SIGMACOVER 580, SIGMA ECOFLEET 690 and SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700. Each offering was developed with a specific application and market niche.

SIGMACOVER 580
In July, PPG launched SIGMACOVER 580 epoxy anticorrosive/tiecoat, an innovative formulation designed to enable fast turnaround of vessels in dry dock and deliver significant cost efficiencies for spot repair work. Engineered to provide ease of use and economical application characteristics, the new product possesses a practical overcoating window and, with its ability to be applied at temperatures down to 5°C (41°F), offers year round application potential. Sijmen Visser told MarineNews, “SIGMACOVER 580 provides an outstanding spot-repair solution for the dry dock market, due to its unique functionality. It is an epoxy coating for underwater hulls that functions both as an anticorrosive and also as an antifouling tiecoat. This dual-use formulation means that it can be overcoated directly with a range of antifoulings and is suitable for use during routine maintenance and repair dry dockings. Ultimately, this provides significant budget savings for the shipowner and can dramatically reduce time in dry dock. For areas that need spot blast of 40 percent or less, it gives customers excellent value, superb performance, and an outstanding return on investment.”
With shipowners under increasing financial pressure, one source of expenditure for any shipowner after delivery of a vessel is the cost of dry dockings. While paint costs are relatively minor, the total of surface pre-treatment, application costs, time in the dry dock and being off-hire adds up significantly. Visser adds, “SIGMA 580 is a product that can reduce dry dock time and ensure a fast-turnaround in order to reduce some of the above factors.”
Once a vessel is in dry dock, SIGMACOVER 580 can be applied to pre-blasted areas for spot repair in a single coat at a dry-film thickness (DFT) of 250 microns (9.9 mils). Once this layer is dry, the antifouling paint can then be applied directly over it. By simplifying the underwater hull specification and eliminating the need for a second anticorrosive or tiecoat layer, application time is reduced and productivity is increased – resulting in cost savings of up to 50%.
Additional savings are made on paint consumption as there is less overlapping, less overspray and less wastage. Ultimately, the efficiency that the product provides enables the ship owner to more quickly put the vessel back into service in quickly, maximizing revenue-earning capacity. PPG sales representatives can calculate the numbers for the individual cases on request.

SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700
In May, PPG rolled out SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700, a high performance antifouling designed specifically for ships working at medium to high rates of operation and medium speeds. Based on the already successful SIGMA SYLADVANCE 800 premium antifouling product, SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700 extends the product offer by means of an ‘entry-level’ SIGMA SYLADVANCE making premium technology available for a different set of requirements. Sijmen Visser explains, “Antifouling coatings have evolved over the past decade, in some part due to technological advances, but also because of the very real need for vessel operators to reduce fuel costs while continuing to optimize voyage efficiency.” He continued, “Silyl-acrylate technology is at the forefront of the drive to reduce fuel spend, which in many cases can take up 50% of an entire ships’ daily operating costs. PPG has been working hard to develop hardwearing, environmentally-sound products that can offer fuel savings.”
SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700 is based on patented silyl acrylate polymer technology and offers self-smoothing properties and outstanding fouling protection. The untainted nature of the binder delivers consistent antifouling performance and an uncompromised, predictable linear polishing pattern which in turn can significantly reduce frictional drag. SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700 is a pure silyl acrylate premium antifouling product from the same family as SIGMA SYLADVANCE 800, an antifouling product with a proven track record across the last 10 years.

SIGMA ECOFLEET 690
First out of the box this year was its SIGMA ECOFLEET 690 range, designed specifically to provide predictable self-polishing antifouling protection at variable operating speeds in aggressive fouling environments. Intended for the dry dock, maintenance and repair market, SIGMA ECOFLEET 690 has been formulated using PPG’s unique patented binder technology ensuring consistent performance levels and fouling control for in-service periods of up to 60 months.
Fully compliant with the IMO AFS Convention, the product is suitable for a wide range of vessel types and contains an ultra-high volume solids content of 70% - thus reducing potential VOC emissions. SIGMA ECOFLEET 690 has been formulated to be easy to apply, increasing productivity and reducing overall maintenance costs.
Specifically addressing the challenges encountered by shortsea shipping, offshore and coastal operators, Sijmen Visser said, “Aggressive hull fouling is a problem for shipowners operating in coastal and short-sea trades where vessels can be inactive more than 50% of the time. SIGMA ECOFLEET 690 has been designed specifically to deliver high-quality, self-polishing antifouling for vessels with low activity and/or those operating in waters where fouling is known to be a particular problem.”

PPG: Global Coverage, Full Range of Applications
Whatever your particular coatings challenge, it’s a good bet that PPG has a solution designed specifically for that area. Regulations, fuel economy, and operational efficiencies – they all drive the development of today’s marine coatings. In a year where all three of those variables have come into play in a big way – PPG has also stepped up with three marine coatings that address each of those challenges in a specific way. And, that’s PPG – by the numbers.