Seoul stirring.

The new car smell that we love so much is not so good for us and new VOC restrictions could see it snuffed out.

Japanese car manufacturers have agreed to limit the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in vehicles--emitted by paint, vinyl and other materials that cause the distinctive 'new

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association will apply the new standards from vehicles manufactured in 2007, albeit initially only to new model cars made and sold in Japan.

Member companies, such as Toyota, will have to reduce VOC emissions from car interior material ingredients such as styrene, formaldehyde, xylene and diazinon.

Automobile analysts predict Japanese manufacturers may use lower VOC emissions as a selling point, pushing European and American manufacturers into following suit.

Sad, perhaps that smell can be artificially manufactured for new car buyers without the VOCs?

Thailand bound

I am looking forward to attending the Association of Paint Industry Conference (APIC) in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 16-18 next month, together with Michelle Grant, assistant editor with special responsibility for APCJ.

We will be there to make new contacts in the industry and hear first hand the trends, problems and developments throughout the Asian coatings family.

It will be interesting to witness the coatings trade associations from all parts of Asia and the East gather under one roof at the Sofitel Central plaza in Bangkok.

It should be a positive meeting as the coatings business is very buoyant throughout Asia, sometimes at the expense of the West.

Thailand itself is a thriving centre of coatings activity. The Thai Paint Market is estimated at 415,000 tonnes in 2005 and is expected to grow by an average of 6% pa to reach $57,300 tonnes by 20100, according to IRL which has just produced a new profile of the Thai paint industry.

Government investment in Thailand is driving growth in the paint market as money is poured into construction and upgrading the infrastructure of the country.

Car making, steel and papermaking are among growth industries in Thailand, all good for the coatings business.

As well as being a strong market for exports Thailand offers an attractive alternative to China for manufacturing.

Thumbs up for Korea

We have just returned from a successful Korean Coatings Show at the JW Marriot Hotel in Seoul, Korea.

This was not one of our massive events like the Middle East Coatings Show but a more specialised, focused event that brought the international coatings industry to the decision makers in Korea.

For all that there were some 900 visitors to see some 18 exhibitors, most of whom were rushed off their feet with enquires.

At the end of the show most exhibitors were asking when the next show would take place--a sure indicator of success.

As organisers we hope to make an announcement about our future plans for Korea as soon as possible.

Watch this space.

Alan Cork

Managing Editor

Coatings Group