Note: This is a machine-translated version of the original German text. The translation was generated with AI assistance. In case of any discrepancy, the German original shall prevail.

For more than 50 years we have been developing coating systems that are better for people and the environment. Here we set out how we assess the technological developments of the next 10 years and which specific projects we are planning.

Three pillars, one goal

Our technological work over the next ten years focuses on three fields that are mutually dependent:

• High-performance products
• Waste nothing
• Data enables capability

Pillar 1: Raw materials & chemistry

This pillar covers everything that goes into the bottle – where the ingredients come from, how they work and how we develop them further. Four development lines are running in parallel here.

CO₂ as a raw material source for chemistry – Carbon to Coatings

Since 2022 we have been researching together with the Charité Berlin and the University of Ulm whether atmospheric CO₂ can be converted into base materials for coatings with the help of bacteria – and whether these materials can then be permanently bound in wood. This would not be incremental progress, but a fundamental paradigm shift in raw material chemistry.

• 2026–2028: Completion of basic research, first assessment of technical transferability to product formulations.
• 2028–2032: If the results permit – development of first formulations based on biotechnologically produced raw materials.
• From 2032: Integration into the product portfolio where performance and availability justify it.

Fast-drying industrial coatings with an ever-higher bio-based content

Industrial coating processes demand short cycle times, high reproducibility and suitability for machine application methods. At the same time, the bio-based content of many commercially available systems is still far below what would be chemically possible. We are developing coating systems that combine both: a proportion of renewable raw materials of well over 80 % and drying times that meet the requirements of industrial production lines – without compromising durability and processability.

• 2026–2028: Laboratory development and first practical tests with industrial partners.
• 2028–2030: Optimisation of the formulation, adaptation to different application methods.
• From 2030: Market launch for industrial use.

Exterior coating systems with exceptional durability

Coatings for exterior use are under permanent stress: UV radiation, moisture, temperature fluctuations, biological growth. Many bio-based systems have had weaknesses here compared to synthetic alternatives. Our goal is an exterior coating system that is based entirely on natural ingredients while achieving a durability that can compete with conventional systems. The basis consists of modified plant oils, natural resins and bio-based additives, whose combination we are specifically optimising for weather resistance and protection duration.

• 2026–2027: Development and testing of different formulation approaches under real weathering conditions.
• 2027: Refinement of the most capable systems, approval procedures.
• From end of 2027: Market launch, initially for selected application areas such as facades, terrace areas and garden wood.

Strengthening the density and wood structure of low-grade timber

More performance from weaker source material. Not every wood has the structural quality required for demanding applications. Fast-grown timber, recycled wood or wood species with lower density often have properties that limit their use – even though they would make ecological sense as renewable raw materials. And due to climate change, the density and thus the quality of wood is continuously declining. We are researching coating and impregnation systems that specifically stabilise and reinforce the cell structure of the wood, without the need for resource-intensive alternatives. The goal is to make timber of lower structural quality usable for applications for which it is not suitable today.

• 2026–2028: Fundamental work on penetration depths, viscosities and structural mechanisms of action.
• 2028–2029: Development of application-ready systems, validation for specific application categories such as structural use or terrace decking from low-grade timber.
• From 2030: Product development and market entry in cooperation with timber processors.

Pillar 2: Circular economy & packaging

Cradle to Cradle is not a certificate, but an approach: designing products so that their components can be safely returned to biological or technical cycles after use. This applies to ingredients as much as to packaging. PNZ Oil has been certified to Cradle-to-Cradle standards since 2022. The zero-waste wall paint came to market in 2023. Both are steps on a longer journey.

• 2026–2028: Systematic review of the entire portfolio for C2C suitability. Which ingredients and formulation approaches are compatible with biological and technical circular economy principles – and where do we need to reformulate? In parallel: development of packaging solutions that combine reusability and industrial practicability.
• 2028–2032: Continuous further development of C2C-suitable options. Testing of new packaging concepts in trade and with industrial customers.
• From 2032: C2C as a standard development principle: no new product will come to market whose circularity has not been considered from the outset. Packaging solutions that cover the entire product lifecycle – from initial filling to return.

Pillar 3: Digital supply chain & certification

We are not fans of the credibility debate on sustainability questions. In 2021 we built the Eco-Hub together with Fraunhofer IPA – a platform for cross-industry environmental data capture. That was the beginning of a still long journey.

• 2026–2028: Expansion of the Eco-Hub for complete digital capture of all relevant environmental KPIs along our supply chain – from raw material extraction to delivery. The goal is a seamless, auditable data basis that accelerates certifications and eliminates greenwashing risks for us and our customers.
• 2028–2031: Linking of supply chain data with product data sheets, certification evidence and digital product passports (DPP) in real time. Industrial customers should be able to demonstrate at the push of a button what is in each product and where it comes from – for their own sustainability reports, tenders and compliance requirements.
• From 2030: Opening of the platform to external partners: raw material suppliers, processing companies and trade customers can enter their own data and link it with others. A shared digital infrastructure for transparent supply chains in the coatings industry.

What we do not yet know

Some developments on this roadmap depend on research results that are still pending. The Carbon-to-Coatings technology is scientifically promising – whether it can be translated economically into product formulations will be shown by the research of the coming years. The fundamental work on the structural reinforcement system is still at an early stage. And some regulatory frameworks – for example for circular economy certifications or digital product passports – will continue to evolve in the coming years.

Our guiding principle for all three pillars

Every project on this roadmap must withstand four questions:
1. Is the end product more capable or at least equivalent to what is currently on the market?
2. Is the ecological footprint measurably better?
3. Can it be manufactured at a price that is viable for our customers?
4. Is it circular – or at least on the way there?
If all four answers are positive, we continue. If not, we start again.

Why there is nothing about PCF here

The ecological product footprint (also: Product Carbon Footprint, PCF) is much discussed. We will not be investing much more work on the topic, because it does not make real sense for the following reasons:

• The sum of all PCFs of a company is the total footprint of the company
• We have been measuring, reducing and compensating our total CO₂ footprint for many years
• The question of allocation (how much of the total footprint is attributable to which product) is a secondary question within homogeneous groups. It is roughly equivalent to asking what portion of the costs of the BMW Christmas party is attributable to the steering wheel.
• Determining the PCF is technically possible (and we do it occasionally), but it is laborious and prone to error (and occasionally to manipulation). Allocate all the bad emissions to a product you would not sell anyway and suddenly other products shine in a false light.
  We therefore prefer to concentrate our activities on topics where we have a higher measurable impact.

Status: 2026. Next update: 2027.