Clariant's sustainability-edge in spotlight at ECS 2015

• Clariant has introduced on-going portfolio screening program in move to improve sustainability of entire product range
• The EcoTain label clearly identifies products offering sustainability and performance excellence to customers
• Standardized set of 36 criteria developed with think-and-do-tank CSCP to provide transparent, credible system

Muttenz, April 22, 2015 – Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has chosen the European Coatings Show in Nuremberg, Germany, to mark the company-wide roll-out of its EcoTain sustainability excellence label – one aspect of its on-going efforts to support customers with a more sustainable product portfolio.

At a media conference on April 22, 2015, Clariant emphasized its commitment to working with third parties, including customers, suppliers, policy makers, and other stakeholders, to continuously improve the sustainability of its portfolio and add value. Clariant received the support of the think-and-do tank Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP), to create a well-defined set of 36 criteria against which all its products can be screened. The process takes into account social, performance and environmental factors. Clariant assigns its flagship EcoTain label to those products showing best-in-class sustainability and performance excellence, providing a clear indicator to customers of their added value.

Joachim Krüger, Senior Vice President Corporate Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs, commented that the screening process - known internally as the Portfolio Value Program – provides a very transparent assessment benchmark to support customers looking to improve their own sustainability.

"Portfolio screening, using comprehensive and well-defined criteria, gives us a clear idea of the sustainability of all of our products, and enables us to steer future portfolio improvements and R&D efforts towards greater sustainability," said Joachim Krüger. "The EcoTain label goes the next step, visibly letting our customers know which products exceed market sustainability standards and are best-in-class. We believe we are unique within our industry in offering this level of credible support to our customers."

Clariant was joined at the press conference by Michael Kuhndt, Managing Director of the CSCP, who highlighted the tools and processes behind the development of EcoTain® and the importance of developing the screening system through continuous dialog with stakeholders.

"The Portfolio Value Program is a pioneering approach and the result of intensive development effort. Its unique future-oriented criteria measure not only the direct footprint of our products, but their potential contribution to the development of sustainable products. It is our belief that these aspects, developed in close consultation with business, politicians, civil society, and academia, provide the solid base behind the EcoTain label and advance the chemicals industry's support for a more sustainable society," said Mr. Kuhndt.

Keeping the relevance on the industry focus of the European Coatings Show, senior representatives from Clariant presented innovative products, and application-focused solutions and support services evolving from its sustainability improvement approach. These included products already qualifying for the EcoTain label. Michael Grosskopf, Head of Business Unit Pigments, and Alexander Snell, Head of Sales Industial Applications Business Unit Industrial & Consumer Specialties, featured examples from the approximate 40 current EcoTain products for the Paints & Coatings sector.

• Newest Ceridust® solution "Ceridust 8091" based on renewable raw materials for decorative coatings, offers strong matting effects with outstanding scratch resistance. This Ceridust development offers manufacturers a step-change in performance from a bio-based wood coating additive.
• Bio-based quinacridone pigments for automotive, industrial and decorative coatings. Hostaperm® Pink E, one of Clariant's most important polycyclic pigments based on renewable bio-succinic acid, represents Clariant's switch to renewable raw material without changes in, the product quality and the guaranteed specification.
• Halogen-free flame retardant Exolit® AP 422 for more environmentally-compatible intumescent coatings used in construction applications. The EcoTain-labeled non-hazardous flame retardant offers constant high quality and hydrolytic stability. Its production is highly material efficient and minimizes waste in production.
• Easily Dispersible Pigments (ED Pigments) significantly improve the eco-footprint in paint manufacture by removing the bead mill step. The shortened processing time leads to increased production capacity while simulataneously generating savings in electricity consumption and generating less waste water. So far the complete ED range has been granted the EcoTain label.
Hostavin® Light Stabilizer Dispersions for easy-to-incorporate and solvent –free UV light protection. Hostavin 3070 Disp. and 3330 DISP XP UV stabilizers , for waterborne wood finishes, automotive coatings and outdoor decorative coatings, satisfy EcoTain's demanding criteria due to their excellent sustainability profile. In addition, they have the outstanding ability to combine state-of-the-art performance results at competitive cost versus other market alternatives.
• Clariant has developed a set of sustainable dispersing agents for hazard-label free pigment preparations, which combine the benefit of being compliant with ecolabel (e.g. Blue Angel and EU EcoFlower) and outperform standard products on the market. The set includes EcoTain-labeled Dispersogen® AN 200 which has very low VOC level (
• Clariant offers APEO-free surfactants for emulsion polymerization providing benefits along the value chain, ranging from improvements in the polymerization process to achieve top grade latex quality to performance advantages of the obtained binders in architectural paints. Emulsogen® LCN 217, 287 and 407 have been awarded as EcoTain products. Among other sustainability aspects, they offer an environmentally friendlier profile, easy handling properties and a low VOC content. This helps polymerization customers to meet end-consumer requirements for safer, low odor paints.

Clariant is listed among the world's top ten percent of chemical companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), one of the most renowned global sustainability indices.

For more information please check www.clariant.com/ecs.

Clariant is exhibiting at the European Coatings Show 2015, Hall 7 Booth 7-123 from April 21-23, 2015. Further information on EcoTain, including a case study publication on the development of the sustainability tools by the Collaborating Center on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) can be found at www.clariant.com/ecotain.

Watch Clariant's latest Discover Value story on the importance of easy dispersible pigments at www.clariant.com/edpigments.