Osnabrück – September 08, 2026 -- The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) has funded a €370,000 project that achieved the first successful shift to bio-based powder coating formulations, cutting the carbon footprint of the coatings by more than 70 percent.
Consortium proves fossil-free powder coatings are technically feasible
The "EcoCoat" project, backed by DBU with roughly €370,000, brought together iLF Magdeburg GmbH, powder coating manufacturer Ganzlin Beschichtungspulver GmbH -- a company with about 70 employees -- and the Core Facility Microscopy and Materials Analysis (CMMA) at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. Dr. Susanne Bender, managing director of iLF Magdeburg, said the results demonstrate that powder coatings can largely be produced without fossil raw materials.
Curing temperature drops from 200°C to 160°C, saving a third of energy costs
By combining bio-based binders such as bioresin and recycled PET, the consortium lowered the required curing temperature from approximately 200 to 160 degrees Celsius, cutting energy consumption and related costs by around one-third. Pigments including carbon black, chlorophyllin, lignin and indigo further reduced reliance on petroleum-derived inputs, according to Bender.
Global powder coating market set to grow from €14 billion to €23.7 billion by 2034
Powder coatings, used to protect and finish metal surfaces in door, window, façade, automotive, furniture and appliance manufacturing -- and even in electric guitars -- represent a market with European production volume of roughly 450,000 tonnes annually. According to the German paint and printing ink industry association VdL, powder coatings account for about 12 percent of total industrial coatings revenue. Industry estimates put the 2025 global powder coating market at approximately €14 billion, projected to reach €23.7 billion by 2034, with the Asia-Pacific region as the primary growth driver.
DBU Secretary General calls project a model for Saxony-Anhalt's mid-sized industry
DBU Secretary General Alexander Bonde described EcoCoat as a potential "door opener" for previously unknown production processes across the industry, particularly for smaller manufacturers. "Today it is about using energy and raw materials more efficiently to meet climate and environmental protection goals," Bonde said, noting that formulations for powder coatings -- which include binders, fillers, pigments and additives -- have historically relied almost entirely on fossil petroleum.