New Standards in Antifoulings with the Micron® Range from AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings
Published: Friday, December 24, 2021 11:00 am
By: Matt Anzardo, Global Yacht Segment Manager
For 140 years, AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings has continually redefined performance and aesthetics for boaters worldwide through its relentless commitment to innovation. Its 350 research and development scientists across 13 sites globally share an uncompromising commitment to pushing boundaries in order to produce game-changing products that provide the solutions our customers require.
With sustainability at the heart of everything we do, AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings is also leading the industry in pioneering a world of possibilities to preserve the world’s marine ecosystem. These efforts are why we remain a trusted partner for boatbuilders, yard owners, captains, applicators, retailers, and boat owners worldwide.
Among our celebrated portfolio of above and below the waterline performance and protective coatings, the Micron range of antifoulings from our Interlux® brand has a proud heritage of providing stand-out benefits that raise the bar for boaters.
Four decades on from its launch way back in 1979, we are delighted to be continuing that tradition with two new additions—that set new standards in sustainability and performance.
Our most advanced antifouling yet, Micron Extra SPC delivers stand-out performance in both fresh and saltwater, while the revolutionary water-based formulation of Micron Navigator raises the bar in driving down the environmental impact of antifoulings.
Micron Extra SPC
Micron Extra SPC opens up the premium levels of protection typically only found in the superyacht category to boat owners of all sizes through its unique self-polishing copolymer technology, which ensures a sustained and consistent release of antifouling protection.
It ensures that the hull is protected throughout the life of the coating regardless of whether the boat is moving or at the dock, giving boaters coast-to-coast the peace of mind to know their boat bottom is protected.
And by minimizing drag, speed and fuel efficiency are improved, contributing to a lessening of the vessel’s environmental impact.
Compatible over most other antifoulings, making the switch to Micron Extra SPC couldn’t be simpler for customers and applicators.
Micron Navigator
Water-based Micron Navigator arrives as both professionals and DIY boaters are increasingly seeking easy-to-use hull solutions that deliver time and cost savings alongside improved performance and an unrivaled color choice.
It outperforms competitors by being suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications with a stand-out temperature tolerance of 41°F to 95°F. It was specifically developed to meet the challenges customers face by incorporating all the benefits of trusted Micron technology, but in a water-based formulation that is better for the environment. The result is our most sustainable and environmentally conscious antifouling to date.
Multi-seasonal and free of copper, it also offers a complete bow-to-stern solution—suitable for use on fiberglass, aluminum, steel, and underwater metals like running gear and drives—eliminating the requirement for two separate antifoulings and giving our customers more time to enjoy the water.
Its polishing technology creates a smoother surface over time, resulting in improved efficiency and a reduction in paint build-up, offering improved savings in terms of resources and budget over traditional products.
At AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings we have a steadfast commitment to pushing the boundaries of product performance so yacht owners can enjoy unrivaled aesthetics that not only stand the test of time but play a vital role in helping to protect the environment, too.
This is something we are currently executing with the introduction of the new and updated version of the beloved VC®17m antifouling, which will be available in 2022. The new VC
17m will be thin film, fast-drying, and premium performance, available for the first time in black along with the traditional colors of red, blue, and original.
As a business, we are composed of experts who are also committed boaters and embedded within the community themselves. They not only instinctively understand the joy boating brings, but also possess a complete grasp of the requirements of the industry.
We have recently been making unprecedented investments in our brand, technologies, and partnerships to allow us to ensure we remain a trusted partner in performance and protective coatings, providing the entire boating ecosystem with the ultimate holistic solution from bow to stern and keel to mast.
As more people than ever before take to the water to experience the pure, unrivaled joy boating provides, it remains our privilege to play a central role in this by producing the products that make a real difference to boaters while helping to protect our environment too.
A version of this article appeared in the Buyer's Guide (November/December) 2022 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Environmental Impact, Paint
