Big Three Automakers Join Forces to Reduce Air Emissions

Strategic Insights -

The Big Three US automakers - General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler Corp. - have joined forces to build a $20-million facility to test a new generation of powdered paints, aiming to reduce air emissions from vehicle painting. The Low Emissions Paint Consortium will operate the pilot facility at Ford's assembly plant in Wixom, Mich., starting in late 1995. This new technology has the potential to reduce solvent emissions from assembly plant paint shops by another 50%, building on the industry's 80% reduction in paint shop emissions of volatile organic compounds over the past 20 years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Low Emissions Paint Consortium, formed by the Big Three automakers, aims to reduce air emissions from vehicle painting by testing a new generation of powdered paints.
  • The pilot facility, to be built at Ford's assembly plant in Wixom, Mich., will operate starting in late 1995 and will be used to test a new type of powdered clearcoat paint.
  • Powder paints do not require expensive and complicated emissions control equipment needed for current liquid solvent-based paints.
  • If the technology proves viable, it could cut solvent emissions from assembly plant paint shops by another 50% in addition to the industry's 80% reduction in paint shop emissions of volatile organic compounds over the past 20 years.
  • The consortium believes that making further reductions in paint shop emissions will require new paint technologies.
  • Cars and trucks require a much higher-quality finish than other products that use powder paints, such as lawn and garden equipment and metal furniture.
  • The facility was chosen to be built at Wixom due to Ford's existing test facility for liquid paints, which kept costs down.

Statistics:

  • The industry has reduced paint shop emissions of volatile organic compounds by approximately 80% in the past 20 years.
  • The Low Emission Paint Consortium aims to cut solvent emissions from assembly plant paint shops by an additional 50% if the new technology proves viable.
  • The facility is expected to start operating in late 1995.
  • The project involves a $20-million investment from the Big Three automakers.
  • The industry has used powder paints since the mid-1970s on certain low-gloss components such as engine blocks and chassis parts and since 1991 as anti-chip and primer coatings on cars and trucks.

Sources:

  • Reuters News Agency
  • General Motors Corp.
  • Ford Motor Co.
  • Chrysler Corp.
  • Asea Brown Boveri AG
  • ABB Paint Finishing Inc.