Goodlass Nerolac bags R&D award

Mumbai: Goodlass Nerolac Paints Limited (GNPL) has been announced the winner of the ministry of science and technology's 'DSIR national award for the year 2004' in recognition of the company's excellent research and development efforts in the area of absorption and upgradation of imported technology.

Kapil Sibal, minister of state for science and technology presented the award to HM Bharuka, managing director Goodlass Nerolac Paints.

Commenting on the achievement HM Bharuka, managing director, Goodlass Nerolac said, "It has been our constant endeavour to innovate and introduce new products at our R&D centre, located at Mumbai, manned with 135 technologists. This award signifies a major milestone in the pursuit of our goals in technological innovation. The award is much appreciated and will definitely be a motivator to do the best we can in the future".

The leader in the automotive and industrial paint sector and one of the leading players in the decorative paint segment, GNPL has always been a forerunner in customising technology to suit the Indian markets.

The national award has been conferred on Nerolac for introducing a pioneering product called "Acrylic Cathodic Electrodeposition" (ACED) for coating motorcycle frames. The product is designed to provide good corrosion and UV resistance. The motorcycle industry would benefit by replacing a two coat operation, with a single coat of ACED. The development was based on lab scale technology received from its principals, Kansai Paints of Japan. This involved design of special polymers, optimisation of pigment combination, indigenisation and tropicalisation of the product and standardisation of bulk manufacturing.

This innovation has increased productivity and significantly reduced painting cost, energy consumption, solvent emission, paint sludge and risk of fire hazard for the user industry.

The product is expected to find newer applications in the industries like bicycles, auto components, furniture and appliances as a replacement to conventional painting systems.