Larry Frank
Vice President Sales and Marketing

Start with good fundamentals:
Don’t be afraid to ask……
Match the pigment performance to the application requirements
Keep the number of needed pigments to a minimum
Start From Scratch
Do not make the mistake of looking at $/lb first

Resist the temptation to add to or to modify an existing formula
It is ok to work within your “approved product list” as long as the needed products are on the list.
Start with Primary Color and add a Secondary Color and White or Black, most matches can be done with
3-4 pigments max.
Use organics for chroma and brightness in combination with inorganics to help with opacity, durability, and cost.

Understanding Pigment Properties

Tinctorial - Hue
- Brightness/Dullness
- Opacity/Transparency
- Strength

Physical - Dispersibility
- Oil Absorption
(flow and gloss)

Chemical - Light Fastness/Weatherfastness
- Solvent Fastness
- Heat Fastness
- Chemical Resistance

Questions to Consider in Determining the “right”
Pigment or Pigment Combination
Water Based or Solvent System
Interior or Exterior (Weatherfastness/Lightfastness
)
Masstone or Tint
Air Dry or Baking System
Opacity, Transparency, and Gloss
Fastness to Overspray
Heavy Metals
Cost Parameters

Drum Enamel Stds.
Vivid Red 105 (DE< 1.5)
1.
DNA ORANGE 5 17.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (light) 44.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 36.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 3.0%
3.
DNA ORANGE 5 24.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (med.) 51.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 10.0%
COPPERAS RED OXIDE 15.0%
2.
NAPHTHOL RED 112 20.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 20.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 46.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 14.0%
4. OPAQUE ORANGE 34 13.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 27.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 32.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 28.0%

Pigment Formulation
Cost at List Prices
$5.50
1.
DNA ORANGE 5 17.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (light) 44.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 36.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 3.0%
$6.58
3.
DNA ORANGE 5 24.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (med.) 51.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 10.0%
COPPERAS RED OXIDE 15.0%
$5.67
2.
NAPHTHOL RED 112 20.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 20.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 46.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 14.0%
$10.05
4.
OPAQUE ORANGE 34 13.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 27.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 32.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 28.0%

vs

Formula 2 & 4 have best performance……
$5.50
1.
DNA ORANGE 5 17.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (light) 44.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 36.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 3.0%
$6.58
3.
DNA ORANGE 5 24.0%
TOLUIDINE RED 3 (med.) 51.0%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 10.0%
COPPERAS RED OXIDE 15.0%
$5.67
2.
NAPHTHOL RED 112 20.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 20.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 46.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 14.0%
$10.05
4.
OPAQUE ORANGE 34 13.0%
NAPHTHOL RED 170 (BS) 27.0%
YELLOW IRON OXIDE 32.0%
RED IRON OXIDE 28.0%

Common Pigment selection mistakes to avoid while formulating
• Assuming that a pigment that has good lightfastness or weatherfastness in masstone also has the same in tint
• Understanding Phthalo-Blues
• Using Orange 5 when Opaque Orange 34 or
Orange 36 is needed
• Using Hansa Yellows in Solvent systems
• Using High Chroma Ink Pigments in Exterior
Coatings
• Over Engineering and Over Pricing a formula

Is the Formula Production Friendly?

Dispersion – do you have the capacity to achieve good consistent pigment dispersion of the pigments in the formula?

Consider dispersions for hard to grind or small volume high price pigments

Consider dispersions for Blacks


Talk to your suppliers to best understand your options and potential issues

Important that the formulator, the buyer, and production communicate with each other. (price and availability)

There is one optimum pigment combination that provides the required performance at the lowest cost

Selecting the right pigments for the application will insure the best performance and value!