An Exclusive Interview with Mr. Mariano Suarez, beyond carnauba: bio-based waxes redefining stability and sustainability in coatings & Inks

Global trade conditions are changing rapidly. From seasonal crop risks to new tariffs and supply chain constraints, the reliability of traditional waxes such as carnauba is decreasing. This volatility comes at a cost for coatings and inks manufacturers.

“When trade conditions change, your wax supply shouldn’t,” says Mariano Suarez, Clariant’s Head of Marketing for Additives. “Our bio-based solutions, built on the innovation-driven LicocareTM RBW Vita platform and enhanced by new developments such as CeridustTM 1150, deliver stability, sustainability, and high performance. Together, they offer our customers a reliable choice in coatings and inks.”

What macro shifts are putting pressure on traditional wax supply chains?

Mariano Suarez: Traditional wax supply chains are under growing pressure due to concentrated sourcing, seasonal limitations, and evolving global trade dynamics. Carnauba wax, for example, is harvested almost exclusively in Brazil. Its availability can fluctuate due to climate conditions and regional factors. As tariff frameworks change in key markets such as the US, manufacturers face greater complexity in planning and costs. These changes are prompting many manufacturers to reevaluate their material strategies and seek more stable and scalable alternatives.

How is Clariant helping manufacturers within the coatings industry manage volatility while also advancing sustainability?

Mariano Suarez: We’ve invested in stable, high-performing alternatives that address supply chain challenges directly. Our Licocare RBW Vita waxes are sourced from non-edible rice bran, an abundant agricultural byproduct with a secure, diverse supply chain across Asia. They deliver the performance customers expect while offering a renewable carbon index of over 98%, zero PFAS content, and up to 80% lower carbon footprint than fossil-based waxes. Because they avoid the seasonal, location-specific risks of carnauba, manufacturers not only gain measurable sustainability benefits but also a more consistent and scalable supply base. In an environment where tariffs and market realities can shift overnight, that combination of stability and sustainability makes all the difference.

Ceridust 1150 is a new addition to your portfolio. What does it bring to the table?

Mariano Suarez: Ceridust 1150, our latest rice bran wax-based additive, combines reliable supply with high performance for coatings and ink applications. It supports the transition away from fossil and montan waxes while avoiding the volatility of other waxes without compromising on functionality. The product delivers excellent scratch resistance, gloss control, and anti-blocking properties, exactly what customers expect from a high-end wax additive. And for those who want more information, our technical experts are ready to share insights into the unique advantages of rice bran wax.

Are customers ready to move away from traditional waxes, and what’s driving that shift?

Mariano Suarez: Absolutely. There’s strong momentum behind this shift. Customers are looking for sustainable, reliable, long-lasting ingredients. They understand that supply chain uncertainties are becoming the norm and want to proactively reduce risks. Meanwhile, growing regulations surrounding PFAS and emissions are propelling the industry toward more transparent solutions, exactly where Clariant’s expertise and innovative wax alternatives come into play to support a smooth transition.

Any final thoughts on how Clariant sees the future of performance waxes?

Mariano Suarez: Performance alone is no longer enough. What matters is purposeful performance that is delivered reliably, sustainably, and at scale. That’s precisely what we offer with the established Licocare RBW Vita range and our new Ceridust 1150. We’re not waiting for the next disruption. We’re developing solutions that will outlast it.

www.clariant.com

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An Exclusive Interview on the road to K 2025 with Mr. Peter von Hoffmann, General Manager Business Unit Compounding Machines, and Mr. Frank Lechner, General Manager Process Technology and R&D at Coperion, the twin-screw extruder enables high recyclate qualities

How can resource conservation be improved through greater efficiency in compounding?

Peter von Hoffmann: Efficiency is the central goal at Coperion. All our technologies for compounding and recycling plastics are designed with this goal in mind. One example is our ZSK twin-screw extruder, which we currently offer in the ZSK Mc18 generation. It achieves extremely high throughputs, with relatively low energy consumption and a high degree of automation. Numerous additional units such as side feeding, degassing, and condition monitoring increase its performance, enabling our valuable resources to be used in a highly targeted manner, and maximum output to be achieved with high efficiency.

How do you achieve this increase in efficiency?

Von Hoffmann: Let’s stick with the example of the ZSK extruder: in order to achieve this high-power density, all process parameters of the extruder must be correctly determined. The mechanical variables that transfer the high torque to the twin screw need to be specified. In addition, there are process engineering factors that ensure consistently high product quality during compounding. This is the basis: an interplay of “old technology”, process engineering and automation. This is where our wealth of experience in the construction of twin-screw extruders really works in our favour.

What role does digitalisation play?

Von Hoffmann: Once the foundation is in place, digitalisation comes into play. With our C-BEYOND digital platform, operators can view the operating data of their plant at any time. This data is available in the form of informative analyses in real time. Important information on key performance indicators (KPIs) for a production line, such as availability, production volume and product quality, is clearly visible at a glance. With C-BEYOND, the production process can be documented in detail, and the scheduling of maintenance work optimised. C-BEYOND also identifies the energy consumption and CO2 emissions per kilogram of compound produced. With the Overall Equipment Effectiveness Tool, or OEE Tool for short, customers can view the efficiency of their plant and react quickly to any deviations.

How are digital products of that nature regarded by customers?

Von Hoffmann: We initially introduced C-BEYOND to a number of trial customers. Now, increasing numbers of customers want to retrofit their systems with it, in order to benefit from its numerous features. We offer digital life cycle management for example, which provides customers with a proactive maintenance plan that shows when maintenance measures are due for a unit, such as changing the gear oil. We use a condition monitoring system to record the actual load on an extruder. The customer is notified as soon as irregularities occur during an extruder operation and can plan service measures with sufficient lead time. The power consumption of the plant and each unit is also displayed digitally via C-BEYOND. Therefore, anomalies can be identified immediately and countermeasures taken. C-BEYOND can also be viewed on a smartphone via an app. This means that even the company boss can view all the live data from the machines from anywhere.

Is there a trend among your customers towards purchasing complete systems?

Von Hoffmann: Yes, there is a trend in that direction. At Coperion, we offer everything from individual equipment, such as a feeding unit, a rotary valve, or an extruder, to complete systems. It very much depends on the specific application of the system, and where it is to be installed. We have customers who buy individual units from us. If the systems are intended for other countries, they often want to play it safe and will place an order with us for a complete system. They then benefit from the added value of having a partner who can supply them with everything they need. We have the specialist knowledge for the individual machines, as well as the expertise for complete systems.

What role does the twin-screw extruder play in recycling?

Lechner: It is key to producing high-quality recycled materials. In the early days of recycling, single-screw extruders were widely used. However, these have limited capabilities and reach those limits when quality requirements increase. This is where the twin-screw extruder is unbeatable, as it melts the waste plastic very energy-efficiently, and produces a very homogeneous, well-degassed melt that is extremely gentle on the product. The result is a very high-quality compound. A second argument in favour of the twin screw is the throughput. A single screw is expedient for lower throughputs, but with material flows becoming larger, and applications more diverse, the twin screw is unbeatable.

Has the trend towards recycling slowed down?

Lechner: Germany produces around 5.7 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, of which around 35 percent is recycled. There is definitely room for improvement here. However, the demand for recycled materials is currently higher than the availability of raw materials. This is slowing down recycling somewhat. In addition, less plastic is being produced in this country overall because companies have relocated part of their production abroad due to high energy prices. The fact that the oil price is currently quite low is not helpful either. This makes recycled goods significantly more expensive than new goods. Nevertheless, we see a strong drive towards recycling, not only in Germany, but all over the world; that is why we believe that the trend towards recycling is continuing unabatedly.

Many plastics are considered non-recyclable. Will that change?

Lechner: It’s true that we can’t recycle everything yet, but there is a lot of research and development taking place. In the future, it will be possible to recycle plastics that are currently considered non-recyclable in an economically viable way. A lot of things are already possible today that weren’t possible a few years ago. We are now very good at recycling technical plastics, but also a range of mixed plastics. For example, multi-layer film can already be recycled mechanically in such a way that the result can be reused as a layer in a multi-layer film. With our new ZSK FilCo filtration compounder, we can produce recycled plastic with significantly higher product quality than was previously possible using the common two-stage recycling process. This makes many recompounds attractive for a much wider range of applications.

Many companies in Germany are struggling with the problem of a shortage of skilled workers. Is this also your experience at Coperion?

Von Hoffmann: The shortage of skilled workers is a major problem for all of us. Due to demographic developments, it is not likely to ease significantly in the foreseeable future. This is one of the reasons why our industry develops machines that are highly automated and therefore require fewer operators. Nevertheless, we will always need qualified personnel. We are working very hard to ensure that we recruit them, and are proud that we are currently training 76 apprentices and dual students at our German sites. We want to attract people to our company at an early stage and retain them.

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