embark on a journey towards a sustainable future
Two companies sharing one common vision: Schmincke, a manufacturer of premium artists‘ colors based in Erkrath, Germany, has teamed up with BTC Europe, BASF's distributor for speciality chemicals in Europe, to present the well-known high-quality artists’ acrylic color PRIMAcryl® in a contemporary new way on the market. The biomass-balanced binder1 used in the production of the colors contributes to a significantly reduced CO2 footprint.
Reconsidering familiar structures, creating new approaches, and shaping the transformation from a linear to a circular economy: The growing awareness of resource conservation and the use of sustainably produced materials have increased the demand for alternative product solutions in the creative industry. This is also changing the product requirements for many manufacturers. "As an established partner of artists worldwide, we have been following the change and set the course for the relaunch of our PRIMAcryl® Professional at an early stage" says Christiane Möller, Head of Marketing at Schmincke. "It was important to us to maintain the valued quality of our well-known PRIMAcryl® and to fulfil a contemporary approach to greater sustainability. Thanks to our close collaboration with BTC Europe, we became aware of BASF's sustainably produced binders, which we were able to use in the production of PRIMAcryl® Professional.” The high-quality artist acrylic color range contains of 90 colors in a heavy body variant in a wide range of container sizes as well as 48 identical colors in the soft-flowing fluid version.
Sustainably produced binders from BASF offer lower CO2 footprint thanks to biomass balance approach
The binders, known under the brand name Acronal® MB, are water-based dispersions of an acrylic copolymer. The dispersions make up the majority of the formulation and are an essential component as they contribute to high color intensity and stability as well as good lightfastness. The "MB" in the brand name, which stands for "Mass Balance", derives from the certified biomass balance approach. This method involves introducing and subsequently processing renewable raw materials alongside fossil raw materials at the beginning of the production process. The benefits: The use of renewable raw materials in the value chain reduces the product's CO2 footprint (PCF - Product Carbon Footprint) and the need for fossil raw materials for biomass-balanced products. The proportion of circular raw materials used at the beginning of the production process is allocated to the biomass-balanced sales product, such as Acronal® MB, through a certified method. These BASF products are certified according to the REDcert2 or ISCC Plus standard.
"The biomass-balanced product variant is attractive because it meets the same quality and performance standards as the conventionally produced product," explains Sebastian Schmitz, Account Manager for CASE+ at BTC Europe. "Moreover, it is a so-called drop-in solution. Manufacturers do not need to make any additional formulation adjustments, which leads to significant saving in effort and costs."
Achieving ambitious goals together
The product relaunch of PRIMAcryl® Professional represents a conscious shift towards lower-emission and high-performance products that support the resource cycle. "We consider the entire supply chain, from raw material extraction through production to disposal, and try to integrate sustainable practices at every step, for example, in the selection of binders. This allows us to meet the growing demand for alternative solutions in the market and strengthen the Schmincke brand in the long term," says Christiane Möller.
This is also a priority for BTC Europe:
"The biomass-balanced products that BASF offers enable us to specifically address the needs of our customers and support them in achieving their sustainability goals. Together with BASF, we will advance existing and future sustainability initiatives along our value chain,"
More information on BASF’s Biomass Balance Approach can be found on basf.com or YouTube.
Learn more about PRIMAcryl® Professional at Schmincke.de.
*1 Biomass balance method (BMB): Fossil raw materials required for the manufacture of BASF products are replaced with renewable feedstock along the integrated production chain. The corresponding share of renewable material is attributed to the specific sales product via a certified mass balance approach. Production methods of this kind save fossil resources and reduce CO2 emissions at the same time. Both the BMB approach and biomass balanced products are independently certified according to the certification schemes for the chemical industry: REDcert2 and ISCC PLUS. Renewable feedstock is not traceable in the BASF product.
