At the Hanover Trade Fair (Hannover Messe) in Hannover, Germany, April 16-20, 2007, BASF Coatings and its R-M paint brand will present a sustainability project called the “BioConcept Car,” including a first-generation Volkswagen-Beetle and coated parts of a second-generation Ford Mustang.

“Coating biogenic materials is not something we do all the time. Yet we wanted to use this project to show that it is possible to coat a wide range of materials with a sustainable and eco-efficient paint concept and environmentally friendly coating technology,” said Thorsten Schlatmann, head of R-M Distribution Germany. “The BioConcept car’s doors, fenders, bumper, hood, and hatch are made of biofibers and are impregnated with a liquid bioplastic. While the paintwork we apply needs to resist the toughest demands posed by the racing scene, including racetracks that can be extremely dirty, it also has to meet the expectations of the media and make a positive impact on the public. Nothing less than ‘spectacular’ will do. On top of this comes the challenge of precisely matching the colors on sponsors’ advertising decals.”

R-M used its ONYX HD Line of waterborne paints on the project, along with STARLUX CP, a VOC-compliant clearcoat. The company used its COLORMASTER 2 color matching system to find the right colors for the project.

“Even today, the automotive industry and suppliers like us are working to provide solutions for the mobility of the future. Integrating the BioConcept Car sustainability project in a high-level racing series provides valuable insight for all involved industries,” Schlatmann said.

For more information, visit www.basf-coatings.de.