Integrated scenario analysis for metal surface treatment

As a result of new environmental legislation (EU-Solvent Directive, Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control IPPC), numerous companies from the metal surface treatment sector must reduce their emissions of organic solvents. Small enterprises will mainly employ alternative coating products with a lower content of organic solvents in process integrated measures. In large installations, improved end of pipe technologies such as waste gas treatment and application of alternative paints are utilised to meet the new emission limit values. These efforts together with tough competition on the market will lead to far-reaching changes within the sector. Predictions on future changes in the organisation and functioning of the value chain can be assisted via the methods of scenario analyses which are based on the examination of possible trends. The vertical integration of the value chain, which leads to an increasing number of large service providers that produce and apply coating materials, seems very probable. Also, a decreased number of small and medium sized enterprises that act as specialised niche providers will result. For this constellation, a continuing reduction of environmental impacts and costs cannot be achieved by single enterprises. Therefore, an approach for an integrated and inter-plant process design, based on the Pinch-Analysis for the value chain of metal coating, will be necessary and thus is introduced in this article.