by Guest blogger, David Wawer, Executive Director, Color Pigments Manufacturers Association (CPMA)
Bringing Color to Your World
While it is easy to see the application of color in your daily life, you may not realize what color pigments are and how they are transformed to bring color into your world. What you see is a red automobile, a blue plastic credit card, a red traffic stop sign or the colorful selection of products on a store shelf. These are just a few common examples of the influence of color pigments in society. But what about the distinct color of the Coca Cola logo, the iPhone case?
Color pigments are important components in many things including paints and coatings, printing inks, plastics, glass, building materials, personal care products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture products. Each pigment has unique properties based on its application in commerce. What we come to recognize is the growing application of color pigments across the universe of possibilities. I was quite amazed several years ago to learn that agricultural seeds are coated with specific colors to identify the global climates and regions where they will thrive and grow.
Pigments and Consumer Preferences
Color pigments enable color design and selection. Automobiles are painted or coated with specific colors based on consumer preferences in different cultures, countries, and climates. While the automotive manufacturer sets paint specifications for paint companies, color pigments chemistry and technology provide the ability of automotive and paint manufacturers to produce the colors consumers want to see on their automobile.
The variety of color designs used in product packaging plays a key role in brand differentiation and consumer preferences. Walking into a retail store, or even shopping online, one is first drawn to the color design of the packaging. Today’s consumers make purchasing decisions based upon, not only how well the product performs, but also how it looks and appeals to them. To further complicate challenges faced by color pigments chemists, colors used in these products must appeal to social norms and personal tastes for each region and culture. Creativity and R&D technology of the color pigments industry has enabled companies in the consumer product space to increase product diversity over the years.
Color pigments have enhanced the development and growth of color applications for new technologies such as phone cases or mobile apps, as well as new industries like Amazon that didn’t exist 30 years ago. The color pigments industry, which is a hundred years old, continues to reinvent itself as new technologies and new consumer products are created.
About CPMA
Formed in 1925, the Color Pigments Manufacturers Association is the voice for the color pigments industry in North America. The CPMA is the only U.S. trade association representing color pigments manufacturers, intermediate suppliers, pigment dispersions, preparations, and distributor companies in North America. Since it was formed in 1925, CPMA has been dedicated to identifying solutions to public policy challenges facing the color pigments industry. Today, CPMA serves as the recognized industry voice and expert on environmental, health, safety and trade issues, engaging government agencies and collaborating with industry stakeholders in shaping the future of the color pigments industry and its diverse markets. CPMA members gain insight into the latest legislation and regulations impacting their companies and products, receive sound guidance tools necessary for business compliance and learn about technical innovations necessary to meet customer expectations.
Want to be a Guest Blogger? Contact Sharon Griffis, Executive Director, Color Marketing Group.
