Chomarat acquires new technology

As a manufacturer of engineered textiles and composite reinforcement, Chomarat, Le Cheylard, France, works on automotive parts and equipment. “Varnishing is a key coating step in parts production that optimizes surface quality,” says Philippe Chomarat, head of Chomarat Coatings and Films business. The company has invested an estimated $2.8 million in acquiring a new varnishing and finishing line that optimizes the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous solvent-like substances emitted from many different chemical formulations. “By choosing to invest in this technology, we are anticipating the changes to REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, legislation by the European Union to protect human health and the environment),” says Chomarat. Besides giving auto parts chemical, abrasion and flexural resistance, the new varnishing technology allows designers to integrate tailored or textural features.