At PaintExpo 2026, Mankiewicz Coatings will show how the new generation of ALEXIT High Build Monolyer® simplifies coating processes, lowers material and energy use, and helps maintain quality despite a shortage of skilled workers.

European manufacturers are under growing pressure in global competition: costs, lead times, and delivery reliability increasingly determine who wins contracts. At the same time, the coatings industry is facing a lack of qualified personnel.

With the new generation of ALEXIT High Build Monolyer, Mankiewicz Coatings addresses these challenges. The updated single-coat system is designed to simplify industrial coating processes – without compromising on protection or appearance.

Fewer Process Steps – Faster Production

In many applications, multi-coat systems add work steps, increase material consumption, and require additional drying phases – driving up lead times and costs. ALEXIT High Build Monolyer is a direct-to-metal solution that combines corrosion protection and defined OEM surface requirements in a single process step.

A high solids content, low VOC values, and an optimized drying profile reduce material and energy consumption – lowering the cost per coated square meter. For European production sites, this means less process complexity and more output per shift – especially relevant for high volumes and tight cost pressure in international comparison.

Modular Use for Industry

ALEXIT High Build Monolyer is built on a modular “building-block” concept, allowing it to be customized to specific industrial requirements, based on the substrate, part geometry, target surface quality, and process parameters. A wide range of color and effect options is available. The product can also be integrated into existing production environments with limited adjustments. Stable, reproducible results can support reliable line operation, and, in turn, help strengthen the competitiveness of European manufacturers.

Skilled Labor Remains a Bottleneck

The labor market remains tight: in Germany, for example, 54,000 apprenticeship positions went unfilled last year. Craft trades are particularly affected, including painters and industrial finishers. For industrial coating operations, this increases the importance of robust, process-reliable systems – even with changing teams.

“European manufacturers need to make their processes faster and more reliable to stay competitive internationally. Our ALEXIT High Build Monolyer® addresses exactly that: one application, less complexity, stable results,” says Tilman Richers, executive managing director – head of sales general industry coatings at Mankiewicz. “In addition, our decades of experience in automation help us continuously improve our coating systems.”