RadTech Study Reveals Near-Zero Emission Roadmap for Coil Coating Industry

RadTech published a landmark study that provides a clear blueprint for near-zero-emission manufacturing in the coil coating industry. The report, “Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Radiation Curing Technologies for Coil Coatings,” is now available.

Authored by Dr. Calvin Lakhan from York University, the life cycle assessment reveals that transitioning from gas-fired convection ovens to radiation curing allows factories to break free from natural gas and harmful CO2 and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

“Dr. Lakhan’s research demonstrates that the coil coating industry no longer has to choose between industrial performance and aggressive environmental stewardship,” said Mike Bonner, RadTech President and Vice President of St. Clair Systems. “By eliminating the ‘Steel Penalty,’ this study establishes a definitive roadmap for manufacturers to meet the world’s strictest sustainability targets while optimizing their bottom line.”

The study identifies the “Steel Penalty” as the primary barrier to environmental efficiency in traditional coil manufacturing. 

Conventional lines waste massive amounts of energy heating the heavy steel substrate itself to 240°C to cure the surface film. Radiation technologies (UV, EB, and Excimer) completely bypass this barrier by instantly curing the coating without heating the underlying metal. This allows facilities to maintain ultra-fast production speeds while radically cutting their carbon footprint.

Actionable Decarbonization Pathways

The report models a standardized industrial line across three viable scenarios:

• Hybrid Curing: Blends thermal primers with radiation-cured finishes to immediately cut emissions.
• Full Energy Cure: Employs 100% solids radiation chemistry across all layers, eliminating gas ovens and serving as the benchmark for near-zero Scope 1 emissions.
• Full EB Cure: Uses a single, high-capacity Electron Beam station to streamline the production footprint.