16 Low-bake innovation for the next generation of energy-efficient paintshops By Joerg Zumkley, Media Relations Global, Surventis Automotive OEM paintshops are among the most energy-intensive areas in vehicle manufacturing, accounting for more than 60% of a factory’s total energy consumption. As the industry moves toward lower emissions, electric vehicles and more sustainable production, reducing energy demand in coating operations has become a key lever for decarbonization. Surventis is developing an integrated low-bake solution designed to lower curing temperatures in OEM paintshops while maintaining the high-quality standards required in automotive coating processes. Conventional automotive coating processes typically require curing temperatures of around 140 °C. The low-bake approach under development at Surventis aims to reduce this to approximately 80–90 °C, helping cut energy use, CO₂ emissions and operating costs. Based on evaluations using GLASS, Surventis’ proprietary paintshop life-cycle assessment tool, lowering oven temperatures by up to 60 °C shows the potential for: • up to 30% energy savings in the paintshop, • u p to 20% lower CO₂-equivalent emissions, • and up to 30% lower energy-related operating costs per vehicle, depending on the paintshop setup. These assessments provide an important reference point for the sustainability impact of low-temperature curing, while further validation and customer-specific trials continue. Integrated thinking across body and bumper coating A key development direction is the integration of body and plastic parts, such as bumpers, into a single coating process. Coating both together in one line can simplify paintshop layouts, improve color matching and reduce complexity. This process perspective goes beyond individual material innovations. It looks at how coating steps, materials and components interact in a low-temperature environment, from sealants and primers to basecoats, clearcoats and plastic substrates. Graphic: © Surventis This creates additional potential for OEM paintshops: • >50% CAPEX savings by eliminating a separate bumper line. • > 60% lower VOCs in bumper coating by replacing solvent-borne with waterborne basecoat and eliminating conductive primer. Collaboration along the value chain Meaningful reductions in curing temperature require not only reformulating coatings. They depend on close collaboration across the automotive value chain, including material suppliers, equipment partners, and OEMs. Surventis works closely with partners in areas such as sealant systems and plastics materials to ensure all components are compatible with lower-temperature processes and perform reliably under real paintshop conditions. This holistic approach aligns materials, processes, and equipment to unlock both economic benefits and sustainability gains. Value driven efficiency for future paintshops Low-bake technology is more than a technical adjustment. It represents a pathway toward more energy-efficient and economically viable automotive production. As OEMs pursue decarbonization targets, solutions that combine environmental benefits with operational efficiency will become increasingly important. While Surventis’ integrated low-bake solution is still under development, early assessments underline its potential to support the next generation of eco-efficient paintshops and help customers reduce emissions, energy use and process complexity. www.surventiscoatings.com
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