The Green Movement

These days, we are surrounded by the Green Movement, global warming and what we, as
consumers, can do about protecting our planet. We all have a responsibility to make informed
choices about the products we buy, the companies we support, and the impact of our decisions.

Sikkens is a global brand, which makes the highest quality wood coatings available. Log homes and wood structures are a beautiful, natural, and renewable form of building that require superior coatings to protect and preserve.

Some waterborne coatings are promoted as more environmentally friendly than their solvent based counterparts; however, there are other factors to consider. The environmental impact of a coating should be looked at as a whole, sometimes termed life cycle approach. A life cycle approach gives you the entire picture needed to make an accurate assessment of a coating. There can be raw materials used in waterborne coatings that are considered dangerous and non-renewable. VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) is not the only issue. If a latex coating is made with petroleum by products, which require intensive energy to produce, then just comparing VOC’s does not give the full story.

Here at Sikkens, we provide alkyd/oil high solids coatings for log homes and wood structures that meet stringent VOC requirements. In addition, alkyds are made from renewable plant based oils such as linseed and soy, and provide the highest level of protection for wood structures. We believe that a superior quality product that requires fewer coats and less maintenance will minimize the total environmental impact.

Sikkens Making a Difference

In May 2007, a tornado ravaged the community of Greensburg, Kansas, destroying most of the
buildings. The town chose to rebuild and become the first in the United States to require that all public buildings over 4,000 square feet conform to the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. One of these buildings, Studio 804 (the local art center), was constructed with recycled wood taken from a rundown World War II era ammunition factory. After careful consideration, they chose Sikkens Cetol® Log & Siding to coat the building.

In June 2008, the Michigan Ann Arbor District Library opened its new eco-friendly Traverwood Branch, constructed of recycled North American Ash trees, affected and killed by the Emerald Ash Borer. This wood was used for timber in floors, walls, ceilings and columns. Sikkens Cetol® SRDRE (reduced emissions) translucent wood finish and Cetol® UV Interior products were used to coat these surfaces.

Sustainable Supply Chains

At AkzoNobel, we are committed to sustainability and in 2007, we firmly embedded our sustainability management system in our business cycles and had it reviewed by an external auditor. This played a big part in making us one of the top leaders in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. By 2007, over 80 percent of our suppliers of raw materials had signed our Vendor Policy – covering over $4 billion of product-related spending. This policy deals with relevant environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. We’ve also set up a program of visits to key suppliers to encourage dialog on ESG benefits and build better partnerships.

At AkzoNobel, we’re working hard to manage key environmental, social and governance risks
and create sustainable value. We’re constantly on the lookout for ways to speed up sustainable growth, give back to our community through our Corporate Social Responsibility Programs, and find a way to make a difference. Sustainability isn’t just about producing more sustainable products. It’s about finding new ways to do things.