Key Takeaways from Surfex 2026

By Dan Mitchinson, European Business Manager – Coatings, RBH Group & Sulaimaan Ataullah, European Sales Manager – Coatings, RBH Group

Surfex 2026 once again brought together formulators, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers from across the coatings industry, providing an excellent opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities currently shaping the market.

While innovation remains important, many of the conversations we had over the two days centred around three key themes: supply security, cost management and maintaining performance in increasingly demanding market conditions. As always, Surfex provided valuable insight into the priorities of manufacturers and where the industry is focusing its attention.

Supply Security Continues to Shape Purchasing Decisions

One of the most common themes we encountered at Surfex was supply security. Rising energy costs, geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing disruption across global supply chains continue to create challenges for manufacturers when planning production and sourcing raw materials.

Many visitors spoke about the need to reduce risk by qualifying additional suppliers and strengthening their sourcing strategies. We also had several conversations with manufacturers affected by product discontinuations and changing supplier portfolios, where finding a suitable replacement material can be just as important as securing supply itself.

As a distributor, our role is to help provide stability in an often unpredictable market. Through local stockholding and strong relationships with global manufacturing partners, we can support customers with reliable supply, alternative sourcing options and the technical and regulatory support needed to implement new materials successfully.

Cost Optimisation Remains a Key Priority

Alongside supply security, cost management remains a major priority for the coatings industry. Throughout Surfex, we spoke with manufacturers exploring ways to improve formulation efficiency, manage raw material costs and maintain product performance.

Rather than simply pursuing the lowest-cost option, many companies are taking a more strategic approach to optimisation. The focus is increasingly on identifying opportunities to improve value while maintaining the quality, consistency and performance their customers expect. As a result, technical support and application expertise are becoming increasingly important when assessing alternative raw materials and new technologies.

Key Products Discussed
Several product groups generated particularly strong interest throughout the exhibition, with many conversations centred around supply security, lead times and the need for dependable long-term sourcing.

Talc and Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) were among the most discussed materials on the stand. While they serve different applications, many manufacturers were facing similar challenges around maintaining supply continuity, managing costs and reducing risk within increasingly complex supply chains. We also spoke with several companies reviewing existing suppliers, qualifying alternative sources and strengthening their sourcing strategies to improve resilience.

Fumed silica was another area that attracted significant attention. A number of visitors were actively evaluating alternative supply options that could offer both commercial and logistical advantages. Discussions around FUSILC® 200 focused on its potential as a cost-effective alternative, supported by UK stock availability, reduced lead times and reliable supply. For many manufacturers, access to a dependable second source is becoming increasingly important as they look to minimise disruption and maintain flexibility within their supply chains.

Performance Additives and Formulation Technologies
Alongside core mineral technologies, there was significant interest in a range of performance additives and formulation solutions designed to help manufacturers optimise performance while maintaining commercial competitiveness.

Interest was strong in MP Resins for industrial coatings applications, particularly among manufacturers looking to balance proven coating performance with evolving supply requirements and cost pressures.

UV curable materials also attracted considerable attention, particularly from companies operating within the printing inks and coatings sectors. Discussions focused on improving cure speed, formulation efficiency and overall performance, with strong engagement around materials including TMO, TPO-L, 819, VEEA and IBOA.

More broadly, many conversations centred around helping formulators improve efficiency, reduce complexity and maintain product performance while responding to changing market demands. These discussions reinforced the continued importance of speciality additives and performance-enhancing technologies within modern coating formulations.

Technical Support Continues to Add Value

The quality of conversations throughout Surfex highlighted the increasing value customers place on technical expertise and practical application knowledge. As formulations become more demanding and supply chains more complex, manufacturers are increasingly looking for partners who can offer more than product supply alone.

This was reflected in the positive response to the TechFocus presentation delivered by RBH Group and Active Minerals International, which generated a number of follow-up discussions around attapulgite clay technologies and rheology control in demanding coating systems.

Many of the most productive conversations during the exhibition focused on solving real formulation challenges, whether that involved improving performance, reducing costs, identifying replacement materials or supporting regulatory requirements. These discussions continue to demonstrate the value of combining technical expertise with dependable supply and commercial support.

Looking Ahead
Surfex 2026 provided valuable insight into the challenges currently facing the coatings industry and the priorities shaping future formulation decisions.

While every conversation was different, the importance of reliable supply, practical technical support and commercially viable solutions came through consistently across the two days. Manufacturers are increasingly looking for partners who can help solve problems, respond quickly to changing requirements and add value beyond product supply alone.

We would like to thank everyone who visited the RBH stand, attended our TechFocus presentation and took the time to speak with the team. We look forward to continuing those conversations in the months ahead.