Darmstadt, Germany, June 29, 2017 – Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced the outcome of a successful collaboration with Daimler AG, the coating specialist PPG Industries and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA). The joint efforts have yielded a special clear coat for generating new effect dimensions that Daimler AG is currently testing and will be presented for the first time at SURCAR 2017, the International Conference on Automotive Body Finishing in Cannes, France.

Crucial: the interface between the clear coat and the base coat
The Xirallic® effect pigment makes the difference in the product manufactured by PPG. The pigment surface is modified using innovative curing, a process developed by the Fraunhofer IPA and Daimler AG and jointly submitted for a patent. Thanks to customized additives in the clear coat, after the clear coat is applied to the body the particles specifically orient themselves toward the interface to the base coat.

This new development can significantly intensify the effect on existing OEM base coats, making it possible to create completely new color tones. By selectively combining a series base coat with a shiny, matte, or “stratifying” clear coat, different color effects can be realized for vehicles.

A show car will exhibit this novel effect for the first time at SURCAR on June 29 and 30 in Cannes.
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Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2016, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 15.0 billion in 66 countries.
Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, holds the global rights to the "Merck" name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.