KLB Kötztal Lacke + Beschichtungen GmbH produces and distributes reactive resin coating materials for industrially or commercially used floor and wall coverings. Founded in 1995, the company has developed from an owner-managed family business into a top-performing, medium-sized and internationally active company.
KLB Kötztal offers a wide range of coordinated system solutions from a single source, providing an answer to every customer requirement. The customers are floor layers, processors and distributors at home and abroad.
Interview with Natascha Gepperth, Assistant to the Export Department at KLB Kötztal Lacke + Beschichtungen.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Natascha Gepperth: We develop what the market demands – commercial and industrial floor coverings made of epoxy, polyurethane, PMMA or special resins as well as PU concrete. But we also serve smaller niche markets with our innovative products, such as crack repair with PU 1900, various products for paving joint design of our own brand KÖTZTALER as well as for the renovation of existing top floors like vinyl, PVC or linoleum with the Floor Sealer range.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
N.G: Decorative floor coatings for private areas are becoming increasingly popular. KLB Kötztal has therefore been focusing on products that can both meet decorative requirements and contribute to a stylish room interior design, as well as having low-emission properties.
Examples are our new transparent clear resin layer PU 484 for highly decorative floors in the most individual designs, such as with glitter and pearlescent Metalize flakes, colour pigments, or print inlays. Of course, we also keep reaching for the stars with our existing products: the EP 296 Kopfsiegel and EP 175 Spezial, for example, have recently been improved in their product characteristics.
Convince yourself of the uniqueness of our coating solutions with our reference object for Polestar Space in Stuttgart
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
N.G: Reactive resin floors are as diverse as the areas in which they are being applied. Whether they have to meet hygiene standards or be particularly resilient – we have the right system for every requirement in the following areas of application:
- Industry;
- Healthcare;
- Foodstuffs;
- Offices and public facilities;
- Parking;
- PU-Concrete;
- Kitchen;
- Automotive, garages and car parks;
- Decorative floors;
- External surfaces;
- Special solutions.
Our specially designed sample folders address the requirements of these different areas of application and present the KLB systems suitable for the respective use in illustrative brochures.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
N.G: The market phases differ between the single countries we operate in. In Benelux, for example, PU solutions in private homes are already very popular and people are willing to spend money on premium liquid flooring solutions. Our top selling product here is PU 423 Export. In other countries, only standard epoxy systems for classic industrial flooring projects are in demand and price is the main decision criteria.
Our intention is to find our niches in selected target countries with the right partners to establish high-quality solutions for both private and industrial projects. This will take time and the most important aspect is to find local partners who have the same business philosophy and are willing to do something different to separate themselves from others.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
N.G: As already mentioned, aspects of aesthetics and decorativeness are more and more becoming the focus of the market. Of course, there is a clear shift towards low emission values and a high degree of sustainability/environmental protection which we at KLB Kötztal also try to integrate into our manufacturing and the resulting products. In addition, special solutions that are not commonplace are on the rise, such as ESD-compatible products, anti-bacterial coatings for clean areas of use or wall-floor connectional coverings.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
N.G: EC 450 DECOR is THE trowel coating for decorative walls and floors in aesthetic areas such as lofts, exhibitions, private living spaces, also with wet exposure, e.g. sanitary areas, showers as well as for the visual enhancement of old coatings or tiles.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
N.G: The prospects for 2022 are very difficult to predict due to the special situation we have with Covid and the war in the Ukraine and its consequences. The price increases for raw materials and freight capacities are considerable and even the availability is not always ensured either. But so far, our customers are still optimistic, and we are supporting them as best as we can. The key factor is a close partnership to be able to react immediately.
KLB KÖTZTAL
Phone: +49 8223 9692 233
E-mail: ngepperth@klb-koetztal.de