New release focus: how NOF’s Flarebuster EPO tackles low-VOC coatings

Edited by ad hoc news New Releases & Launches Desk. Reviewed before publication on 06/15/2026 at 8:51 PM ET. Details in the imprint.

NOF is putting renewed emphasis on its specialty coating additive Flarebuster EPO, a defoamer and leveling agent designed for low-VOC epoxy coatings used in industrial floors, heavy-duty anticorrosive paints and high-build primers. Positioned within the company’s “Flarebuster” series for epoxy systems, the product is aimed at coating formulators that need to suppress foam and surface defects in high-solids and waterborne formulations while keeping volatile organic compound content down. According to NOF’s own product literature, Flarebuster EPO is a silicone-free additive optimized for epoxy-based coatings and is supplied as a liquid that can be incorporated during letdown or post-addition in the paint manufacturing process. NOF’s official product page describes it as suitable for both solvent-borne and waterborne epoxy systems, especially where high-build film thickness is required.

What Flarebuster EPO does inside an epoxy coating

In practical terms, Flarebuster EPO addresses two chronic problems in modern epoxy coatings: micro-foam generated during high-speed dispersion and air entrapment during roller or spray application, and surface leveling issues that can lead to craters or pinholes after curing. NOF specifies that the additive acts as a defoamer and air-release agent, helping bubbles rise and break at the coating surface before the epoxy crosslinks. In high-solids epoxies, which often exceed 70 percent volume solids to reduce VOC emissions, viscosity can be high enough that trapped air no longer escapes by itself, so a dedicated defoamer becomes critical to avoid defects that compromise corrosion resistance. Technical data from NOF indicates that the additive is compatible with a range of epoxy resins and amine curing agents typically used in heavy-duty protective coatings for steel structures, tank linings and plant floors, allowing formulators to use one defoamer package across multiple products in their portfolio.

Beyond defoaming, Flarebuster EPO contributes to flow and leveling, which is especially important in self-leveling floor coatings and thick-film primers applied by airless spray. Epoxy coatings that are too thixotropic may hold brush marks, roller texture or spray overlap lines; conversely, systems that are overly fluid can sag on vertical surfaces. By tailoring the additive dosage, NOF says formulators can strike a balance where the wet film levels sufficiently to hide application marks without running, allowing high-build application in one or two coats. The product is typically added at low percentages relative to total formulation weight, which keeps raw material cost impact limited while offering a visible improvement in surface appearance and defect rate. NOF highlights that the product is silicone-free, a detail that matters because silicone defoamers can sometimes impair intercoat adhesion or cause cratering if overdosed, especially in multi-layer epoxy systems where a subsequent polyurethane or acrylic topcoat must adhere cleanly.

The additive is also framed as a tool for meeting tightening VOC regulations in markets such as Japan, the European Union and parts of North America, where industrial coatings are pressured to cut solvent content. As epoxy formulators shift to higher solids or waterborne versions of long-standing products, they often see a spike in foaming due to higher viscosity and increased mechanical energy in mixing. Flarebuster EPO is promoted as compatible with these newer, lower-solvent chemistries, which allows paint makers to adjust their formulations without fully redesigning their defoamer packages from scratch. Industry observers note that additives of this type are increasingly important in sectors like shipbuilding, offshore structures and industrial plants, where owners demand long coating lifetimes and minimal downtime for recoating, but regulators and customers also expect lower emissions during application. A Japanese-language technical note from NOF’s coatings business underscores that the Flarebuster series targets these high-performance, high-solids environments in combination with advanced epoxy and curing agent technologies tailored to local standards.

From a portfolio perspective, Flarebuster EPO slots into NOF’s wider range of coating raw materials that include epoxy resins, curing agents and functional additives sold to domestic and overseas paint manufacturers. The company markets the Flarebuster series as one of several specialty additive lines designed to add value through application performance rather than bulk volume, an approach that typically yields higher margins per kilogram than commodity solvents or base resins. That focus fits with the broader strategy of Japanese chemical producers to emphasize specialties with defensible technology and close customer relationships, particularly in industrial segments like protective coatings where qualification testing can take months and approved products tend to stay in specifications for years. According to NOF’s English-language corporate overview, the coatings and chemicals segment forms part of its chemicals business, alongside functional materials and life science products, giving the group a diversified revenue base spanning industrial and consumer-facing markets. The company’s business outline notes that it supplies chemical products to customers in Japan and overseas, with coatings materials cited as one of several application fields.

While NOF does not publicly break out sales for individual additives such as Flarebuster EPO, specialty coating ingredients are typically a relatively small but profitable portion of a diversified chemical group’s revenue, often benefiting from long-term supply relationships with major paint and construction materials makers. In that context, additives targeting low-VOC and high-solids epoxy systems align with regulatory and customer trends likely to support steady demand across infrastructure, plant engineering and marine segments. For equity investors, the relevance is indirect but notable: resilient specialty chemicals volumes can help smooth earnings through the cycle compared with more volatile commodity chemicals exposure. Shares of NOF (ISIN JP3203500008) closed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at JPY 2,534 on 06/15/2026, reflecting investor expectations for the group’s mixed portfolio of industrial and life science businesses, as reported by recent Tokyo market data. Bloomberg’s price overview for NOF shows the stock trading on the TSE under code 4403.

This article was a.i.-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Trading involves risk up to and including the total loss of invested capital.