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| Nippon
Paint to construct weathering test facility on Miyakojima Island |
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As one of the company's 120th anniversary
celebratory projects, Nippon Paint Co., Ltd. today announced
a plan to construct a new weathering test facility. Located
in the city of Hirara on Miyakojima Island in the Okinawa Prefecture,
the first phase of construction for the facility will commence
in early March of 2001 with completion scheduled for the end
of July of the same year. Once completed (additional construction
is also planned) facility grounds will measure approximately
18,500 square-meters in total.
Named the Nippon Paint Miyakojima Weathering Test Center, this
facility is designed to test painted/coated samples or actual
structures for paint/coating's weathering resistance by exposing
them to outdoor conditions such as sunlight and rain. At Nippon
Paint, all paints used for automobiles, bridges and other construction
applications undergo intense weathering tests before being marketed.
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For further inquiries,
please contact: |
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Nippon Paint Co., Ltd. Corporate
Communication Division
Fax: +81 (6) 6455-9278 |
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| Miyakojima Weathering Test Center |
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Recently, the market is seeing a substantial increase in demand for
improved paint weathering resistance as a result of growing concerns
for resource conservation. To effectively meet these demands large-scale
testing facilities that can accommodate extended test periods are
required. Nippon Paint currently has seven test facilities located
in suitable regions for measuring weathering resistance such as Hokkaido,
Chiba and Okinawa. In particular, the two centers located on the main
island of Okinawa (Ginowan and Kadena) serve as the company's main
test facilities as both areas offer climatic conditions ideal for
testing. However, as urban development surrounding these two facilities
is rapidly spreading, facility expansion is becoming increasingly
difficult. Moreover, escalating urban development may affect test
samples and structures, creating a strong concern when testing. These
factors necessitated the relocation of these two facilities. Miyakojima
Island was chosen by the company primarily for the following reasons:
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| (1) |
Miyakojima Island offers environmental conditions
(sunlight, ultraviolet radiation, ambient temperatures, rainfall,
etc.) similar to those found on the main island of Okinawa. |
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Miyakojima Island is located at a similar
latitude and shares comparable climatic conditions to that of
Florida in the U.S.A. -- home to the facility that sets the
global standard for weathering tests. |
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The Weathering Test Center of Japan, equipped
and able to offer detailed data relating to climatic and weather
information, is located on Miyakojima Island. Cooperation with
this organization will help the company enhance testing reliability. |
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Due to the support provided by the Hirara
municipal government it was possible to acquire land that fulfills
the company's requirements. |
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The island is ideally situated with easy
access from Tokyo and Osaka, due to a less than 20-minute ride
from the local airport. |
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| For construction of the
project, maximum consideration has been maintained in an effort to
minimize environmental impact and preserve the natural beauty of Miyakojima
Island. Protection measures taken are as follows: |
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| (1) |
To countermeasure red clay runoff, a filter
bed/settling pond will be built, along with the installation
of a net that prevents red clay runoff. As an additional measure,
construction will be divided into several phases with lawns
laid at the completion of each phase. |
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To protect underground water pollution and
prevent seepage, no chemicals will be used on the lawns. In
addition, a waste water treatment facility and a filter bed/settling
pond will be constructed. |
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To maintain harmony with the surrounding
landscape, a color scheme has been drafted for the test facility
through detailed discussions with the Hirara municipal government.
The colors selected are based on a thorough analysis of the
region's environmental characteristics, including background
shades. |
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| As March 14 marks the
120th anniversary of Nippon Paint's foundation, this new test center
represents an important landmark for the company in the 21st century
and as such is positioned as one of the company's foremost celebration
projects. By making maximum use of the latest testing equipment and
information technology, Nippon Paint strives to develop the new center
into a global standard for weathering test facilities. |
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Outline
of the Miyakojima Weathering Test Center Construction Plan |
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Facility name: |
Nippon Paint Miyakojima
Weathering Test Center |
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Location: |
Abugawa, Karimata,
Hirara, Miyako-gun, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan |
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Land area: |
Phase
1: 10,400 square-meters
Full project completion: 18,500 square-meters |
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Building outline: |
Buildings: |
Administration/testing facilities, warehouse |
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Total building area: |
216 square-meters |
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Total floor area: |
192 square-meters |
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Structure: |
Ferro-concrete |
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Functions: |
Management/administration of testing facilities,
testing/measurements, presentations, etc. |
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Testing equipment: |
Glossmeters, chrominance meters,
etc. |
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Testing capacity: |
Phase 1: 300 test racks (30,000 test boards) |
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Testing capacity: |
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Phase 1: |
300 test racks (30,000 test boards)
Original structure test area:1,320 square-meters |
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Full project completion: |
500 test racks (50,000 test boards)
Original structure test area: 3,960 square-meters |
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Total project cost: |
Approx. 300 million yen |
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