Love nature, high peaks and challenges? ICA Group’s Extreme Bio has introduced panels coated with Bio products to the summit of the Punta Penia, Marmolada, at an altitude of 3,343 metres to test its performance, and to show the world that sustainable choices are possible, even in extreme conditions.

Ten samples of wood coated with products from the Arborea Bio range, with ISO Standard EN927-3 describing the method, duration, exposure conditions and analyses of the usage, and the exposure period began on July 27, 2021 at Punta Penia.

Why use Bio coatings? They are naturally oil-free, give out less CO₂ emissions and hence safer for people’s health, making them one-of-a-kind products.

The company conceived a new formulation of water-based coatings for wood and glass that respect the planet and with a socially responsible production cycle, which is a significant and distinctive factor in the chemical industry, where oil derivatives are dominant.

The Bio coatings for wood (indoor and outdoor) and glass are made with recycled raw materials and through a production cycle with a lower environmental impact. It helps to reduce the greenhouse effect caused by CO₂ emissions and is in line with the latest green policies adopted worldwide.

These products are developed with complete respect towards the environment and the health of end users. These paints offer excellent hardness, chemical resistance and resistance to light.

In addition to being highly sustainable, Bio water-based coatings set new standards in terms of performance and quality for the chemical industry since they offer high hardness, chemical and light resistance; Industrial processability; faster drying times and greater non-yellowing properties.

Punta Penia is one of the highest mountain huts in Italy, located exactly at the summit of the Dolomite mountain group, and enables prolonged exposure to sunlight from dawn till dusk.

The climate is particularly extreme: there is a strong solar exposure during the summer (UV radiations over 30%), while in winter the site is covered in snow for around seven months, with temperatures dropping below -20°C. This makes Puta Penia an ideal place to set up the production unit.

Punta Penia is a test that combines extremely harsh exposure conditions with the natural aging process caused by the sun’s rays, extreme temperatures and ice, which can only make the test even more challenging for these products.

On 28 September 2023, the team of ‘Performance Lab’ experts returned to the peak of the queen of the Dolomites, to check the state of the ten panels coated with Arborea Bio products.

Four samples will remain in place at the mountain hut on the peak, continuing testing beyond the current 2-year mark. Another six samples with pigments and combinations of special cycles have been added. All of ICA’s panels can be monitored 24/7 thanks to a specially installed webcam.

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