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New UV Resin Manufacturing Plant: Expansion of the MIWON Spain Chemical Plant

MIWON Spain: Manufacturer of UV resins for paints, adhesives, and inks

MIWON Spain S.L. is the Spanish subsidiary of the MIWON Group, an international company specializing in the manufacture of high-value-added specialty chemicals. From its plant in Manresa (Barcelona), it produces resins and raw materials for use in paints, coatings, adhesives, and inks, supplying customers in international markets. The company remains firmly committed to innovation, quality, and the development of more sustainable solutions for the chemical industry.

What product does the plant manufacture?

From its plant in Manresa, the company specializes in the manufacture of ultraviolet (UV)-curable resins, a technology that reduces atmospheric emissions and is used in paints, adhesives, and printing inks.

The Challenge: Design and integrate a new UV resin manufacturing plant

The project called for the construction of a new reactor area as an expansion of the existing production plant.
In addition to supplying new reactors, the new facility was to incorporate all the general utilities necessary to ensure the process’s operation and its integration with the existing industrial infrastructure.

The project presented several major challenges:

  • Integrating a new production area into an existing plant.
  • Incorporating the process equipment necessary for the manufacture of UV resins.
  • Designing and implementing the auxiliary services required for the operation of the new facility.
  • Ensuring functional integration with the plant’s existing infrastructure.

Oliver+Batlle’s Solution: Turnkey Engineering for a New Resin Manufacturing Plant

The core of the expansion consists of a new production area equipped with:

  • Two 20 m³ reactors.
  • One 13 m³ reactor.

All of them were supplied with the necessary accessories for their operation and integration into the production process.

  • Monomer tank
  • Tank for the production of peroxides
  • Vacuum system connected to the reactors.

  • Heating and Cooling Services

 

The facility includes:

  • A cold water circuit for cooling the reactors.
  • A steam boiler and a hot water circuit connected to the reactors

These systems ensure that the necessary thermal conditions are maintained in the reactors during the various stages of manufacturing.

All process equipment was integrated into the plant-wide control system implemented by the client, enabling centralized monitoring and management of the entire production process.

Project Results

The new facility made it possible to expand the production capacity of the MIWON Spain plant by incorporating a reaction area that is fully integrated with the existing infrastructure.

The project included the main process equipment and general utilities necessary for the manufacture of UV-curable resins, creating a solution designed to support the company’s growth and ensure efficient operation within an existing chemical plant.

Thanks to this expansion, MIWON Spain has strengthened its UV resin production capacity at its Manresa plant and reinforced its commitment to manufacturing technologies focused on higher-value-added products and more sustainable solutions for the paint, adhesive, and ink industries.

Are you planning to expand your chemical plant or add a new UV resin manufacturing area?

At Oliver + Batlle, we specialize in the design and execution of custom process engineering projects for the chemical industry. We develop turnkey solutions for the manufacture of resins, paints, adhesives, inks, and coatings, integrating process equipment, auxiliary services, and control systems to maximize the efficiency, safety, and productivity of your facilities.

Get in touch with our engineering team today to find out how we can help you expand your production capacity and integrate new equipment into your plant without disrupting your operations.

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Advantages of Wet Grinding in the Coatings Industry

Wet grinding has become an indispensable technological process in the manufacture of paints, inks, and coatings. This method, which relies on the use of ceramic microspheres in a liquid medium, not only ensures perfect homogenization and extremely fine micrometric particle sizes while preserving the molecular structure of the formulations, but also offers unmatched operational advantages over traditional technologies. By optimizing thermal control, energy consumption is significantly reduced, and a clean, dust-free working environment is ensured. Furthermore, implementing wet grinding is key to maximizing optical quality, profitability, and safety in any production facility.

What is wet grinding, and why is it essential?

In the manufacture of paints, inks, enamels, and coatings, achieving the proper fineness and perfect homogenization is a key factor in ensuring the optical and mechanical quality of the final product. Wet grinding has established itself as an indispensable industrial process, in which the movement of ceramic microspheres is used to separate and reduce solid particles previously incorporated into a liquid medium.

Compared to other traditional technologies, this method offers unmatched operational and performance benefits for any production facility.

What are the 8 advantages of wet grinding?

Below, we examine the main reasons why this process makes a difference in achieving maximum quality and profitability:

1. Effective initial separation: The effect of pre-mixing the solid into the liquid provides an initial separation of particles.

2. Gentle product handling: Wet grinding allows for gentle processing of the product, preserving its molecular structure.

3. Safe and clean working environment: The process in a liquid medium prevents dust emissions that may cause material losses, while also improving workplace safety, cleanliness, and operator comfort.

4. Energy efficiency: Wet grinding processes use less energy to achieve the smallest particle size.

5. Superior thermal control: The use of a liquid medium during the process promotes heat exchange and allows for better control of process temperatures.

6. Formulation optimization: The variation in viscosity of the liquid medium allows for more efficient formulations.

7. Guaranteed homogeneity: Final particle size distributions are much more uniform in wet grinding processes.

8. Extreme fineness: Smaller micrometric and submicrometric particle sizes are achieved.

Why is it advisable to seek specialized technical advice when selecting wet grinding equipment?

Choosing the right mill is a key factor in optimizing your facility’s productivity, reducing energy costs, and ensuring the highest quality of the final product.

Since every formulation and production line has unique requirements, our technical and consulting team is at your disposal to assess your specific needs. Contact us and we will provide personalized advice on selecting the most suitable machinery, as well as guide you on how to optimize your production plant to get the most out of your process.

If you want to learn more about the wet grinding process and how to optimize it, read this article.

 

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dispersión
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Dispersion, the First Step in Paint Manufacturing

What is dispersion and why is it the first step in paint manufacturing?

  • Critical process phase: Dispersion separates agglomerated pigment and filler particles within a liquid medium, making it essential for properties such as color, hiding power, and paint gloss.
  • Determining factors: The success of dispersion depends on the formulation (resins, additives, and solvents), surface tension control, and the order in which solids are incorporated.
  • Mechanical optimization: Operating under laminar flow conditions, with viscosities between 20 and 100 poise and temperatures ranging from 50 to 60°C, is key to maximizing shear without degrading the product.
  • Specialized technology: High-speed disperser disc agitators are required, such as the Dispermix range from Oliver + Batlle, equipped with toothed turbines (Cowles, Double Suction, or Cowles-Sevin) designed to efficiently break down agglomerates.

 

Dispersion is a key phase in paint manufacturing. When it comes to emulsified paints, for example, it is widely considered as the most important phase.

The goal in the dispersion phase is to cause most of the agglomerated pigments and fillers that are part of the formula to be stably separated as individual particles. Read more

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How to Increase Paint Production Capacity in Confined Spaces: The Alliance Maestria Case Study

Space and headroom constraints are among the biggest challenges paint manufacturers face when trying to scale up production. When conventional silos or hoppers simply won’t fit, manufacturers need highly customized engineering solutions that can boost output without touching the building structure. In this success story, we explore how Oliver + Batlle optimized solids feeding and pneumatic conveying for manufacturer Alliance Maestria, eliminating production bottlenecks and quadrupling capacity within a severely restricted vertical space.

Alliance Maestria: Innovation in Decorative Paint Manufacturing

Alliance Maestria is an independent paint manufacturer headquartered in France, specializing in the development and production of coatings for a wide range of industrial applications. Their portfolio spans decorative solutions, flooring systems, anti-corrosion coatings, and road marking products, all formulated to meet varying regulatory and performance requirements.

For this particular project, the scope centered on optimizing the manufacturing processes for water-based decorative paints.

The product being manufactured is water-based decorative paint,a product where precise control over process conditions is critical to ensuring stability, consistency, and final quality.

The Challenge: Maximizing Solids Discharge in a Constrained Vertical Space

The primary technical constraint was the limited headroom in the dispersion area, which ruled out the use of conventional large-volume solids discharge hoppers.

This meant rethinking the entire raw material feeding system from scratch, finding a compact vertical solution that wouldn’t compromise process performance.

Alongside this, production requirements demanded high discharge flow rates in line with contractually agreed targets:

  • Carbonates: 15–18 t/h 
  • Titanium dioxide (TiO2): 10–12 t/h 

The technical challenge was therefore to engineer a dosing system that could perform within highly restricted spatial conditions, matching or exceeding the feed rates of conventional hoppers while delivering continuous, stable, and controlled solids discharge.

The Oliver + Batlle Solution: Integrated Automation and Pneumatic Conveying

Oliver + Batlle designed and implemented a comprehensive engineering solution aimed at making the most of the available space while fully meeting production requirements. The solution brings together solids handling, liquid dosing, dispersion, and packaging systems — all integrated under a single framework of advanced automation.

High-Efficiency Cyclonic Hopper System

Two cyclonic hoppers (SH-01 and SH-02) were installed at the highest available elevation, making full use of the vertical space. These hoppers deliver continuous, controlled solids discharge directly onto the dispersers:

The cyclonic geometry promotes the flow of cohesive materials, minimizing bridging and caking risks while sustaining continuous, high-rate discharge in space-constrained conditions.

Closed-Loop Pneumatic Conveying (Loop System) 

Solids transfer relies on dilute-phase pneumatic conveying in a closed-loop configuration, moving material from 14 m³ floor-level storage hoppers (WH-01 and WH-02) up to the cyclonic hoppers.

This design delivers:

  • Zero dust emissions: the system is fully enclosed 
  • Improved safety and housekeeping conditions 
  • Continuous, stable feed to the dispersers

Precise Liquid Additive and Emulsion Dosing

A dedicated system was put in place to handle liquid additives and emulsions, built around 250 L weighing hoppers and automatic distribution manifolds.

This system enables:

  • Precise, repeatable dosing of critical components 
  • Flexible feeding to both dispersers and finishing tanks 
  • Full integration into the process control logic

100% Automated Finishing and Packaging Lines

The installation is rounded out by a system for fully automated product finishing and conditioning:

Finishing tanks:

  • 4 units of 16,000 L 
  • 2 units of 11,000 L 

Fitted with high-precision Mettler Toledo weighing systems and CIP cleaning via rotary spray heads.

Packaging lines:
Two automatic volumetric filling lines, Flash 21, designed for precision, repeatability, and high production throughput.

Operational and Safety Improvements

In a subsequent project phase, further upgrades were introduced to boost system reliability and working conditions:

  • Replacement of vibration-based systems with Airsweep technology to improve solids discharge in large-volume hoppers 
  • Automation of packaging line cleaning cycles using dedicated Siemens S7-1200 PLCs 
  • Installation of a Big-Bag handling system with a 2,000 kg hoist, improving ergonomics and reducing operational hazards

Together, these improvements eliminated the constraints of the previous system and established a robust operational foundation capable of meeting , and exceeding, the flow rate and productivity targets defined in the project.

Arc-En-Ciel Project Results: Greater Profitability and a Cleaner Plant

The implementation of the Arc-En-Ciel project has delivered a significant step forward in operational performance, particularly in terms of conveying capacity, cycle time reduction, and overall process efficiency.

Significant Increase in Conveying Flow Rates

The closed-loop pneumatic conveying system, combined with the cyclonic hoppers, has not only met but surpassed the contractual targets:

  • Calcium carbonate (CaCO3): hasta 20 t/h (objetivo: 18 t/h) 
  • Titanium dioxide (TiO2): hasta 17 t/h (objetivo: 12 t/h) 
  • Talc: up to 11 t/h 

These figures represent a substantial improvement over the previous system, eliminating the bottlenecks caused by poor solid-air separation that had been restricting flow rates and causing material losses.

Reduced Cycle Times and Higher Productivity

The higher feed rates have made it possible to quadruple solids feeding capacity to the dispersion stage, significantly cutting batch loading times and, by extension, total process time.

The knock-on effects are tangible:

  • Higher plant throughput 
  • Less idle time in the dispersion stage 
  • Improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

Better Product Containment and Working Conditions

The switch to a closed-loop conveying system has eliminated dust emissions and the material losses associated with traditional filtration-based systems.

On top of this, integrating pigging (pipe cleaning) transfer systems on the mill-base lines has made it possible to:

  • Maximize product recovery 
  • Reduce waste 
  • Improve cleaning efficiency and process traceability

Expanded Parallel Operating Capacity

The system architecture — with independent conveying lines including duplicated storage hoppers, blowers, and cyclonic hoppers — enables simultaneous feeding of two dispersers, effectively doubling the plant’s operational capacity at the solids loading stage.

Technical Assessment: Eliminating Manufacturing Bottlenecks

  • Elimination of the main process bottleneck (solids feeding) 
  • Simultaneous improvement across capacity, operational efficiency, and cleanliness
  • A step change from a design-limited system to a robust, scalable solution fit for demanding production environments

Is your production plant facing space or capacity challenges?

At Oliver + Batlle, we specialize in designing bespoke process engineering projects for the paint and coatings industry. We optimize your facilities to achieve maximum efficiency and profitability. 

Get in touch with our engineering team today and find out how we can help you overcome your production bottlenecks.

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Driving the Future of Coatings: Key takeaways from the “Digitalization in the Paint and Coatings Industry” webinar

The paint and coatings industry is undergoing a profound technological transformation. To remain competitive, modern manufacturing plants must go beyond traditional methods and adopt fully interconnected, data-driven ecosystems.

Recently, industry leaders gathered at the highly anticipated webinar “Digitalization in the Paint and Coatings Industry”, organized by Oliver + Batlle. We had a top-tier panel of experts to guide the presentation: Carles Bigas (Process Engineering Manager), Josep Maria Martínez (Automation Software Department Manager), Arturo Laguna (Automation Project Manager at Tectrol), and Carlos Pacha (Sales and Managing Director). The session offered a roadmap for production modernization, featuring expert presentations on industrial automation, real-time line management, and Artificial Intelligence integration.

If you couldn’t attend live or want to review the key concepts discussed, below are the main technical takeaways and technological trends covered during the event:

  • Batch Control Systems: The power of TTBATCH

The event kicked off by delving into the smart management of industrial recipes using the TTBATCH software. It was explained in detail how this system allows for the complete optimization and automation of the creation, execution, and tracking of formulas in paint manufacturing.

It was highlighted to the attendees that the TTBATCH interface greatly facilitates three crucial aspects: direct connection with ERP systems for precise inventory control, multi-platform real-time data visualization (PC, tablet, or smartphone), and the detailed recording of each batch produced (Audit Trail) to ensure maximum quality.

As presented, by integrating this type of software with our machines equipped with PLC and HMI touch screens, manufacturers achieve a drastic increase in efficiency and a notable reduction in operating costs.

  • Line Management Systems (LMS): Total line visibility

Moving forward in the session, the talk focused on Line Management Systems (LMS). At this point, it was illustrated how this technology acts as a digital bridge between the physical equipment on the plant floor and commercial decision-making.

Emphasis was placed on the importance of real-time data acquisition through connection to PLCs and industrial sensors. Thanks to this, the LMS system allows instant visualization of whether the line is operating correctly (running), on standby (idle), or has suffered a stoppage (fault). Furthermore, it was detailed how this tool calculates Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) live, allowing for a much more agile response to any deviation and minimizing unplanned downtime.

  • New trend for Operational Excellence

In the final stretch of the webinar, the immediate future of digitalization in factories was explored, presenting six cutting-edge data-driven solutions:

  • Production validation portal: Background analysis of recipes, process data, and alarms to issue a clear verdict (Validated/Rejected) at the end of the batch.
  • Manual scanning validation (Barcode): As explained in the session, scanning raw materials locks or unlocks valves via the PLC, ensuring total traceability and eliminating paper-based risks.
  • Artificial Intelligence-based Soft-Sensors: Use of predictive virtual sensors to estimate critical values in real-time, such as pH or viscosity.
  • Unified orchestration portal: Seamless connection of workflows between Production, Laboratory, and Packaging to eliminate departmental information silos.
  • Energy cost per batch analytics: Integration of electrical monitoring with TTBATCH so that the manufacturer knows the real profitability and exact energy cost of each batch.
  • Paperless verification templates: Digital forms executable on tablets that generate immediate automatic alerts if any parameter falls out of specification.

Looking to the future

The webinar made it clear that digitalization in the paints and coatings sector is no longer an abstract concept, but a practical and implementable reality. By leveraging batch control systems, line management systems, and AI-based analytics, manufacturers can drastically reduce unproductive times, eliminate manual variability, and ensure a highly profitable and sustainable future.

Did you miss it? Watch the Webinar Replay!

The transformation towards Industry 4.0 is no longer an option; it is the standard to remain competitive. If you want to delve deeper into how these technologies can be applied to your factory, watch on-screen demonstrations of the software, or hear firsthand explanations from our management and technical team, we invite you to watch the full recording of the session.

And if you are thinking of modernizing your facilities or implementing a more efficient and interconnected process engineering, contact our technical team today. At Oliver + Batlle, we are ready to accompany you on the path to the smart factory.