Tap you! I'm going to tap into the pain points of the polyurea industry.

What is Polyurea?

Industry insiders are well aware, but in case this article is seen by those outside the industry, I'll give a brief overview.

Polyurea coatings, also known as SPUA technology, have emerged as a novel solvent-free green construction technique over the past two decades in the international market. This development follows the advent of low-pollution coating technologies such as high-solids coatings, waterborne coatings, light-curing, and powder coatings, all in response to environmental protection demands. (Excerpted from Mr. Huang Weici's book on Polyurea Elastomer Coating Technology)

Characteristics of Polyurea Coating:

Fast-set, 5-30 seconds to gel, and it takes 1-2 minutes for walking on the surface.

2. Non-volatile, solvent-free, and environmentally friendly products.

Superior performance with high tensile and elongation strength, excellent wear resistance, aging resistance, and corrosion prevention.

4. Can be continuously constructed to form a seamless connection.

Other features are not elaborated upon.

Polyurea has been in China for over 20 years, achieving many excellent projects, but also experiencing numerous failed ones. At the core, the lack of understanding of polyurea materials and construction techniques, along with arrogance and a false sense of expertise, are to blame.

Currently, the output of polyurea materials in China has surpassed the countries that originally invented polyurea. The domestic sales of polyurea have also seen a geometric growth rate in the past two years. However, most people in China are unaware of what polyurea is and its applications. The majority have never heard of it, and even within the waterproofing industry, many professionals are unfamiliar with polyurea.

What is the reason behind the lack of popularity of polyurea products in the domestic market?

I've been dealing with polyurea materials for only three years and am not very familiar with them. I can only learn from my前辈 in the same industry. I've seen some things, some factors that influence the development of polyurea. I've summarized a few points, which is today's topic: pinching the characteristics of the polyurea industry.

The butterfly effect caused by the arrogance of polyurea producers

Because the polyurea materials originated from overseas, that group of researchers can be said to have a long history with polyurea. Now, most of them are the CEOs and shareholders of well-known domestic polyurea enterprises.

Due to the unique properties of polyurea, it has always been positioned as a high-end protective material. As a premium product, the price naturally reflects this premium status. Initially, polyurea materials were exclusively used for high-end engineering projects, impressive ventures, and capital-intensive endeavors, resulting in prices several times that of traditional materials. Such costs are well beyond the reach of typical engineering development, which from the outset severely limited the growth of polyurea materials.

Initially, polyurea enterprises included polyurea construction teams, which undertook key projects. Although the technology was still in its infancy, it was considered advanced domestically. As a result, they showed little interest in small or low-priced projects, as they were overwhelmed with key projects. This led to imitations by non-specialists.

These individuals are the ones who dare to taste the crab first. They purchase the equipment, the materials, operate the machinery, and handle the construction themselves. They find that the process is not as difficult as it seems; it's just a matter of cleaning the substructure, applying primer, and spraying it on. It's these people who truly drive the advancement of polyurea. However, it's also them who have tarnished the神奇 reputation of polyurea. The tragic outcome of a certain high-speed rail project is well-known within the industry. The reason is that all they saw was money, with no regard for rigorous technical standards or construction methods.

2. The price war sparked by the fierce competition among various powers

If construction technology is the primary reason behind the slow promotion of polyurea, then price is the Achilles' heel of polyurea.

Due to the constraints on raw material prices, the production costs of polyurea materials are relatively high. Additionally, there are very few domestic companies that truly possess the production technology, which further contributes to the high pricing.

The construction cost per square meter for polyurea materials is at least 2-3 times higher than that of traditional waterproofing, and sometimes even more.

Manufacturers would argue, "Our quality is excellent, and our performance is superior. A single layer of polyurea waterproofing can last for 30 years, or even over 50 years."

How many projects have lasted 30-50 years? Polyurea has only been in the domestic market for over two decades, and these figures are merely laboratory or theoretical data. They are calculated based on the performance of polyurea materials. However, how many projects have failed due to such data? The complexity of external conditions is unpredictable, and various external factors during the construction process can affect the outcome.

A bit off-topic.

In recent years, the number of polyurea manufacturers has been increasing, with foreign companies also eyeing the domestic market, leading to a surge in domestic polyurea production companies. A large cake is now being sliced up.

The increase in manufacturers has led to fierce competition in construction project bidding. In the domestic context, this often translates to price wars.

Then, prices that were almost unimaginable emerged.

Pure polyurea and semi-polyurea are the only types known to many, but it turns out that polyurea comes in many varieties.

Your competitor claims your prices are high, and they say your polyurea is semi-polyurea.

The market has entered a price-war phase, which has led to many projects using substandard polyurea products. This has resulted in projects failing to withstand the test and ultimately leading to failure, pushing polyurea to the brink of extinction.

3. Overall quality of the construction team

Construction teams are the main driving force behind the development of the polyurea industry.

Even the best materials are wasted without a skilled construction team and quality craftsmanship; the end product is still garbage.

Most construction teams in the polyurea industry are self-taught, lacking formal training institutions, and rely entirely on trial-and-error experience. Good managers understand the material properties and construction methods, knowing the appropriate techniques to employ in different situations. However, such individuals are scarce.

Domestic polyurea construction is generally like this:

Manufacturer supplies materials to Party A

Introducing the construction team to the client

The construction plan and construction techniques are handed over to the construction team.

The construction team is following the manufacturer's and client's recommendations for construction.

The entire program is flawed. The construction team lacks understanding of the material's properties, which could lead to issues during construction. Moreover, the manufacturer provides a construction plan it deems reasonable without understanding the construction site, which greatly increases the likelihood of problems during the construction process.

Of course, many manufacturers are very responsible. They conduct on-site inspections in the early stages, understand the client's requirements, and then work with the construction teams. The client also develops an overall construction plan based on the on-site conditions. Such businesses are few and far between.

Corporate News: Can you honestly say, after reading this article, that you haven't encountered such an issue?

I've been fortunate to come of age in this great era, the age of media explosion. I've leveraged self-media to promote polyurea and other materials.

The reach of media platforms is incredibly vast; they can make your product known to millions within a single day.

He enables you to sell products across the country from the comfort of your home, with low costs.

This is just something to do in the early morning, so I'm writing an article to keep myself occupied.