Precise, persistent, passionate
Manali Bahirat is the Applications Technologist for CASE in India. Manali has over 7 years’ experience within the industry and is a member of IRMA (Indian Resins Manufacturers’ Association), ISSPA (Indian Small Scale Paint Association) and IPCA (Indian Paint & Coating Association). Her area of expertise is in flooring, interior and speciality coatings and colour matching and has been involved in developing water based PU flooring.
The CASE laboratory in Mumbai opened in January 2018 and is fully equipped to support customers with technical issues or new developments.
Alexandra is a qualified chemical laboratory technician. She has over 21 years’ experience within the coatings industry and is a member of VILF (Verband der Ingenieure des Lack- und Farbenfaches), a German coatings association. Alexandra has also been tutoring at Azelis CASE international training sessions since 2014.
Alexandra has a passion for science and technology and thoroughly enjoys seeing her own innovative developments in real life. She was recently involved in a project with a well known curable polymeric colorant. After extensive lab work, the product now has compatability with several different binder systems and is built into the polymeric network of the final coating – making it is ultra-efficient and non-extractable.
Stefan is a chemical engineer and has over 25 years’ experience within the industry. He is Head of Coating R&D and founded the Azelis Coating Academy. Active within the industry, Stefan is an active speaker and participant at DLFF (Danish paint and lacquer association), VILF (German coating association), OCCA (British Oil & Colour Chemists Association) and ColorMix (Ukraine coating forum).
Stefan was involved with a customer project that required a clear coat flooring varnish with ultra high mechanical resistance. With a requirement to be only water-based and non-hazardous, the varnish also had to work, and dry, at room temperature. Having to overcome various challenges as well as meet strict requirements, a coating was developed that beat even the industry benchmark!
Peter has over 25 years of industry experience; first with a major supplier of specialty consumer products, then with a major global chemicals supplier. He led the start-up of the Azelis Wisconsin Inks and Coatings lab seven years ago.
Peter has delivered presentations and training at numerous industry groups such as the National Printing Ink Research Institute and the Flexographic Technical Association. He brings particular expertise in acrylic polymers, inks and graphic arts, coatings, and UV curing. Peter's lab focusses on coatings, inks, adhesives and elastomers.
Wachira has 3 years of experience carrying out R&D in the coatings industry and holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the Mahidol University, Thailand. His areas of expertise include coating applications and water-based ink applications.
Wachira developed a high-performance styrene-acrylic solution for a grinding pigment application, and he was recently involved in a coating development together with a customer. For the latter he improved the compatibility of paint produced by an emulsion maker, by ensuring the coalescent used for film forming purposes didn't turn into a gel when added to latex.
Dan has over 25 years of industry experience; first with a major global supplier of specialty acrylic polymers, then with a major provider of construction materials, then with Azelis. Dan led the initiation of the Azelis Georgia lab 10 years ago, bringing the first-hand perspectives of both principal and customer from his earlier roles.
Dan has delivered presentations at numerous seminars and is a member of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and the USA-based Southern Society of Coatings Technology.
Dan brings particular expertise in acrylic polymers, elastomeric roof coatings, exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), mortars, paints, waterproof membranes, and adhesives.
Jessica holds a PhD in Materials Science and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. She has 5 years of subsequent industry experience.
Prior to joining Azelis, Jessica served as a Research Fellow at the USA National Research Council/ Federal Highway Administration and then developed construction materials at a cementitious formulations manufacturer.
She has delivered research presentations and publications in the area of concrete materials, and is an active participant in ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). Her lab focusses on specialty cementitious formulations and additives.
Dr Kevin Parr is Technical Operations Manager for Specialty Agri/Horti in New Zealand. Kevin holds a Ph.D BSc (Hons) and has over 33 years’ experience in the industry. He is also a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (Cchem).
Kevin’s area of expertise lies in block co polymers, laboratory automation and design, general chemical manufacturing and agricultural chemical manufacture.
Kevin manages the running of the blending facilities at Azelis New Zealand and is an integral part of the development team for formulation of new products and revision/improvement of existing processes. Kevin holds 3 patents and has delivered papers at numerous industry conferences around the world.
David Van Leuven is a Chemist in the US Georgia CASE / Construction Solutions Applications Lab. He has two years of industry experience in adhesives and cementitious mortars.
David is the newest member of the Americas CASE lab team. He has contributed to multiple customer studies for coatings, adhesives and mortars.
Jisha Jose is a Development Chemist in the US Wisconsin CASE / Construction Solutions Applications Lab. She has six years of industry experience in cementitious materials and adhesives.
Cementitious formulations vary regionally due to natural variations in regional mineral sources. Jishahas worked with multiple customers to achieve the desired results with Azelis additives and the regional mineral supplies.