A quote request for paint additives is one specification of six fields, namely additive family or substance, grade, paint type, annual volume, packaging and delivery country, that reaches several independent suppliers of paint additives. A paint maker who sources paint chemicals states each field once instead of repeating the requirement to every supplier.
The picklist draws on 15 additive families and 96 substance pages; the levels and rules a request states are set out in the pages on paint additives.
The page lists the six required fields, five optional details and the formulas that turn a level with its basis into an annual quantity: 1,000 t of paint at 0.2 to 0.5 % cellulose ether on total formula needs 2,000 to 5,000 kg, and at 200 ppm active BIT it needs 1,000 kg of a 20 % product. PaintAdditives.org sells no additive.
How we check: regulations and classifications are read at the body that issues them, standards at the standards body, and every additive level names its basis and its source; the full method is in methodology and fact-checking.
Request quotes: paint additives
Write your specification once; it reaches several independent suppliers of paint additives. There is no price field.
Requests reach independent providers and suppliers, and no listing on this site is paid for; read the editorial policy.
How the Quote Request Works: One Specification, Several Independent Suppliers#
The quote request sends one written specification of a paint additive, from its family or substance to its delivery country, to independent producers and distributors, so a buyer writes the requirement once instead of once per supplier.
The form opens prefilled with the additive family or substance when a buyer starts it from a substance or hub page.
No supplier pays for placement in editorial content. How suppliers are sourced is explained under paint additive suppliers and manufacturers.
The Six Fields of the Quote Request Form#
The quote request form has six required fields: additive family or substance, grade, paint type, annual volume, packaging and delivery country. The table gives an example entry and the supplier need for each.
| Field | What to enter | Example entry | Why suppliers need it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Additive family or substance | One of 15 families or a substance name; the picklist uses the paint additive substances pages | "dispersing agent" or "hydroxyethyl cellulose" | Identifies the product class |
| 2. Grade | Current grade if replacing, else "open" | "equivalent to current grade" | Allows an equivalent offer |
| 3. Paint type | Paint type, binder, waterborne or solventborne; see paint formulations by paint type | "interior emulsion, styrene-acrylic, waterborne" | Narrows the grades |
| 4. Annual volume | Paint output per year (kg, t or lb) or additive quantity | "1,000 t paint" | Sizes the offer |
| 5. Packaging | 25 kg, 200 kg drum or IBC | "200 kg drum" | Sets the logistics |
| 6. Delivery country | Country and city; for India also the state | "India, Maharashtra, Pune" | Sets freight and duties |
Additive Family or Substance, and Grade#
Name the additive by family (one of 15) or by substance, and give the current grade when the request replaces an existing product.
A generic substance name plus the current grade lets suppliers offer an equivalent grade; enter "open" when no product is replaced.
Paint Type and Annual Volume#
State the paint type with its binder and whether it is waterborne or solventborne, and give annual volume as paint output, from which the form computes the additive quantity.
Output is entered in kg, t or lb. A volume in gallons needs the paint density in lb/gal, because the form converts volume to mass before it applies a level.
Packaging and Delivery Country#
Choose packaging from 25 kg, 200 kg drum or IBC, and give the delivery country and city; buyers in India add the state for GST and logistics.
Import classification differs by additive. The US HTS heading 3211.00.00.00 "Prepared driers" carries a general duty of 3.7 % and a column 2 duty of 25 % (USITC, read 2026-11-03), and other additives fall under other headings.
Optional Details That Make Quotes Comparable#
Five optional details make quotes from different suppliers comparable: the target level with its basis, regulatory constraints, required documents, a sample request and the Incoterms 2020 rule. Incoterms 2020 is the current ICC edition, in effect since 2020-01-01, with 11 rules.
| Detail | What to state |
|---|---|
| Target level with basis | Value plus one of the five bases |
| Constraints | APEO-free, MIT- or classification-free, cobalt-free, MEKO-free, PFAS-free, VOC in g/L, Ecolabel |
| Documents | TDS, SDS language, sales specification, CoA, REACH/SVHC statement, BPR or EPA registration, import registration |
| Sample | Yes or no |
| Trade term | Incoterms 2020 rule |
Target Level With Its Basis#
Give the target level with its basis, because the same number means a different quantity on total formula, on binder solids, on pigment or as ppm active.
A dosage in lb/100 gal converts by paint density: 5 lb/100 gal in an 11.5 lb/gal (1,378 g/L) paint is 0.43 % w/w, from 5 / (11.5 x 100) x 100. Starting levels by additive type are listed under paint additive dosage.
Regulatory Constraints to State in the Request#
State every regulatory constraint in the request, for example APEO-free, MEKO-free, a D4, D5 and D6 limit, a classification-free preservative or a VOC limit with its basis, so suppliers offer only grades that meet it. The table pairs each with its rule.
| Constraint | What to state | Rule, instrument and date |
|---|---|---|
| APEO-free | No nonylphenol ethoxylates; see APEO-free surfactants and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) | NPE: REACH Annex XIV entry 43, sunset date 2021-01-04 |
| MEKO-free | No methyl ethyl ketoxime; see MEKO-free anti-skinning agents and methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO) | Annex VI 616-014-00-0, Carc. 1B H350 by ATP15, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1182; Annex XVII entry 28 Appendix 2 by Regulation (EU) 2021/2204 of 2021-12-13: no supply to the general public in mixtures at 0.1 % or more, professional supply stays legal |
| D4, D5, D6 limit | Each below 0.1 % in the paint; see silicone defoamers | Annex XVII entry 70 as replaced by Regulation (EU) 2024/1328, after 2026-06-06; paragraph 6(b) derogation for protective (including marine) coatings |
| Classification-free preservative | Label thresholds in the paint; see CLP labeling of paints | BIT: EUH208 from 36 ppm, H317 from 360 ppm; Annex VI 613-088-00-6 as amended by ATP21, Regulation (EU) 2024/197, since 2025-09-01 |
| VOC limit | Value, jurisdiction and basis; see VOC in paint | EU: g/L ready to use, water not subtracted, VOC defined by an initial boiling point at or below 250 °C (482 °F) at 101.3 kPa, Directive 2004/42/EC Article 2(5); US federal AIM: g/L less water and exempt compounds, 40 CFR 59.406 |
Documents to Ask For: TDS, SDS and Sales Specification#
Ask for the technical data sheet, the safety data sheet in the required language and the sales specification with the quote; in the US the SDS comes with the initial shipment under 29 CFR 1910.1200(g). The table pairs each document with its rule.
| Document | What to ask | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| TDS | Current issue | Product document |
| SDS | Language and jurisdiction | US: English, at least 16 sections in Appendix D order, with the initial shipment and the first shipment after an update, 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2), (g)(6), (g)(7) |
| Sales specification and CoA | Values the supplier guarantees | Supplier document |
| REACH/SVHC statement, BPR or EPA registration | For biocides and restricted substances | See the constraint table |
Concentration ranges may replace exact percentages on a US SDS, because 29 CFR 1910.1200(i) lets a manufacturer withhold chemical identity or exact percentage as a trade secret.
How the Form Turns a Level Into an Annual Quantity#
The form converts a target level into the annual additive quantity by applying one formula per level basis to the annual paint output. The table compares the five bases.
| Basis | Formula | Inputs the form asks |
|---|---|---|
| % on total formula | product = paint output x level / 100 | Output, level |
| ppm active on total paint | product = output (kg) x ppm / 10^6 / active fraction; see paint biocides | Output, ppm, active content |
| % metal on binder solids | product = binder solids x % metal / 100 / metal content of the drier; see paint driers | Output, binder solids share, % metal, metal content |
| % as supplied on pigment | product = pigment mass x level / 100 | Pigment mass, level |
| lb/100 US gal | % w/w = (lb/100 gal) / (density in lb/gal x 100) x 100 | lb/100 gal, paint density |
Results appear in kg and t with lb in parentheses (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, NIST).
Worked Example 1: Cellulose Ether at % on Total Formula#
A paint maker producing 1,000 t (2,204,623 lb) of emulsion paint a year at 0.2 to 0.5 % cellulose ether on total formula needs 2,000 to 5,000 kg (4,409 to 11,023 lb) of cellulose ether. All inputs are worked-example values.
- Inputs: paint output 1,000,000 kg; level 0.2 to 0.5 % on total formula, one cellulose ether producer's range for its grades in paint.
- Calculation: 1,000,000 kg x 0.2 / 100 = 2,000 kg; 1,000,000 kg x 0.5 / 100 = 5,000 kg.
- Result: 2,000 to 5,000 kg (4,409 to 11,023 lb) of cellulose ether per year.
Worked Example 2: In-Can Biocide at ppm Active#
At 200 ppm active from a 20 % BIT product, 1,000 t (2,204,623 lb) of paint needs 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of product, which is 0.10 % product on total paint. All inputs are worked-example values.
- Inputs: paint output 1,000,000 kg; 200 ppm active of 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (BIT); product with 20 % active content. The level suits in-can preservatives; one EPA label (Reg. No. 6836-423) allows 97 to 483 ppm active, which is 0.05 to 0.25 % of a 19.3 % product, so 200 ppm lies inside it.
- Calculation: 1,000,000 kg x 200 / 10^6 = 200 kg active; 200 kg / 0.20 = 1,000 kg product.
- Result: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of product per year, 1 kg per tonne of paint.
Levels Stated as % Metal on Binder Solids#
Drier levels are stated as % metal on binder solids, so the form asks for the binder solids share of the paint and the metal content of the drier.
The drier quantity is the binder solids mass times the % metal, divided by 100 and by the metal content of the drier. The paint drier calculator applies this formula.
Validation Limits: What the Form Accepts and Refuses#
The form accepts a level only with one of five bases and refuses quote requests for the 6 legacy substances. The table lists each rule and message.
| Input | Rule | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Level without basis | Refused | "choose a basis" |
| ppm without active content | Refused | "add the active content of the product" |
| Drier level without binder solids or metal content | Refused | "add binder solids and metal content" |
| Annual volume in gallons | Accepted only with paint density | "add density" |
| Price | No field | none |
| Legacy substance: nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE), lead octoate and lead driers, cybutryne, zinc chromate, strontium chromate, UV-328 | Refused | "see the replacement guidance"; for lead see lead in paint |
A legacy substance selected in the family or substance field returns the replacement message instead of the form. The replacement guidance sits on each substance page.
What Happens After the Request Is Sent#
After the request is sent, the specification is passed to independent producers and distributors of the named additive, who answer the buyer with their own offer.
Requests reach independent providers and suppliers, and any paid listing added later is marked sponsored. Contact details are used as the privacy policy states, and this page shows no display ads.
Where to Read About Suppliers and Formulation Tools Before Requesting Quotes#
Before requesting quotes, buyers compare suppliers on the sourcing pages and check levels with the formulation calculators.
The index of paint formulation calculators and additive quote requests lists every tool.
- paint additive suppliers and manufacturers
- paint additive and paint chemical manufacturers in India
Other Formulation Calculators#
Two formulation calculators check the numbers that a request states: pigment loading and VOC content.
- pigment volume concentration (PVC) calculator
- paint VOC content calculator
Questions About the Quote Request#
Does This Site Sell Additives?#
No: PaintAdditives.org sells no additive; it passes quote requests to independent producers and distributors and earns from supplier requests, from provider matching and from display ads below main content on other pages.
Can I Request Quotes for Legacy Substances?#
No: the form refuses quote requests for the 6 legacy substances on this site, such as lead driers and chromates, and points to the replacement guidance on each substance page.