As National Technical Services Manager, Dan Savage provides technical advice and support to Dulux Protective Coatings’ clients. A typical day for Dan might include answering technical queries from colleagues, evaluating a new Dulux Protective Coatings product, trouble-shooting a technical problem for a client, or climbing to the top of one of Australia’s highest residential buildings to perform a visual coatings inspection.
Originally from the United States, Dan has spent the past 34 years working in various roles in the protective coatings field that include working as a coating inspector, petroleum tank and pipe inspector, field project manager, direct and indirect sales support positions, new product development coordinator, and a lengthy stint in technical services where he held multiple positions with his former employer. Dan joined Dulux Protective Coatings in 2019 as the Technical Services Manager and is currently in that role.
What do you enjoy most about working at Dulux Protective Coatings?
I love all aspects of the technical side of the business – from working with cutting-edge technology to troubleshooting and overcoming challenges in the field. It’s a joy working with the team and our customers to resolve complex technical problems.
I also love the great people we have at Dulux Protective Coatings. They make it a fun place to work and their “can do” attitude helps us develop products and solutions that shine at a high level in the industry.
What do you think makes Dulux Protective Coatings unique in the construction industry?
We are known for our high-performing products. But a lot goes into each product formulation besides resins and solvents – you also need great service levels, technical expertise, specification and application support, and a commitment to being there for your customers and business partners in all economic conditions. Dulux Protective Coatings does that very well.
Tell us about a product innovation or specification that you enjoyed being involved in.
Overcoming a number of challenges in the development of Dulux® Duremax® HBE was particularly gratifying. The hard work we put into improving the product paid off and we have been able to secure projects with key customers in the mining industry as a result.
What technological advancements in protective coatings can we look forward to seeing from Dulux Protective Coatings in the future?
On the product side, we’ll see improvements in the technology around atmospheric coatings that include lower VOC (volatile organic compounds), less CoC (chemicals of concern) and longer wearing coatings.
We can also look forward to exciting advancements in the way surfaces are prepared and coated. Instead of the conventional methods we use today, the next generation might use robotics and drone technology for things like blasting, surface preparation, coatings and non-destructive evaluation.
The best days are ahead of us, with new technology that will expand Dulux Protective Coatings’ presence in the marketplace. Watch this space!
