“Our aim is to provide excellent products for the protection of assets and exceptional technical guidance and specification service,” says Michael Thorne, Sales Manager for Protective Coatings and Fireproofing at Altex Coatings Limited.
As New Zealand’s largest manufacturer of high-performance coatings, Altex Coatings Ltd - widely recognised in the market through its long-standing partnership with the globally recognised Carboline brand - has spent over 70 years supplying coating systems for almost every major industry. “Altex forms a part of the Resene Group of companies, representing the commercial, heavy industrial, and marine sectors,” Michael says. “We supply to New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific Island markets, and we work with owners, engineers, contractors, steel fabricators, and applicators to achieve the desired project outcomes.”
What really sets Altex Coatings Ltd apart, Michael says, is the combination of local manufacturing and global supply partnerships. “Our international networks keep us up-to-date on the industry trends and leading-edge technology. Locally, we are currently building a new multi-million-dollar plant at our Tauranga head office to support our growth because we know that continual investment is necessary to stay a step ahead.”
Michael has been in his role for 25 years, where he leads a team of qualified coatings representatives across New Zealand. “Every day, I still find my work interesting and engaging. We don't just sell products, we provide end-to-end support for your project. This includes free-of-charge consultations, specification assistance, training, and on-site support before, during and after application. We prioritise client support, with a technical team of highly qualified and experienced personnel working throughout New Zealand, ready to help our clients take on complex projects.”
The team is constantly improving, with significant investment in tailored training and development to support their product range. “We look to guide the industry to embrace best practice and not just chase the lowest price, which inevitably costs more in the long run,” Michael says. “We invest in training initiatives for our internal team through AMPP/NACE qualification, with over 20 qualified coatings reps on staff. Importantly, we also aim to support our external relationships with training programs ranging from in-house spray-painting training to technical presentations for designers and onsite guidance. Offering CPD presentations through Teulo is the next step for us to gain further reach in our training efforts.”
There are a few key learnings and takeaways that Michael hopes to share with industry professionals. “Consider protective coatings in the early planning stages of projects, as coatings are a core part of design for both protection and aesthetics. Experienced and qualified applicators can make a big difference to the lifespan of the work and level of finish; choose them wisely! And make educated decisions when choosing systems, not just lowest per litre price. Again, this will cost more in the long run!”
In his decades with the business, Michael has had the opportunity to work alongside people in a wide range of roles and projects. “I count it as a real privilege to have been at Altex all these years, working with some very experienced and decent people from whom I have learned so much. The industry sees constant development, and we are proud to lead the way. Bringing innovative products to market over the years has been a real highlight, for example our Carboquick products, which provide a direct-to-metal application and outstanding hardness, build, and UV protection. This product continues to be a game-changer in the industry since it was launched.”
One big trend Michel has observed over recent years is a push towards safer products: fewer harmful components than in traditional formulations, while still maintaining performance. “We are about to launch a new topcoat product, Carboxane 2000 – this product is free of isocyanates but maintains outstanding UV resistance and colour stability, in some cases outperforming traditional polyurethanes.”
Performance remains the top priority, Michael says, with Altex Coatings Ltd’s results on full public display in the Sky City Convention Centre project, which experienced a fire while under construction in 2022, and which finally opened its doors to the public in February 2026. “The unique and unfortunate events of that fire really put our product to the test. The investigation into the fire proved that our Nullifire products performed as designed, attaining a big tick from the client’s representative engineer and leading to the decision to reapply the same system again. This meant we were required to supply hundreds of thousands of litres of Intumescent coating before the fire and then again after the fire. The project has turned out great; we are looking forward to seeing it bring new life into the city.”
2026 also marks a big year for products, with several exciting new coatings coming online. “Highlights include our Armorlast Series, Carboxane 2000, and Carboquick 201 SG,” Michael says. “Armorlast offers 40+ years of corrosion protection for steel. It is currently being used by NASA on their new Mobile Launcher (ML2) which supported the recent Artemis moon mission. It has also been applied to the piles for the new Scott Base development currently under construction. Carboxane 2000 is an isocyanate-free topcoat with outstanding long-term UV stability and colour fastness. This product will be launched in mid 2026 and will be available in gloss and semi-gloss variants. Lastly, we are introducing a semi-gloss option to our direct-to-metal, high-build Carboquick topcoat. Best-in-class performance is now also available with an architectural finish, complementing the existing gloss finish of Carboquick 200 - we weren’t kidding when we said we were staying ahead of the game!”
As the team looks ahead to the rest of 2026 and beyond, Michael says their focus will be on continued innovation to supply the best protective coating products in the market. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the industry develops and continuing to invest in our people and our relationships. This year will have a strong focus from me on working with our technical representatives across NZ and with our Tauranga-based technical team, ensuring that Altex Coatings continues to deliver the best possible technical and practical service to our clients - both consultants and applicators - including the introduction of exciting new technology. Our focus continues to be on giving designers peace of mind through proven systems, local expertise, and support that make specifying easier and leads to excellent outcomes.”
To learn more and connect with Michael, visit https://altexcoatings.com/, follow Altex Coatings Ltd on LinkedIn, and keep an eye out for upcoming CPD events on Teulo.
