Why Quality Powder Coating in London Is Worth Getting Right First Time
If you’ve ever had metal furniture, railings, gates or architectural aluminium lose their finish within a few years — fading, chipping or showing signs of rust — you’ll know just how frustrating that can be. Often the problem isn’t the metal itself, but the quality of the coating applied to it. With increasing focus on sustainability and longevity in the construction and manufacturing world, the powder coating industry has just raised the bar even further. The global QUALICOAT body recently awarded its new QUALICOAT 3.0 certification — the highest standard yet — to its first UK and Ireland project, a striking aluminium Brise Soleil installation on the Thames at the Hurlingham Waterfront. It’s a sign that when it comes to powder coating, the gap between good and exceptional is wider than ever.
So what does that mean for you? Whether you’re a homemaker looking to restore ornate ironwork, a property developer specifying architectural metalwork, or a business owner needing industrial equipment protected against corrosion, the quality of the powder coating process makes a significant difference to how long your investment lasts. QUALICOAT 3.0 focuses on substrate preparation, coating thickness, adhesion and sustainability — essentially ensuring that a correctly applied powder coat will deliver a finish that lasts a lifetime, rather than just a few seasons.
Pro-Tect Coatings, based in London and Kent, has been delivering professional powder coating, shot blasting and zinc spraying services since 2002. The company holds ISO 9001 quality accreditation — a sign that the processes and standards in their facility are rigorously controlled. With an 8-metre powder coating oven, they can handle everything from small decorative items to large industrial structures, and their shot blast cleaning service at their Dartford facility means metalwork can be properly prepared before any coating goes on.
Getting the preparation right is everything. A powder coat applied over a poorly prepared surface will fail prematurely, no matter how good the powder itself is. That’s why working with an experienced, quality-assured specialist matters — both for appearance and for long-term protection against rust, weathering and wear.
If you have metalwork that needs protecting, restoring or finishing to a professional standard, Pro-Tect Coatings are the people to call. Visit their website at pro-tectcoatings.co.uk to find out more about their full range of industrial powder coating services across London and Kent.
8 METRE POWDER COATING OVEN
Our new 8 metre powder coating oven has been running for the past month and we are already seeing a great improvement in production.
The ease of having access at both ends of the oven allows us to powder the work-pieces at one end while finished work is cooling down at the other. As a result, our turnaround times have also improved.
2 new contracts have recently been secured, each having 300 balconies to be powder coated. Work on these is already underway.
NEW 8 METRE POWDER COATING OVEN IN KENT
Due to contractual growth Protect Coatings is opening a further workshop to add a new 8 meter box oven to their Powder Coating division in Kent. The bespoke powder coating oven is of the latest technology and measures
8m long x 3m wide x 3m high
Substantial works have been carried out to the inside of the building and 2 new powder coaters have been employed. These powder coating ovens started taking in work from London and Kent in August 2016.
Restoration Project in Brighton
Brighton’s historic West Pier Toll Booths are being lovingly restored and re-instated alongside the new British Airways i360 Observation Tower. If you have visited Brighton sea front in the past you may remember one of the booths as the famous rock-shop which closed in 2009 after becoming structurally unsound. Fortunately the buildings were carefully dismantled and placed in storage. New castings have now been taken from the originals and the cast Iron buildings are to be brought back to their former glory. Pro-Tect Coatings are delighted to have taken part in the restoration project. In order to preserve the steelwork it has been shot blasted to remove surface rust and key the metal work before applying a h high specification paint system designed to cope with the harsh marine environment in which the Toll Booths will be situated. After the final top coat, hand painted coach-lines were applied. All surface preservation treatments have been carried out at our premises in Belvedere Kent. Visit the British Airways i 360 building click here.
TEGO Dispers 679 is launched by Evonik
The solvent-borne general industrial coatings market will have the use of this new dispersant which has been specially developed from Evonik.
The number of dispersing additives needed will be reduced by TEGO Dispers 679, a cost-effective dispersing additive for all types of pigments. It offers high performance, as well as providing good viscosity reduction and stable performance, and can be used in direct grind formulations. As a true all-rounder, TEGO Dispers 679 provides good colour strength and stability for nearly all types of resin and pigments systems in general industrial applications, as well as broad compatibility with most of the resin systems. For more Information on new materials used in Powder coatings used in London call Pro-tect coatings on 020 8311 4448.
Powder coating London
PPG has announced a tie-up with Dow for a Sustainable Future Program, developed to help with the adoption of low-carbon technologies.
This new partnership will focus on advances in anti-corrosion powder coating products for steel, this has been designed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy saving efficiencies.
This collaboration is to combine Dow’s latest polysiloxane technology and PPG’s two-coat PPG PSX coating, which will require fewer coats, yet still achieve the same level of protection as current three-coat systems.
The reduction in greenhouse gasses will come from lower use of energy in both the production and application of this new product, aimed at achieving the Sustainable Future Program’s goal of advancing technologies while offering sustainability gains to society.
When compared to alternative systems, PPG PSXcoatings offer a better long-term adhesion as well as corrosion resistance due to weathering even the most aggressive exposure conditions.
Hot metal spraying – a flexible alternative to galvanising
Overcoming rust corrosion is the holy grail of the metal industry. Hot metal spraying has become one of the most popular methods of protecting metalwork from damage by wind, moisture and frost.
The process has many advantages, it is ideal for irregularly shaped products or components. It is also quick and therefore cheaper than traditional galvanizing.
History of Blast Cleaning
The first shot blasting machine was patented in 1870 by Benjamin Tilghman to remove painted and rusted surfaces before making further practical use of the item. In 1904, Thomas Pangborn developed Tilghman’s invention to include compressed air alongside the sand blasting to clean metal.
Initially, blast cleaning was used for practical industrial purposes, for example removing rust or polishing metal prior to painting. The technique nowadays also has decorative purposes, such as carving and adding texture. Currently, decorative uses include engraving crystal awards, the production of 3D signs, decoration of glass, and refurbishing buildings, however one of the earliest items to hit the market after being sandblasted were tobacco pipes, which sold for more money than smooth pipes. In those days, the technique would have resulted in varied and unpredictable patterns and warped shapes.
These days, sand blasters are composed of a chosen abrasive particle; chilled iron, steel grit or non-metallic glass grit, an air compressor and a blaster nozzle. They’re commonly used to clean a surface of clinging materials or etching personalised words or designs into a material.
To find out more about modern-day Blast Cleaning, talk to PRO-TECT Coatings today.
Powder Coatings in Extreme Climates
In order to ensure a long-lasting installation, it is worth properly considering your options for a site-appropriate finish.
For extreme climates, it pays to consult the experts at Pro-Tect Coatings as we understand which the right coating is to best meet the aesthetics, functions and service life for the environment. For example, an environment which regularly suffers from flooding would benefit from a different coating than a project in an environment which regularly sees snow.
Powder coatings provide a thick and uniform coating with superior resistance to corrosion. This type of coating is also less vulnerable to cracking and peeling as it contains none of the solvents usually found in wet paints.
Contacts:
Matt Tilbrook
Marketing Executive
The British Assessment Bureau
30 Tower View, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4UY
Tel: 0800 404 7007
Email: matt.tilbrook@british-assessment.co.uk
Web: www.british-assessment.co.uk