Once a year, The
Powder Coating Institute
(PCI) and The Powder
Coating Research Group
collaborate to bring you the
Powder Coating Summit
(PC Summit). This year’s event will
be held on October 4-5 in Columbus,
Ohio.
The event brings together the
best and the brightest minds in the
industry to talk about the latest trends
in technology. The 2016 PC Summit
features presentations covering
diverse topics such as pretreatment
processes for plastic substrates, novel
resin blends for ultra-performance in
architectural applications, improving
corrosion resistance with novel resins,
cutting-edge “smart” application
technology, the latest polychromatic
effect technology, novel infrared curing
processes, and more.
The PC Summit offers many
opportunities for networking, where
the resin chemist can talk to the
coating engineer, and where the
pretreatment expert can connect with
the curing equipment technologist.
The event spans two full days of
sharing all viewpoints of emerging
powder coating technology. Powder
chemistry, application and curing
fundamentals fill the
first morning at the
Westin Columbus. The
afternoon delivers live
demonstrations of powder
processing, application
and coating evaluation at the PCR
laboratory. This offers a hands-on
experience of powder coating
technology from the fundamental
formulation and raw material
selection through extrusion, milling
and application. Experts will be on
hand to explain the intricacies of
compounding, electrostatic deposition
and testing instrumentation.
Following the lab demos, attendees
can view tabletop exhibits while
refreshing themselves with a little food
and drink.
The second day is all about new
technology. Speakers from around
the world will be confabulating on
how they are pushing the technology
envelope in their respective fields.
Ample time is available for questions
and answers as well as networking.
A panel discussion will examine the
barriers to introducing new technology.
Details for this not-to-be-missed,
one-of-a-kind technology event can
be found under the events tab on the
www.powdercoating.org website.
The Crown Group Recognized as a John Deere Supplier of the Year, Partner-level Supplier
The Crown Group Waterloo Plant
has been officially recognized as a
John Deere Supplier of the Year for
2015. The presentation of this most
prestigious award took place during
formal ceremonies on April 21, 2016,
in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Also, for the third consecutive
year, The Crown Group Waterloo
Plant earned recognition as a Partnerlevel
supplier for 2015 in the John
Deere Achieving Excellence Program.
The Partner-level status is Deere &
Company’s highest supplier rating. The
Warren, Michigan based company was
selected for the honor in recognition
of its dedication to providing products
and services of outstanding quality as
well as its commitment to continuous
improvement. Company employees
accepted the recognition during
ceremonies held December 15, 2015,
in Bettendorf, Iowa.
“We genuinely value the
partnership we have developed with
Deere & Company and remain fully
committed in meeting their future
needs,” says Frank Knoth, president
and CEO of The Crown Group.
The Crown Group is a supplier
of coating services to John Deere’s
Tractor Cab and Assembly Operations
in Waterloo, Iowa.
Suppliers who participate in the
Achieving Excellence program are
evaluated annually in several key
performance categories, including
quality, cost management, delivery,
technical support and wavelength,
which is a measure of responsiveness.
John Deere Supply Management
created the program in 1991 to
provide a supplier evaluation and
feedback process that promotes
continuous improvement.
The Crown Group is an industry
leading supplier of coating services,
logistic solutions, and assembly
operations to the agricultural,
transportation, military, and
architectural markets. The Crown
Group currently operates 10 coating
facilities in the United States.
Hentzen Awards
Extrusions Inc. as
Newest Approved
Applicator
Milwaukee-based Extrusions
Inc., a full-service custom
aluminum extruder located in
Fort Scott, Kan., since 1962, was
awarded Approved Applicator
Status by Hentzen Coatings
after a thorough line audit and
physical testing to the AAMA 2605
specification. Brian McGowen,
general manager of Extrusions Inc.,
says, “Extrusions Inc. appreciates
the focus on quality that Hentzen
delivers in their Certified Applicator
Program. This is a core value both
of our companies share.”
An annual testing and
recertification process is required
for Extrusions Inc. to maintain
their Approved Applicator status
from Hentzen. An industry leader
in powder and liquid coatings,
Hentzen Coatings has been
manufacturing fluoropolymer
powder coatings for architectural
applications since 2003.
Platinum Equity to Sell MetoKote to PPG
Platinum Equity
announced the
signing of a definitive
agreement to sell
MetoKote to PPG. MetoKote is a U.S.-
based provider of industrial coating
services. Financial terms were not
disclosed.
The pending transaction is subject
to customary closing conditions and is
expected to close in the third quarter
of 2016.
“MetoKote’s success is a result of a
great partnership with the management
team and a lot of hard work by the
company’s dedicated employees,” says
Platinum Equity Partner Bob Wymbs.
“Working together we have grown the
business, diversified its customer base
and positioned MetoKote for long-term
success.”
Mr. Wymbs said that during
Platinum Equity’s ownership,
MetoKote implemented a range of
strategic and operational initiatives
that have helped the company grow
and adapt to changes in the market.
Platinum Equity acquired MetoKote in
October 2013.
In December 2015, MetoKote
acquired Malcolm Enamellers ACP
Limited, a provider of coating services
in the UK.
“Platinum Equity has been a great
partner, from helping us set strategy
to providing the support we needed
to execute,” says MetoKote President
and CEO Jeff Oravitz. “Working
together we realigned the company’s
global footprint, sharpened our focus
on high-growth markets, and made
important investments to strengthen
key customer relationships. We are on
a strong path for continued growth
and success.”
Houlihan Lokey is serving as
financial advisor to Platinum Equity
on the sale of MetoKote and Milbank,
Tweed, Hadley & McCloy is acting as
Platinum Equity’s legal counsel.
Axalta Coating Systems at Qualicoat and Qualideco Congress 2016 in London
Axalta Coating
Systems was a
gold sponsor at
the Qualicoat and
Qualideco Congress
2016, held in London this past spring.
The global event aims to present past,
present and future aspects of coating
and decorating and is billed as the aluminum finishing event of the year.
Franck Derouen, Axalta’s global
segment director for architectural
powder coatings, presented to over
120 delegates alongside Cristobal
Bernal, Bimetica’s chief technical
officer, about the impact of building
information modelling (BIM) digital
management processes on aluminum
finishing. BIMs are digital files that
can be exchanged or networked to
support decision-making during a
project. Their main advantage is that
they integrate technical information
and allow the ability to create a virtual
construction of a facility before its
physical construction. This increase in
functionality promotes efficiency and
sustainability, and reduces errors and
cost overrun.
“Being able to simulate these
construction scenarios virtually
gives us the ability to make decisions
sooner and improve a project’s energy
efficiency and construction time and
budget,” stated Derouen. “BIM is
increasingly being used globally in the
construction industry. The European
government mandates to implement
BIM gradually in centrally-procured
public sector projects as a driver for
the industry to update its practices
to achieve more collaboration and to
produce information-rich projects.”
Axalta, as a global leader in
architectural powder coating sold
under the Alesta® brand, fits well with
the sustainable trend of the event due
to its small environmental footprint.
The powder coatings are free of
solvents and virtually free of VOCs
and HAPs. Overspray can also be
reused to reduce waste. These qualities
matched with its weatherability and
high color retention make it ideal for
application on aluminum extrusions
while meeting Qualicoat and other
international standards.
“Globally, Axalta is a key player in
the architectural coatings sector, so
participation in one of the industry’s
premier global conferences, such as
Qualicoat and Qualideco Congress
2016, enables us to stay close to the
market and to hear directly from our
customers about how we can continue
to serve them better,” adds Derouen.
For more information on Axalta
worldwide, please visit www.axaltacs.com.
TCI Powder Coatings, BASF Forge Strategic Alliance
TCI Powder Coatings, a
subsidiary of RPM International
located in Ellaville, Ga., and BASF
have entered into an agreement
that allows TCI to sell the BASF
CathoGuard® electrocoat technology
to specified TCI market segments.
According to Jack Bostock, TCI
vice president of sales and marketing,
this alliance builds on TCI’s
commitment to market differentiation.
“Pairing the CathoGuard technology
series with our premium powder
coatings is a win-win for customers
looking for performance,” says
Bostock. “By delivering an innovative
solution that meets global standards,
we will make a significant difference
for our customers’ production lines,
helping them increase throughput
while reducing costs.”
The BASF CathoGuard coating
combines several unique performance
qualities for parts that are more
difficult to paint efficiently, including
those with multiple angles and
crevices. CathoGuard improves the
application process as well as coverage
and corrosion edge protection while
lowering total material costs by nearly
20 percent.
TCI market segments with access
to this technology through the new
alliance include off-road and heavy
equipment, general finishing, office
furniture, and appliance. CathoGuard
will also be available to custom coaters
that supply major subassemblies
and modular components for the
automotive market.
“We’re very pleased that TCI can
deliver our innovative product line
more broadly to their customers,” says
Thaddeus Lepkowski, BASF tier metals
market manager. “The chemistry in our
CathoGuard coating achieves a flawless
coat on hard-to-paint parts found in
many of TCI’s markets where finish
quality and durability are critical.”
News from NAM
The National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) released
the results of its second quarter
2016 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey
(www.nam.org/outlook), showing an
uptick in overall sentiment. In this
survey, 61.7 percent of manufacturers
expressed positivity about their own
company’s outlook, up from 56.6
percent who said the same thing
in March. This marks the most
optimistic manufacturers have been
since December 2015.
“While this survey offers a bit of
optimism for manufacturers, there is
still a dramatic need for improvement before our sector can regain its
footing,” said NAM Chief Economist
Chad Moutray. “This survey, coupled
with the latest jobs report, should
serve as a stark reminder to Congress
that policy priorities, including
market-opening trade agreements
and comprehensive tax reform as
well as addressing regulatory barriers,
are top of manufacturers’ minds. If
lawmakers in Washington take action
on these and other items, they could
help reverse the pain manufacturers
are experiencing, expanding job
opportunities and strengthening the
broader economy as a result.”
Key findings from the survey
include the following:
“Red tape” continues to be a top
business challenge. Three-quarters
of manufacturers surveyed consider
regulatory burdens to be one of the
sector’s primary hurdles. In this
survey, 82.6 percent of respondents
said their company’s total spending
on state and federal regulatory
compliance had increased either
modestly or substantially over
the past few years. Furthermore,
respondents cited capital investments
and expenditures as the most likely
use of funds if the cost of regulatory
compliance were reduced.
Manufacturers continue to call
for comprehensive tax reform. The
vast majority of respondents listed
lowering the corporate tax rate to 25
percent or less (74.3 percent), making
permanent an enhanced research
and development (R&D) incentive
(61.2 percent) and enacting robust
capital cost-recovery provisions (55.0
percent) as chief components of
comprehensive tax reform that would
make their business more competitive.
A full write-up of the survey is
available on NAM’s website at www.nam.org.
In other NAM news, a court
decision could inhibit manufacturers’
access to internet infrastructure.
NAM’s Senior Vice President and
General Counsel Linda Kelly issued
the following statement after the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C.
Circuit’s decision in the case U.S.
Telecom Association et al. v. FCC:
“As modern manufacturing
evolves and becomes more connected
to the internet, our future growth
and success are dependent on
technology infrastructure. Today’s
decision from the D.C. Circuit creates
uncertainty for manufacturers and is
a major disincentive to investment in
this essential infrastructure.
“The Manufacturers’ Center
for Legal Action (MCLA) and the
NAM will continue to fight the
FCC’s misguided policy—in the
courts and in Congress—to ensure
manufacturers’ growing technology
infrastructure needs can be met.”
The MCLA serves as the leading
voice of manufacturers in the
courts, representing the more than
12 million men and women who
make things in the United States.
The MCLA strategically engages in
litigation as a direct party, intervenes
in litigation important to our
manufacturers and weighs in as
amicus curiae on important cases.
To learn more about the MCLA,
visit www.nam.org/the-center-forlegal-action,
and for information
about manufacturing innovation
and technology, visit www.nam.org/issues/technology.
Paint Booth Noise, Dust Leads to Fine
Lyon LLC, a Montgomery,
Ill., metal fabricating plant was
investigated on claims that it
exposed employees to unsafe levels
of metallic dusts, vapors, and noise
when manually powder coating metal
products in two of the company’s paint
booths. After receiving a complaint
of unsafe working conditions, OSHA
inspectors allegedly discovered that
employees at Lyon were overexposed
to noise and dust hazards in those
paint booths, leading to a $76,000
fine.
The agency cited the company
with 15 serious violations, including
some that had several subcomponents
that added up to 26 separate issues.
The company, which was cited for
operations at its metal fabricating shop
in Watseka, Ill., said it disagreed with
the federal agency’s conclusions and
planned to meet with OSHA officials
to discuss the violations. The company
says it takes its workers’ health and
safety seriously and hopes to reach an
amicable resolution.
Say Hello to PCI’s Newest Members
Custom Coaters
ABITL Finishing
Diamond Level
Tulsa, OK • 918-446-5363
Metalcraft Inc.
Platinum Level
Boise, ID • 208-368-0700
ABJ Custom Powder Coating
Gold Level
Louisville, TN • 865-982-3843
Desert Coating Solutions
Gold Level
Phoenix, AZ • 602-253-7875
Genesis de Baja California
Gold Level
Mexicali, Mexico • 686-561-8889
Kirby Built Quality Products
Gold Level
New Berlin, WI • 262-439-4101
Materials Processing, Inc.
Gold Level
Riverview, MI • 734-258-1262
Rugged Werx
Gold Level
Kinnear, WY • 307-858-0203
OEMs
Everbrite LLC
Gold Level
South Milwaukee, WI • 414-768-5478
Federal Signal
Gold Level
University Park, IL • 708-587-3256
Hubbell Wiegmann
Gold Level
Freeburg, IL • 618-710-8040
Raw Materials
Xerox Research Centre of Canada
Platinum Level
Mississauga, ON • 905-823-7091
Systems House
Intek Corporation
Platinum Level
Union, MO • 636-584-8500
Rapid Engineering LLC
Gold Level
Comstock Park, MI • 616-784-0500
EPA Releases Annual Enforcement, Compliance Results
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
released its annual enforcement and compliance results
highlighted by large cases that reduce pollution, level the
playing field for responsible companies, and protect public
health in communities across the country. In fiscal year 2015,
EPA secured record-setting hazardous waste, Clean Air Act,
and Superfund settlements, and acted swiftly to win a large
criminal plea agreement following a major coal ash spill,
among other accomplishments. EPA also made significant
progress on cases that will benefit communities well into
the future by pursuing a final settlement that puts billions
of dollars to work restoring the Gulf, helping communities
affected by the BP oil spill, and launching an investigation
against Volkswagen for illegally emitting air pollution from
diesel vehicles.
In fiscal year 2015, EPA enforcement actions required
companies to invest more than $7 billion in actions and
equipment to control pollution and clean up contaminated
sites. EPA’s cases resulted in $404 million in combined
federal administrative, civil judicial penalties, and criminal
fines. Other results include reductions of an estimated
430 million pounds of air pollutants, almost $2 billion
in commitments from responsible
parties to clean up Superfund sites,
and more than $39 million invested in
environmental projects that provide
direct benefits to communities harmed
by pollution.
EPA pursues high impact cases that
drive compliance across industries. It
holds criminal violators accountable
that threaten the health and safety
of Americans, while directing funds
to affected communities. EPA
enforcement work reduces pollution
in the sectors that impact American
communities the most.