Color and Quality in Powder Coating

When people initially notice an object’s exterior, they often focus on its hue first. That’s one of the reasons why manufacturers increasingly offer large assortments of powder coating colors to appeal to their customers. Some companies offer hundreds of stock colors, and many provide custom hues. Here’s a closer look at how that decision can help companies gain or maintain marketplace traction.

Powder coating colors support branding

When developing or strengthening their brands, many company representatives explore how colors can help tell the story of a business or make it more recognizable in a crowded marketplace.

Paints and coatings specialist PPG has a wheel-refurbishing program that uses powder coating to make those parts of industrial vehicles look like new. Jamie White, PPG’s business development manager of commercial coatings, says there’s a clear connection between strong branding and the wheels’ appearance.

White explains, “A truck’s appearance says a lot about the brand. And in the competitive space that is today’s commercial transport industry, fleets are looking for every advantage. Dirty, rusty, and corroded wheels are not a plus. But when a truck rolls up on a set of wheels that have been refurbished and repainted — in either classic white or a custom color — it gets noticed.”

Powder coating quality factors into the customer experience, too. “Rather than simply provide our customers with a powder coating product, we provide solutions. We approach each customer individually and immerse ourselves in their business to identify ways to improve the quality, and equally important, the speed and efficiency of their wheel refurbishing process,” White says.

Services also exist for powder coating office furniture and even pieces of computer keyboards. It’s easy to envision how a company could make work areas look stylish and on-brand by choosing such options.

Customization offers customers more choices

Powder coating quality is undoubtedly on customers’ minds when they explore the options. However, many envision the finished piece to have a particular look. Color is often a big part of getting the appearance they want.

Crystal Window and Door Systems uses a vertical powder-coating system for aluminum. The company currently offers 36 stock colors, along with customization if desired.

Sabrina Leung, manager of Crystal’s architectural window division and R&D, explains, “For special unique architectural design needs, our suppliers can match virtually any color required. We can also handle those rare, unique project requests that require liquid paint finishes.”

Branching out into custom powder coating colors can help companies solve customer pain points. Pomona, California’s, CFR Patio offers restoration services for high-end outdoor furniture. The company’s team deals with pieces that become rusty, misshapen, or broken through use. Clients can also select from 30 powdercoat stock colors or get custom shades.

Collin Lee, who operates the business with his father, Brian, says, “We recently did a curry color, but anything is possible. Golfing community clients in La Quinta and Palm Desert usually want to stay with neutral earth tones; customers who are really into the mid-century look choose bright colors like orange, turquoise, or even light yellows and greens.”

Since powder coating protects pieces from impacts, scratches, and corrosion, it’s a popular choice for outdoor furniture.

Powder coating colors can align with automation efforts

Robotics applications have come a long way over the years, both in terms of functionality and the form factor. The first industrial robotic arm weighed 2,700 pounds and assisted with die casting. Many of today’s robots are much smaller and often work alongside employees. People also choose specific models to help with powder coating.

Matthews Industries is a metal fabricator in Alabama that invested in automation to meet rising production output requirements. Color changeovers were some of their initial concerns with purchasing new equipment. However, the company’s decision-makers settled on a powder-coating system capable of processing many colors but typically handles six. The setup applies those shades completely automatically.

Then, humans assist with colors that require more frequent changeovers or span beyond those six. They also work on parts with interior corners or those measuring larger than 53 inches. Combining the efforts of automated machines and humans is an excellent way to keep output and powder coating quality high.

Automation is typically a good choice for applications that require repetition and consistency. Machines can accomplish both of those aims, often getting the job done faster than humans could alone. When customers want speed and appealing colors, powder coating colors and automation can fill that need.

Powder coating colors achieve desired effects

Offering a diverse or customized assortment of powder coating shades is also an excellent way for companies to demonstrate their capabilities. One company has 15 solid shades for metal railings and awnings, as well as a few options that mimic wood grain. Customized powder coating colors can also become particularly useful for historical restoration projects that require making an item or a part of a building look as it did centuries ago.

Providing high-quality powder coating colors can also benefit manufacturers targeting homeowners who are getting ready to sell. A Zillow study found that certain colors used in a home’s main rooms can increase the price buyers are willing to pay by thousands of dollars.

Powder coating won’t be the main way to change a room’s hue. However, it works great for coloring complementing metal surfaces to provide meaningful pops of color.

Angela Chrusciaki Blehm is a painter and design enthusiast who had many dazzling powder coating colors applied to pieces in her Georgia home. There are cobalt-blue chairs in her dining room, a cherry-red bed frame, and golden-yellow metal on a chandelier.

Blehm raves, “I love the uniform thick coating — it feels professional, I don’t have to worry about nicks and scratches, and I love how easy it is to keep clean. And the intense, shiny color is just so beautiful to me!"

Powder coating colors provide numerous perks

Whether a company intends to attract residential customers, commercial ones, or both, there’s a direct link between color ranges and competitiveness. Some homeowners may want to include powder-coated surfaces in their redecorating plans.

Alternatively, commercial customers may need certain colors for branding purposes or match what’s already in an environment. In cases like these and others, providing large assortments of hues helps companies establish more marketplace prominence.