Industry Leaders Report Increase In Orders For Large-Scale Coating Equipment

Franklin Slaton, a veteran coating equipment specialist, is one of several sources that have recently noticed an increase in requests for large-sized industrial coating equipment. Slaton’s company, Allied Finishing Solutions, markets curing ovens, spray enclosures, and related powder coating equipment manufactured by Reliant Finishing Systems. The majority of these products are sold through the BoothsAndOvens.comweb site.

“Most of the spray booths, ovens and blast rooms that we sell are for batch applications,” Slaton commented. “While ovens in the eight-foot wide and eight-foot tall range still make up the largest portion of our sales, we are seeing a growing demand from customers looking to expand their capabilities by acquiring larger equipment.”

Slaton reports that many of these buyers are repeat customers who want ovens and booths in ten-foot to fourteen-foot widths and heights to complement the smaller versions they are already operating profitably. There is also increased interest in significantly longer spray booths and curing ovens, including models that are forty to eighty feet in length.

“Often these operators want to be able to coat and cure large-scale pieces to give them a competitive advantage over other powder coating shops in their area,” Slaton explained. “An added benefit of choosing to install larger coating equipment is that they can increase the throughput of their shops by batching several small tasks together.”

“A customer from earlier this year who bought one of our best-selling oven and booth packages is now planning to add another Reliant curing oven that will be over three times as large as his existing oven,” said Slaton. “He told us that his business had taken off right after the installation of the first oven and booth this summer. With demand growing rapidly, he originally considered adding an automated system. But after talking with his best customers, he learned that many of them needed a coater with the ability to handle larger pieces, not just get their orders out faster. Larger batch-type coating equipment is going to give him the flexibility to satisfy both of those needs,” he added.

Another factor that is spurring interest in larger-sized booths and ovens is the boom in the domestic oil business. Resurgence in exploration, drilling and energy recovery from once-dormant fields in many parts of the country has led to increased demand for powder coating systems that can accommodate the large equipment used in oil and gas production.

Michael Schuerer, President of Reliant Finishing Systems (http://www.reliantfinishingsystems.com), agrees with Slaton’s observations and confirmed that the boost in large equipment sales is being fueled from both ends of the market. “In addition to seeing a jump in orders for large equipment from job shops that have been enjoying the rewards of the powder coating boom, we are also seeing an influx of orders from large industrial corporations. Many companies that once considered installing automated, conveyor-based systems are taking another look at batch systems. Price is sometimes a factor, since a batch system typically costs less than half as much as a comparable automated system. But, in many cases, price isn’t the motivating factor at all. Potential buyers are finding that large batch equipment can give them the throughput they need, plus the added flexibility of being able to handle a much wider range of products than with an automated system,” he commented.

Reliant Finishing Systems has become the leading provider of batch-type powder coating systems in the United States, due to the company’s unique product offerings and skilled distribution network. The modular design of Reliant’s curing ovens, spray enclosures and media blasting enclosures enables the manufacturer to rapidly configure and deliver products that precisely meet each customer’s exact needs.

In addition to offering products from Reliant, Allied Finishing Solutions is heavily invested in promoting the benefits of powder coating technology. The company’s website, BoothsAndOvens.com, is an extensive resource for companies seeking advice about powder coating equipment and techniques.