Danish Industrial Coating Company Puts its Trust in Sustainable and Efficient Powder Coatings for Wood-based Materials
Brandt A/S ǀ Denmark
Even when buying furniture, today’s customers want ecologically manufactured products. Whether it’s furnishings for the bathroom, kitchen, or nursery – increasing environmental awareness means that manufacturers are being challenged to come up with innovative solutions. Currently, most furniture made of wood or composites is coated with liquid varnishes, although this approach is far from sustainable. Having recently commissioned a modern powder coating plant, Danish industrial coating company Brandt AS has proven that adopting the new and innovative powder coating process is not only good news for the environment, but also worthwhile for efficiency and quality reasons. The company received support from IGP Pulvertechnik AG, a powder coating specialist based in the Swiss town of Wil, which is setting new standards with its highly reactive IGP-RAPID® powder coating.
“These days, the ecological footprint of coatings is becoming an increasingly important factor. At the same time, no one wants to sacrifice aesthetics and functionality. That’s why we are convinced that eco-friendly powder coatings for wood and MDF have a future, because this process makes surfaces robust and durable, while also meeting challenging aesthetic requirements.”
Statement Brandt A/S
Brandt, which began life in 1972 as an automotive coater, is now one of Denmark’s leading industrial coaters with customers all around the world, applying coatings to metals as well as MDF, solid wood, plywood, and composites. Furniture, lamps, kitchens, bathroom fittings, and leisure equipment all get coated inside Brandt’s modern production facility, which has a footprint of over 17,500 square meters. Until recently, Brandt relied exclusively on conventional liquid varnishing. However, the company has always been committed to ensuring its operations are as ecologically sound as possible, and to continuously improving the quality of its coated surfaces. Thus, Brandt quickly realized that the new IGP-RAPID® powder coating – which can also be used to coat heat-sensitive substrates, such as wood and composites – was the perfect answer to its customers’ challenging requirements. Not least because this powder coating is extremely resistant to moisture, an especially important factor for bathroom and kitchen furniture. In addition, surfaces coated with IGP-RAPID® are easy to clean and resistant to both scratches and abrasion – properties which are absolutely essential for heavily used leisure equipment, garden furniture, and interior fittings in public spaces.
This innovative powder coating is, therefore, a convincing and sustainable alternative to liquid varnishes. Offering a high degree of freedom in terms of design and color, it also allows challenging aesthetic demands to be met. Brandt was also won over by the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of this new process, as up to 90 percent of the overspray can be recovered. In addition, the shorter coating times mean that energy consumption and time expenditure are significantly reduced compared to conventional liquid varnishing processes. This is due to the fact that edges and surfaces can be coated in a single pass thanks to the seamless all-round application.
Brandt recently commissioned its new powder coating plant in collaboration with IGP Powder Coatings and with support from other partners. The industrial coater has already completed its first order for a manufacturer of high-end kitchens to the customer’s total satisfaction. More orders are to come.
