Powder-X featured on TRUCKS!  (watch the video)

Making the Mark (Powder-X)

Suped-Up

Read about how one powder equipment maker has made its “Mark” by teaming up with PowerBlock Television to give viewers a look at the latest in powder coating equipment and application techniques.

By: Bobbie Maynard

Live on the set of Trucks! is any car lover’s dream come true with the latest gadgets and equipment that can turn any vehicle into the ultimate off-roading machine. But tricking out trucks isn’t this television show’s only purpose. Developed as an educational, how-to program, Trucks! is one of four shows featured on Spike TV’s suped-up PowerBlock Television that helps break down some of the mystique surrounding automotive know-how.

One industry that largely remains an unknown for PowerBlock viewers and amateur car hobbyists alike is powder coating, although that trend is changing. Powder coating is no longer the exclusive territory of appliances, heavy machinery and high-volume metal stampings. As new technology propels the industry forward, its market is expanding to include regular consumers interested in that hands-on finishing experience for their vehicles.

One company that realized the potential interest of auto hobbyists and small business owners was Powder-X Coating Systems. Established in 1999, Powder-X’s corporate office is located in LaVergne, Tenn., and the company is the official powder coating equipment supplier of PowerBlock Television.

Powder-X manufactures powder coating booths, ovens and auxiliary equipment, and offers equipment packages, as well as expertise, to individuals interested in opening their own powder coating custom job shops. The company has grown an average of 60% per year over the last four years.

“Twenty to 30 years ago, no one in our industry was geared toward the entrepreneur,” says Joey Golliver, operations manager of Powder-X. “But in the last 10 years, there have been major developments with different pieces of powder coating equipment. We can now show individuals how to open very successful and profitable powder coating businesses that deal directly with the general public.”
Golliver says the powder coating process really sells itself with all the advantages over liquid coating.

“Besides being highly functional and durable, powder coatings are now aesthetically in the same arena with liquids,” Golliver explains. “You can now do with powder colors finishes that traditionally could only be done with liquid coating—candy colors, chromes, translucents, flip-flop colors and metal flakes as well as a wide variety of textures and gloss ranges. This added variety makes powder coating popular with not only car enthusiasts, but also with people engaged in other traditionally wet painted markets, like ornamental iron fencing.”

Marketing to prospective business owners who want to get started in powder coating, Powder-X offers a complete educational package, including monthly hands-on training classes at its Nashville-area facility and on-site training at customers’ facilities. The training classes present specific instruction on several areas, including pretreatment, equipment specification, quality control, OSHA and environmental concerns, as well as job costing and marketing training for the potential business owner.

Powder-X Powder Coating Equipment was designed with the goal to exceed expectations on quality, performance and price.
“It’s all about talking to the customer and establishing their goals and restrictions,” says Golliver.  “We then formulate custom solutions to fit their specific needs.”

Expanding Marketing Prowess

With Spike TV

In 2005, Powder-X developed a partnership with RTM Productions, producers of several hit television shows for Spike TV. Powder-X not only became the official powder coating equipment used on PowerBlock Television, but also gained unparalleled exposure to a national audience. From hardcore auto enthusiasts to amateur mechanics to professionals, an estimated 4 million people across the country tune into Spike TV’s popular PowerBlock every weekend to get in the fast lane when it comes to automotive knowledge.

“Our equipment is set up for use at the production studio,” explains Golliver. “It has given us great exposure and has helped the industry in general dispel some of the misconceptions about powder coating. The process itself is inherently simple yet greatly misunderstood. The problem with a simple process is that too many times important steps are skipped and improper procedures are followed. Our industry sometimes gets a black eye because inferior coating jobs are done with inferior equipment and powders. With the equipment being used properly on the shows, it’s educating the general public about the process and its benefits.”

With four distinct TV shows—Horsepower, MuscleCar, Xtreme 4x4 and Trucks!—all running back to back, viewers can take their fill of the latest tips and equipment available for vehicle repair and remodeling.

One seasoned expert well versed to talk about powder coating is Trucks! host Kevin Tetz. Tetz, who has a lifetime of hands-on automotive experience plus a stint in the rock ‘n’ roll world, combines his talents every week to bring PowerBlock viewers an entertaining and educational show.

“At its core, Trucks! is an automotive how-to program with a focus on street trucks,” explains Tetz. “Our projects range from everyday maintenance to detailed fabrication to building techniques. We do all styles, makes and models, putting them through the paces, adding accessories and giving honest critiques.”

With an evident passion and excitement for the industry that could rival a kid at Christmas, Tetz says one of the coolest aspects of the show is getting an exclusive first sneak peak at aftermarket parts as new technologies become available.

“Since our shows are taped ahead of airing, they usually coincide with a manufacturer’s release of new aftermarket products,” says Tetz. “So the products are still brand new, but we get to try them out first. With today’s fast-paced changes happening in the automotive industry, it can be hard to keep up. We like to give viewers a preview of what’s coming.”

Specializing in the collision repair and finishing industry, Tetz said that powder coating is no exception to the changing nature of the automotive world. Overcoming the perception of inaccessibility for powder coating is a challenge that he tackles on Trucks!

“In general, powder coating is viewed by the lay person as a technical or industrial process that is inaccessible to the average consumer, but nothing could be further from the truth,” comments Tetz. “Powder coating is a superior technology. It has superior strength, it’s faster and has the same high-quality results as liquid coating.”

With a small learning curve and the proper equipment, Tetz says anyone should be able to master the skills for powder coating as compared to professional custom painters, whose skills can take a decade or more to perfect and master.

On the set of Trucks!, as with the other PowerBlock shows, Tetz explains that Powder-X’s coating equipment is used on brackets and engine and suspension components. With size limitations in the studio, larger parts like body frames and panels are sent to Powder-X’s larger facility for powder coating.

“These kinds of parts require a resiliency to abuse, especially with off-road vehicles that are driving on rough terrain,” says Tetz. “Powder coating gives us the superior finish needed to hold up to this environment.”

The result, Tetz says, is a high-quality coated part that protects the metal against scratching, chipping and corrosion.

“When it comes down to it, I’m crazy about powder coating and its advantages,” effuses an animated Tetz. “With our show, we’re trying to get viewers to think about it not as inaccessible, but as user-friendly and versatile whether you’re needing parts coated for your restoration project or interested in starting a small cottage business with it.”

With viewership ever increasing for PowerBlock Television and new developments underway at Powder-X, both entities look forward to bringing viewers and consumers alike the best knowledge and quality equipment in the industry.           
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Bobbie Maynard is a staff writer at MMA Creative, Cookeville, Tenn. She can be reached at 800-499-2332 or e-mail bobbie@mmacreative.com. Visit MMA Creative online at www.mmacreative.com.
For more information about Powder-X Coating Systems, visit www.powder-x.com or call 888-326-4840.
Photo credit for all photography in this article goes to Jesse Kaufman, MMA Creative.

Powder Possibilities

Feb 1, 2005
By: Bob Yearick
Source: Automotive Body Repair News

Shops throughout the country are installing powder coating equipment to take advantage of this virtually untapped market.

"It was almost like, 'Put up a sign and they will come.'"

That's how Rich DaSilva remembers his company's entry into the powder coating business last March. Dynamic Performance Coatings, an Inverness, Fla., shop that specializes in custom painting, put one line in the phone book about its new service. As a result, says DaSilva, co-owner of the firm, he never had a chance to do any additional advertising or marketing. "We got so much new business so fast, it was all we could do to keep up with it," he says.

Like other enterprising auto body shops around the country, Dynamic Performance Coatings is discovering the relatively untapped potential of powder coatings. The shop’s nearest competitor is nearly 35 miles away, so Dynamic Performance has a near monopoly on the lucrative Inverness market. Customers are attracted by the durability, economy and variety offered by powder coatings. For the shop, the benefits of powder coating include the elimination of VOC emissions and the need for solvent capture systems or incineration, and the ability to collect and recycle overspray. "In essence, it keeps the EPA away from your door," says one industry observer.

DaSilva reports that motorcycle parts represent a large part of his shop's powder business. Other automotive applications are roll cages and vehicle chassis. The shop also does a lot of work for airboat owners, including riggings and cages for the boats' fans. In addition, the shop has attracted many non-automotive applications, including patio furniture, railings and, believe it or not, birdcages.

Investment: $15,000-plus

Kelly Goudy is sales manager for a manufacturer of powder coating equipment who has seen automotive business increasing recently. "More and more," he says, "body shops are asking us about powder. It's a way to diversify their income when the repair side of their business is down."

An investment of as little as $15,000 will get a shop into the powder coating business, according to Goudy. That amount will buy a small insulated oven, a booth and a gun, and will enable the shop to do wheel rims and other small parts. For car frames, equipment costs jump to around $37,000. In both cases, the shop can follow video and text instructions to install the oven and booth.

DaSilva says Dynamic Performance invested about $40,000 before it "turned the key" on its oven. "You have to take into account the cost of gas to run the oven, which can put out about 1.2 million BTUs," he says. "So you need a lot of propane."

DaSilva points out that powder is attractive to customers for a couple reasons: "On many parts the cost can be lower than painting," he explains. "And powder also does a better job on complex pieces. For example, a racecar cage and chassis—the powder gets in all the angles and cracks, whereas with [liquid] paint it's almost impossible to cover those areas."

Les Snyder, owner of Corvettes and More in St. Louis, says his outlay was more like $75,000. He made the investment in late 2003 after the sales rep for his paint supplier told him powder was "the wave of the future."

Snyder opened his liquid painting operation in 1990. It specializes in custom car work on high-end cars like 'Vettes, Ferraris and Lamborghinis. He claims powder's appeal is its toughness. "It's extremely flexible and chemical-resistant," he says. "Motorcycle owners particularly like it because it resists stone chipping."

Corvettes and More's 1,200-sq.-ft. powder division contains a 15x10x10-ft. oven and a three-sided open booth. There are two employees—a prepper and a painter. (The custom car shop, located about three miles away, comprises 2,500 sq. ft. and has four employees.)

The two powder specialists had previous painting experience, and they adapted quickly to the technology, learning primarily from hands-on experience as well as videos and manuals. "They like working with it better than liquid paint," says Snyder. "It's not as messy, and it's faster. We can do a '55 Chevy frame in two-and-a-half hours. That includes prep time. With liquid paint, it would take at least twice as long."

Tons of wheels

Besides motorcycles, the shop has done monster trucks, wheels and suspension parts, particularly for Hummer owners.

"A lot of owners have the finish sandblasted off their original equipment, then they have us powder coat it," Snyder says. Wheels are particularly popular. "We do tons and tons of them."

Snyder claims Corvettes and More is the only powder coating facility in St. Louis. Unlike Dynamic Performance Coatings, Snyder has done extensive marketing to take advantage of this exclusivity. "We have ads at all the major car shows in the area, and I go to as many meets as I can to talk to car owners," he says. As a result, he has gained some customers who, while the bodies of their vehicles are painted with liquid paint, opt for the durability of powder on the suspension work.

Snyder estimates that he has earned back about 50 percent of his $75,000 investment in a year's time. Experience in automotive refinishing is critical to his success, he says. "You can't just open a powder coating shop and expect people to beat down your doors," he explains. "You have to know what you’re doing."

Powder technology

Using the principle of "opposites attract," the powder coating application method uses electrostatically charged particles that are sprayed onto electrically grounded parts. The charged powder particles adhere to the parts and are held in place until they enter a baking oven, where they are melted and fused into a finished coating. Because these dry powders don’t run or drip, they produce a smooth, quality finish. Primers normally are not used or needed, although a pre-treatment chemical sometimes is applied to the surface to enhance adhesion.

Raw material costs are low compared to liquid paint. Usually sold in a 50-lb. box, powder can cost anywhere from about $2.25 to $15 per pound, and each pound covers 40 to 60 sq. ft., depending on the powder composition and the thickness applied, according to Joey Golliver, operations manager for a company that supplies equipment, job costing and marketing training for powder coating operations.

Operation costs can be high, however, because powder must be cured at temperatures of 400 to 500°F—either in an oven or via infrared lamps. Liquid paint, on the other hand, can be cured at temperatures under 200°F, and it also can be air-dried.

The number of automotive items that are being powder coated by manufacturers is extensive. Besides wheels, there are hubcaps, door handles, radiators, decorative trim, bumpers, shock absorbers, mirror frames, oil filters, engine blocks, battery trays and coil springs. In fact, any item that requires extra protection or a decorative finish is a potential powder candidate. (For details on automotive OEM applications, see sidebar.)

In everyday life, powder-coated items are everywhere. In homes and businesses, these include lighting fixtures, antennas and electrical components. Tractors and other farm equipment are often powder-coated. Sports and recreation offer a plethora of applications: golf clubs and golf carts; ski poles and bindings; snowmobiles; bicycles and exercise equipment. Store owners have powder-coated display racks, shelves, store fixtures and vending machines. Office workers use metal furniture, computer cabinets, mechanical pencils and pens, thumbtacks and other desk accessories that are powder coated. Parents have powder coated baby strollers, cribs, metal toys and wagons. And homeowners have lawn mowers, snow blowers, barbecue grills, patio furniture, garden tools, electronic components, bathroom scales, toolboxes and fire extinguishers that benefit from a powder finish.

Powder is available in clearcoats as well as color. Golliver reports that the product can be purchased in quantities ranging from 5-lb. boxes up to 250-lb. drums. "In a 50-lb. box," he says, "standard colors will be in the $2 to $3 per pound range. Specialty colors such as textures, hi-temp, or custom matches will generally cost up to $15 to $25 per pound."

As for suppliers of the actual powder, there are many, including some of the major liquid paint manufacturers.

For more details on the industry, including suppliers, consultants, and market information, go to www.powdercoatingonline.com. This extensive Web site also offers a free coating manual. Another valuable Web site, www.customcoaters.com, lists shops that apply powder finishes, which will help you find your nearest future competitor.