How Powder Coating Protects Your Business Furniture Investment

Powder coating the metal surfaces of our industrial-strength furniture is just one of the ways that Formaspace ensures its products are long-lasting, which is reflected in our 12-year guarantee.

What is Powder Coating and how does it protect your Furniture Investment?

We are often asked this question: What is powder coating and why is it so effective at preventing corrosion and protecting metal parts?

You may have had your first encounter with powder coated parts without even realizing it.

For example, higher-end bicycle frames have been powder-coated for many years. Powder coating protects the metal parts (like our bench frames) from corrosion. It also provides a much tougher surface to withstand rough wear and tear compared to traditional painted surfaces.

The powder coating process produces a thin but very tough film of thermoplastic that fully envelops metal parts. During the heat curing process, the thermoplastic powder begins to melt, forming a smooth gel that blends over the metal surface

The final product is a tough yet resilient, hardened layer of plastic that provides a level of corrosion and ‘wear and tear’ protection far superior to traditional corrosion protection treatments, such as chrome plating, zinc coating or painting.

Have You Been a ‘Victim’ of Corrosion?

So why do we go to all this trouble here at Formaspace to powder coat the metal parts in our furniture products? The reason is we build our products to last.

Of course, not every manufacturer takes the time to protect their products. But then again, not every manufacturer stands behind their products with a 12-year guarantee the way Formaspace does.

Have you purchased a product only to discover that it rusts to pieces before your very eyes?

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In recent years many of us have experienced poorly made products without adequate corrosion protection. Do one or more of these scenarios seem familiar?

• You or a friend purchased an imported children’s bicycle from a deep discount store and the frame, wheels and fenders become hopelessly corroded within the first year or two.
• You or a friend purchased a shiny new pair set of “metro” style storage shelves, and within a couple of years, they have rusted so badly you have to move them from the kitchen pantry to the back of the garage.
• You or a friend purchased a basic white refrigerator. Within a few years, bubbles of rusted metal begin to appear, first near the compressor, then at the hinges, and finally near the handle and seams.

According to Researchers, Corrosion Costs Americans Billions of Dollars

Back in 1972, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), estimated that corrosion cost the American economy $10 billion dollars a year; this estimate was soon raised to $70 billion by Battelle Research Institute. By 2001, some experts believed the total cost of combating corrosion on our nation’s infrastructure, including repairing or replacing corroded bridges, traditional and nuclear power plants, water delivery and sewer piping systems was well north of $600 billion dollars.

In 2013, NACE conducted an updated world-wide economic study, which estimated that corrosion costs the global economy $2.5 trillion dollars — or 3.4% of the world’s global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

What can be done? NACE encourages organizations to implement a thorough Corrosion Management System (CMS) to reduce economic losses due to waste caused by corrosion.

The Formaspace Corrosion Management System: Powder Coating over American-Made Steel

We’re doing our part to fight corrosion. Here at Formaspace, we take a comprehensive, multi-step approach to maximize the life of our furniture products — by taking these steps to prevent corrosion:

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1. We use the highest-quality, American-made raw materials for making our products. For example, we only use top quality, locally-sourced American-made steel.
2. We manufacture all our products in the USA, here at our 60,000 square-foot factory in Austin, Texas.
3. We build all of our furniture to order, including performing all the necessary sheet metal fabrication, milling, and welding.
4. We have an industrial powder coating facility on-site, which allows us to powder coat all metal parts on site (including shelving, cabinetry, doors and heavy-duty frames) — without the need for any parts to leave the building before they are fully protected against corrosion.
5. All parts are assembled to check for fit and finish, then carefully disassembled and packed for shipment to you, our client.

These steps allow us to provide the highest quality protection against corrosion. That’s another solid reason why we stand behind our work with our full 12-year guarantee, one of the longest in the furniture business.

What’s the Process for Manufacturing Powder Coating Material and Applying it to Furniture?

Let’s look at each step of Powder Coating in more detail.

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