Driving forward with powder coatings
“Over the past few decades, Vepa has really stood out thanks to our drive to deliver sustainable value through our products,” says Gertjan de Kam, Design & Development Manager, Vepa. “In recent times, the furniture market has become increasingly competitive with more imports from abroad, for example.” “Against this backdrop, our partnership with DSM came about at the right time. Like many other furniture manufacturers and designers across the world, we’ve looked to leverage powder coating technology to gain a competitive advantage, since this technology has been shown to improve the operational efficiency of coating application, the total environmental impact of the manufacturing process, and the aesthetic qualities of the final product. In short, powder coating technology has allowed us to unlock extra value.”
The right partnership for the right time
Like many other consumer-oriented markets, furniture design and manufacture is undergoing significant change, with people increasingly concerned by the carbon footprint and durability of the products they buy and use. “Over the past few decades, Vepa has really stood out thanks to our drive to deliver sustainable value through our products,” says Gertjan de Kam, Design & Development Manager, Vepa. “In recent times, the furniture market has become increasingly competitive with more imports from abroad, for example.”
Powder coatings for wood and MDF substrates
Powder coating technology offers several important advantages to furniture manufacturers. “Above all, this technology enables greater design freedom,” says Gertjan. “As these coatings can even be applied on unusual shapes, edges, hollows and contours, which allows imaginative new substrate designs and semi-assemblies that could not easily be finished with liquid coatings, the range of design possibilities is much greater.”
A sustainable solution
What’s more, powder coating technology has also enabled Vepa to meet the increasing demand for furniture products that are ecofriendly and do not negatively impact the environment. “DSM’s proprietary technology has really driven the sustainability value of powder coatings,” says Gertjan. “In particular, our carbon footprint has been reduced, as these powder coatings integrate a low-temperature bake and a no-water process.”
Other case studies
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Ten times faster with powder coatings
Discover why and how Belgian company Kempa, manufacturer and coater of high-end kitchen furniture, chose Uralac® Ultra based powder coatings.
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Wooden garden furniture with coating that lasts for up to 20 years!
Discover how DSM's Uralac® Ultra team worked with Dutch designer Jan Willem Henssen and Fraam farm on highly durable and sustainable outdoor furniture.
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Wet paints - a thing of the past for Austrian furniture maker
Discover why and how Austrian furniture maker Finima chose Uralac® Ultra based powder coatings to offer more sustainable furniture with superb surface appearance.
Publications
- Press release: INSIDE/INSIDE maakt duurzaam interieur meetbaar (Dutch language) (117.18 KB)
- Uralac® Ultra covered in Besser Lackieren magazine issue August 2016 (German language) (1.95 MB)
- Uralac® Ultra covered in Houtwereld magazine issue January 2016 (Dutch language) (240.24 KB)
- Uralac® Ultra covered in Oppervlaktetechnieken October 2016 (Dutch language) (110.14 KB)
Frequently asked questions
How is it possible to spray powder on standard “non-conductive” MDF?
For the application of the powder, the moisture in the MDF is used for conductivity. A moisture content of 4-to-8 percent of weight is sufficient to attract the powder.
Is special MDF needed for powder coating?
No special powder-MDF is needed for powder coating – although there are differences between the available qualities and types. We therefore recommend evaluating the MDF type you intend to use before making your pieces. Furthermore, a conditioned storage area is recommended to control the moisture content of the MDF.
Can I use my existing powder coating for metal oven for curing MDF powder?
Most of the conventional curing ovens are convection ovens but the best results for MDF are reached with infrared radiation (IR) ovens. With IR ovens, the surface of the MDF can be heated up quickly to cure the powder coating, while the core of the MDF stays relatively cool. With convention ovens, the temperatures are often too high or the core of the MDF heats-up too much because of the longer time needed to reach the curing temperature.
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