Powder Coated Tough - Spring 2008 - (Page 33) MAKING THE MARK Growing Green and Making Its Mark Once a finisher that used a dip coating method to finish its parts, Folding Guard has made its mark in the industry with new facility that houses a state-of-the-art powder coating finishing system. BY SHARON SPIELMAN, EDITOR S ince 1962, Folding Guard Corp., Bedford Park, Ill., has had a mission to provide the highest quality loss prevention, security and safety products for the industrial, commercial, government, military and consumer markets. According to J.D. Lipa, director of operations, Folding Guard is a strategically directed company that has implemented a plan for accelerated growth. “One area in which we have been successful is designing and selling specialty lockers to the Air Force Academy. Utilizing standard components, we put them together in a unique manner that allowed us to win a $1.25 million contract,” he says. Photo credit, Brett Ryden, publisher For more than 40 years, the company had used a “dip coating” method to paint its products. Individual parts were dipped into wet paint and then required prolonged drying time. The wet paint required frequent clean-ups and color options were limited. But in 2004, a decision was made that if the company was to expand and grow, it had to move. Prior to that process beginning, Lipa says they hired an outside consulting firm to help them evaluate all machinery and processes. “We did not want to foster outdated methods that could constrain productivity,” he explains. During the evaluation it became apparent that Folding Guard’s finishing process of using a large dip tank to paint product could be replaced with a state-of-the-art powder coating process. “The proposed change to powder coating would alleviate the hazardous waste issue while providing a superior finish for our customers. The cost-benefit analysis of long-term use of a powder coating system was overwhelmingly in the favor of this type of finishing system,” he says. So now all the company had to do was decide what type of system they wanted to install. Because Lipa had experience with the powder coating process and the systems, and the rest of the management team had very limited exposure, he was appointed head of the committee to evaluate suppliers, designs and costs. “Because of my previous experience, I was familiar with the KMI product, its design team and their leadership position within our region of the country,” he says. Kevin Coursin, president, KMI Systems Inc., Crystal Lake, Ill., recalls when KMI was considered to bid the job. When asked why he thinks Folding Guard ultimately chose KMI to do the installation, Coursin says, “We were able to come up When Folding Guard moved to a new facility, the company installed a new state-of-the-art powder coating system and made its Mark in the powder coating industry. Powder Coated Tough 33
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