Penn Metal Corporation (Penco)

• Objective
• Background
• How ETAC Helped
• Results/Benefits

Objective
To improve Penco's finishing operation in an attempt to meet growing industry demands.

Background
Penn Metal Corporation (Penco) was formed in 1869 to manufacture "the finest metal products in America." In the past, the company manufactured products such as shelving and aircraft landing mats. Penco employs nearly 350 people and operates as a subsidiary of Vesper Corporation manufacturing storage products, including lockers, industrial shelving, shop furniture and other metal products.

As the economy has grown, Penco has changed to meet growing demands by increasing production and improving profitability by lowering manufacturing costs. Penco's operation includes metal machining and forming, as well as finishing and assembly of the final products.

How ETAC Helped
The finishing operation once employed by Penco used a high-solid, solvent-based coating applied by spray. Upon visiting the plant, defining the challenges and conducting an assessment of available technologies, ETAC determined that the finishing operation represented a bottleneck in overall productivity. The finishing line and the liquid-based painting process were obsolete. This process was labor intensive, slow, harmful to the environment and had marginal acceptability in terms of quality and durability of the final product.

The ETAC staff conducted an experiment at their laboratory facility using powder coatings that were cured under a variety of conditions. The investigation established the feasibility of using powder and added value by using infrared energy for preheating parts. The new powder coating technology provided Penco with the opportunity to manufacture more predictable and consistent products at a lower overall cost with significantly reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

Engineering and technical representatives from PECO Energy Company worked with Penco to establish the advantages of ETAC's innovative approach. The engineers conducted an economic analysis to determine a payback period for the capital required to implement the new technology.

Results/Benefits
By replacing their antiquated coating system with powder coating technology in the finishing process, Penco was able to:

• Virtually eliminate scrap from the process and the associated rework required because of poor quality finishes, scratches or cracking in the coating.
• Greatly improve the overall up-time for manufacturing.
• Utilize less manufacturing space for the finishing operation.
• Reduce VOCs and hazardous wastes by using powder coatings, which require no solvents and contain environmentally-friendly materials.
• Improve the overall working conditions at the manufacturing facility by eliminating odor and reducing the likelihood of a fire.
• Achieve a durable, consistent coating without runs or sags for its products as a result of precise control with a uniform, smooth finish.
• Improve overall productivity and potentially expand its business as required by market demand.
• Reduce overall operating costs on a per-square-foot coated basis by about 30% as a result of increased transfer efficiencies and reduced waste.

For more information on the success of solvent-free powder coatings and the success at Penco, contact us.

Note: ETAC has received approval from the company above to disclose its name and specific information about its case.