Kemira sets Raleigh Cycles on the road to EPA compliance
Kemira sets Raleigh Cycles on the road to EPA compliance
Keywords Coatings,Kemira, Paints
Nottingham-based Raleigh Cycles Limited is in the final stages of conversion to water-based polyester paints supplied by Kemira Coatings (Plate 2).
Throughout a two-year development programme, Kemira has worked with Raleigh to introduce the new paints into production with minimum impact on processing techniques and no compromise to finishing quality.
Producing 800,000 bikes a year from its Nottingham plant, Raleigh is the UK's biggest producer, with more than one-third of the indigenous market.
"It is our aim to continually increase our market share by producing the bikes people want, to the highest quality standards", Raleigh development chemist Adrian Herbison explains. "Every bike within our range of over 150 models from children's toys through to top end mountain and road race bikes represents the best value on the market."
Already a supplier of solvent-based polyester paints to Raleigh, Kemira began two years ago to help the company to achieve EPA compliance while maintaining its finishing quality.
Plate 2 Nottingham-based Raleigh Cycles Limited is in the final stages of conversion to water-based polyester paints supplied by Kemira Coatings
"We chose the water-based route to attain the best possible environmental performance", Adrian Herbison confirms. "We preferred to stay with polyester because it produces a technically very good finish, with the flexibility to produce the wide range of effects which the market demands."
These include iridescent,mica, metallic, and pearlescent finishes, and a wide range of colours all achievable within the scope of Kemira's Fontetherm range of stoving enamels.
"We relied upon Kemira's experience to produce the range of paints we need, while retaining compatibility with existing primers and varnishes, and making the minimum impact on our production processes."
Raleigh exhaustively tested the adhesion and durability of each paint and, with troubleshooting assistance from Kemira, confirmed their suitability to the existing electrostatic disk application technique.
Adrian Herbison concludes:"With the majority of our finishing process now converted to Fontetherm, after only minor changes, we can confirm our complete satisfaction with the performance of the paint in production. We are obtaining a finish which matches our previous quality at no additional running cost, with the advantage that we are no longer putting solvents into the atmosphere."
Kemira produces Fontetherm water-based stoving enamels in all BS 4800 and RAL colours. The company works with customers to develop bespoke finishes, and achieve compatibility with existing processes, bringing EPA compliance within reach with a minimum of investment.
Fontetherm is one of a wide range of water-based and high-solids finishes which Kemira supplies on JIT delivery terms into all manufacturing industries, including office furniture,storage equipment, automotive, heating and lighting, enclosures, leisure and numerous other sectors. Kemira products can be obtained in smaller quantities,with the same fast response delivery, through the UK-wide Goldspeed network of distributors.
Details from Kemira Coatings Limited. Tel: +44 (0)121 525 5665; Fax: +44 (0)121 553 2787.
