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June 13, 2018
Gilberts Blackpool has invested £400k in a new powder coating facility which doubles the capacity over the company’s previous installation. It reportedly also delivers greater reliability of paint adhesion and finish, through all planes. The combination is said to mean improved reliability in lead times and delivery of any of Gilberts’ grilles, diffusers or louvres.
Using computer-controlled spray nozzle arrays, the application process can reportedly apply powder in any BS or RAL colour. The line track not only moves twice as fast (effectively doubling capacity) but is also configured to allow both larger units to travel and/or more components to be coated per metre of track. Full powder recycling is also now included for all colours minimising waste and improving the environmental footprint.
Roy Jones, Gilberts’ technical director, said: “Almost every component we produce today has a powder-coated finish – even if it’s white! Our reputation is to deliver quality products (standard or bespoke), to specification, and within lead times. Powder coating was a real bottleneck and even with three shifts on the old plant, we were barely able to keep pace with output. This investment corrects that issue and will help enable us to continue to justify our reputation.”
The new powder coating line is the latest investment at the Blackpool company, which in the past 12 months has seen a warehouse extension, new laser cutter and two number four axis press brakes installed.
Jonathan Haslam, Gilberts’ managing director, added: “We had a record year for turnover in 2017 and the order book is showing no signs of easing. Any forward-thinking business knows you have to spend money to ensure that we maintain or better our ability to compete. Hence our continuing investment in capacity and capability. We can only be successful by giving our customers what they want, when they want it, to the high quality they expect.”
