As the IFS specification team is fond of saying, "we can make the best powder in the world, but if it's not applied properly, it won't perform on the building". Never a truer word has been said.

So how do we ensure that the aluminum extrusions that make up your curtain wall and commercial storefront are coated to world class standards?

ABC Aluminum Solutions, an AAMA 2605 and Qualicoat compliant, award winning aluminum extruder and finisher, headquartered in San Diego, California, welcomed us into their plant just across the Border, just south of Tijuana, Mexico, to check out exactly what happens...

A coating line is made up of several processes: pretreatment, where the aluminum surface is prepared with either a chrome or chrome-free treatment; the powder booth, where the powder is electrostatically sprayed onto the parts; and the ovens, where the powder cures and is hardened onto the part.

There are two types of coating lines - horizontal, where the parts are hung horizontally and vertical, where the parts are hung vertically. Both types of lines offer excellent coating opportunities, with horizontal lines more suited to coating smaller extrusions and parts and vertical lines particularly suited to the larger aluminum parts the curtain wall and storefront markets demand.

ABC Aluminum, as part of a $20million investment plan, recently added a green-field multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art vertical powder coating line, which provides many advantages, including beautifully coated, longer aluminum parts (up to 24 feet in length).  Walking around the plant with Wadih Kuri, President and CEO of ABC Aluminum, it was great to see not only a first class coating line, but also the many advantages they and their clients are receiving from it.

Kuri highlighted a number of informative benefits and advantages during the tour. He explained; "Powder coatings are well documented as a more sustainable coating option, and our commitment to a more sustainable product was at the forefront of our decision to implement the vertical line. What's more, we also benefit from improvements in time and energy efficiency, an added bonus."

ABC's vertical system also takes advantage of modern line design technology, which has created a more efficient pretreatment tunnel, reducing the amount of chemicals required along with energy consumption.

Kuri continues, "We are also benefitting from a fast-cleaning booth, so our employees really reap the advantages in the form of a healthier, safer and more ergonomic working environment. Our customers benefit too as we're able to offer improved cost effectiveness and therefore more competitive pricing, and finer quality of the final product. A definite win-win."

At the end of the process, the new oven system no longer allows parts to swing and touch each other, so powder is not lost from the part, and the number of polluting airborne dust particles that can enter the curing oven and deposit on the profile surface, are significantly reduced. And again, this part of the new system also leads to a significant reduction in energy consumption.

As our visit concluded, Kuri summed up by saying "as we watch the final parts flow through the line, we can't help but feel a real sense of pride in our powder line; and as a partner with IFS Coatings we are providing high quality coated aluminum for projects all across North America. It has also placed us in an ideal position to offer unique, world class extrusion and powder coating services as part of our new architectural business. It's an exciting place to be!"

ABC Aluminum is privately held and has been under present ownership for over 15 years, has in excess of 720 employees, and revenues approaching $100million. The company is a member of the AIA, San Diego Chapter, and the AGC, and has membership pending for AAMA, CSI and GANA. This is in addition to active membership of the Aluminum Extruders Council and the Aluminum Association.