Why we don’t powder coat our stillages and post pallets

Why don’t we powder coat our post pallets, stillages & handling products?

MC&P manufactures tough, durable stillages and post pallets – so why don’t we powder coat them? You may have seen others promising that powder coated stillages and post pallets are more hardwearing and durable compared to painted products, but are they right?

We’ve put together this guide on powder coating to answer some commonly-asked questions and explain a bit more about our products’ finishing.

What is powder coating

Powder coating is a dry process, using a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer material applied to the stillage or post pallet product by spray in a dry powder form. Once applied, the product’s powder coating is cured by heat, using an industrial powder coating oven. By contrast, a conventional liquid pint is a wet process, with the product applied by a spray gun and allowed to dry.

Once cured, a powder coated finish is usually very durable, resistant to damage by heat or cold, and creates a smooth, gloss finish which presents the product neatly.

Which products are usually powder coated?

Have a look around your home and you’ll see some common examples of powder coating, which is a great finish for many applications.

Your fridge, freezer and washing machine are likely to be powder coated, parts of your car such as door handles, bumpers and brake parts, and even items such as golf carts, industrial machinery and metallic outdoor furniture.

What are the benefits of powder coating for stillages or post pallets?

There are some instances where powder coating may be recommended as a finish for your stillage, post pallet or handling product:

• A powder coated finish can be useful in food production or clean room working environments which require more regular cleaning, smooth surfaces and hygiene practices.
• Suitable for light use, or internal uses, powder coated products can be washed down easily whilst maintaining a glossy and smoother appearance particularly suitable for customer-facing purposes.

What are the downsides to powder coating a stillage or post pallet?

• Applying a powder coating finish takes longer and uses more labour and power resources at the point of manufacture. This would increase the retail price of every product.
• Stillages, post pallets and handling products, such as those in our MC&P range, are generally manufactured for heavy-duty, industrial uses. Products withstand intensive use, knocks and dents from their handling and the loads they carry, but this demanding use would quickly damage a powder coating finish.
• Chips and scratches to a powder coated finish allow ingress of water and moisture. Bare metal below the powder coating is then susceptible to surface corrosion, which causes the powder coating to fail and chip off. The product quickly looks untidy and, once corroded, can fail in use.
• MC&P manufactures stillages, post pallets and handling products using mild steel which quickly expands and contracts as a result of changes in ambient temperature, extremes of heat and cold and everyday weathering, and in UV light. Over time, powder coating of this material would fail as a result of the expansion and contraction.

An example of failed powder coating, where water ingress following surface damage has caused metal corrosion. The overall structure is weakened to the point where the product can no longer be used.

How does MC&P finish its stillages, post pallets & handling products?

MC&P applies a standard liquid paint to our stillages, post pallets and handling product range. Our painted finish is purely aesthetic, and we can paint in a range of colours if you’d like something different to our standard blue finish. We don’t powder coat products as standard. Why?

The benefits of powder coating often don’t apply to a stillage or post pallet due to how the products are used and, except where the stillage is to be used in a ‘clean’, hygienic or customer-facing environment, the extra cost of powder coating stillages, post pallets and handling products isn’t justified.

MC&P’s stillage, post pallet and handling product range is intended for heavy-duty, industrial uses. Products are manufactured to withstand knocks, scratches and dents, but a powder coated finish would quickly chip and fail in normal use, resulting in wasted product and the potential failure of a corroded stillage, post pallet or handling unit.

Would powder coating prevent my stillage or post pallet from rusting?

Yes, but only where it isn’t scratched, chipped or dented. We recommend powder coating of stillages and post pallets only where uses are light and/or non-industrial.

Need complete durability in your stillage or post pallet?

We only recommend powder coating a stillage, post pallet or handling product after it has firstly been galvanised. Galvanisation applies a protective zinc coating to steel, preventing it from rusting. Powder coating is then applied on top, ensuring that the structurally sound product is long-lasting and highly durable.

Galvanising and powder coating large items such as stillages, post pallets and other handling products can be prohibitively expensive, which is why we don’t recommend this finish as standard. However, the process can occasionally be necessary depending on how you’re going to use your stillage or post pallet.

Stillages, post pallets & handling products supplied direct from the UK’s leading manufacturer

Metal Cages & Pallets has delivered bespoke and off-the-shelf heavy duty stillages, post pallets, handling and storage products to businesses across the UK since 1995. Manufactured and shipped from our Greater Manchester workshop, all products are designed and engineered in-house by our own team. With no catalogue company or ‘middle man’, our products are supplied direct and offer fantastic value for money.

Our unique products are Made In Britain and built to last, providing handling, transportation, logistics and storage solutions that increase safety, efficiency and maximise space in workplaces, warehousing, retail, manufacturing and many other environments.

Looking for something bespoke?

If you’re looking for a bespoke product or finish for your workplace, contact metalcagesandpallets.co.uk now for a custom quote!