BONDERITE is the world’s leading brand of surface treatments, coatings and cleaning solutions. As part of a fresh program, a special chair made of steel and aluminum is now traveling the globe and inspiring people across industries with first-hand stories about boosting efficiency, quality and sustainability. The BONDERITE Chair generates a striking visual impact because of its luxurious, deep red color. How did Henkel manage to make it so beautiful? With teamwork!
“Everybody was excited about this chance to showcase our innovative and sustainable metal coating technologies on an international stage,” says Ulrich Dawidowski, a paint and coatings expert at Henkel who has more than 25 years of experience in developing technologies for industrial applications. “Colleagues from Product Development, Technical Customer Service and Marketing at Henkel all joined the project team. Together with our wonderful customers and suppliers, we successfully found a way of adding color to our existing coating technologies. The result, put simply, is fantastic.”
A sustainable innovation in a range of colors
The colorful new coating technology is the latest chapter in the story of the BONDERITE MPP product line. This range of direct-to-metal corrosion coatings for steel parts is used for applications ranging from domestic radiators through to trucks, automotive components and electrical cabinets. The cleaned parts enter an autophoretic tank, where a chemical reaction applies the coating. They then go into the drying oven to remove water and apply a film. If required, customers then move the parts into the topcoat paint shop.
“We were confident that we could add color to this coating because our research team spent some time investigating this possibility last year,” says Ulrich Dawidowski. “However, we did face some challenges that tested our creativity, our solution-oriented mindset and our ‘we make it happen’ spirit. Everybody felt passionate about this opportunity to do what we love: Making things beautiful – and sustainable. We never back away from a chance to solve a challenge.”
Unleashing the power of product development
How can we keep the coating bath stable? What’s the optimal parameter tuning? How can we scale up this technology? The team had to find answers to these questions, and many more. Collaboration with a supplier helped to identify a pigment paste that is compatible with the coating process. Trials in Henkel’s in-house facilities then tested the coating’s performance. A spirit of innovation kept the project moving closer to success – even when the COVID-19 pandemic created additional logistical challenges.
Bright ideas, bright colors, bright future
The BONDERITE Chair is now on an amazing journey to visit customers worldwide. They’ll have the chance to tell their stories about using our products to improve quality, efficiency and sustainability. Representatives from Henkel will also share their expert insights into these innovative technologies.
“I love the chair and we had lots of fun creating this colorful coating,” says Ulrich Dawidowski. “We’re now developing a wider range of great colors to enable our customers to shorten their process times, save money and boost efficiency. I feel proud of the passion and team spirit that our people and our partners put into this project. Together, we’ve created something truly beautiful – and truly sustainable. I can’t wait to see how this program inspires people around the world.”
