Q&A with Andrew Walton, Business Development Manager, North America & Asia Pacific, Keyland Polymer

CW: Please tell me a little more about Keyland Polymer.

Keyland Polymer UV Powder develops, formulates, manufactures, and sells UV curable powder coatings and resins for heat sensitive wood, plastic, composite and heat resistant metal substrates. We have R&D laboratories in Cleveland, OH and Barcelona, Spain. Our resin production is in Spain and UV powder manufacturing is in Cleveland. Our goal is to give our customers a complete coating solution when they ask us, “Can you finish this with UV cured powder coating?”

Using over 2 decades of UV cured powder application experience, our Keyland Polymer UV Systems business works with companies to design, engineer, and build an application system to finish their products with Keyland’s UV cured
powder coatings.

CW: What product offerings do you have?

Available for a wide range of product applications and industries, UVMax® UV cured powder coatings are available in Epoxy, Polyester, and Hybrid resin systems. UVMax® has a broad array of colors, glosses, textures, and special effect pigments available, including antimicrobial. We can fulfill 55 lb. orders and orders of thousands of pounds. We can also produce sample size batches for evaluation and small scale pilot runs.

CW: What industries are typically a fit for Keyland?

We work with companies in a variety of industries including automotive, transportation, building materials, industrial products, 3D printing, sporting equipment and furniture to name a few. UV cured powder can be used on a variety of materials and products. Our customers are in industrial and consumer markets: commercial & residential doors, wire, furniture components, truck & utility vehicle components, aerospace components and many more.

CW: Many are familiar with thermoset powder coatings. What is UV powder? What is the difference?

The manufacturing and application of UV cured powder coatings are the same as thermoset powder coatings. The differentiating characteristic is the photoinitiator in the powder formulation which absorbs high intensity UV light. This causes crosslinking at the molecular level and the coating is cured instantly. In simpler terms, we use UV light to cure the coating instead of heat from ovens that are used in the thermal powder coating and liquid paint processes.

CW: What are the benefits of using UV to cure the coating?

UV uses substantially less heat to melt the powder prior to curing, making it a great option for finishing heat sensitive substrates such as wood, plastic, and carbon fiber composites. These types of substrates cannot tolerate high temperatures and long oven cure cycles, which can melt or deform the substrate or cause other defects like cracking or outgassing. With the instant cure of UV, the overall process time is significantly less, meaning greater efficiency and higher throughput. More parts can be finished in less time. Reductions in time, labor, and energy cost are all savings, making UV cured power coating more economical that other finishing processes.

CW: What are the sustainability benefits of UV cured powder coatings?

UV powder is 100% solid and contains no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). Powder coatings are solvent free and non-toxic and contain no chemicals or compounds that can harm the environment. Powder coating is said to have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any type of finishing technology. UV cured powder coatings use no water, increasing their environmental and sustainability benefits.

Waste materials can be recycled or reclaimed back into the powder coating process. Material handling of powder coating is also easier than liquid paint and does not require any permits, special air handling, operator breathing devices, or flammability restrictions. A spill can simply be swept up.

CW: How are UV cured powder coatings changing the coatings industry?

We are often approached by companies that are looking for a sustainable finishing solution that not only performs well but provides significant time, energy, and productivity benefits. Some are moving away from solvents in liquid finishing and others are just getting started in the finishing industry and have turned to UV cured powder coating for its numerous advantages. Once people calculate the efficiency, speed advantage, and energy savings of UV cured powder coating technology they are blown away. We feel the interest will only continue to grow as sustainability becomes a huge focus for a lot of companies.

CW: What does the future look like for Keyland?

Our installed base of companies utilizing UV cured powder coatings continues to grow. We are an R&D driven company that strives to provide the best and latest advancements in UV cured powder coating technology. Our continuous improvement program ensures we are providing the best products possible for our customers. We continue to develop new UV cured resin and UV cured powder coating chemistry formulations and seek out new product applications for UV powder. The performance, operational, and environmental benefits of this technology will help drive the powder coating market forward for years to come.

CW: If someone is interested in installing a UV cured powder coating system, what does that process look like?

During our initial conversation, we first determine if UV curable powder coatings would be a good fit. We want to learn about your business, uncover any current challenges, and learn about your overall objectives. We would then test, trial, and validate the UV powder formulation on your substrate.  The next step would be discussing new system installation options or modifiers for your current system with system integrators and equipment manufacturers in the industry. Keyland Polymer UV Systems will obtain pricing, lead times, and prepare a proposal for your review. If everything looks good, we move forward with the system installation and provide ongoing service and support once your system is up and running.

Please visit www.kpuvpowder.com to learn more.