Quality as a Compass: Alulack Navigates Challenging Market Conditions Towards a Sustainable Future

Market conditions remain challenging for powder coating companies such as Alulack. It is difficult to recruit qualified personnel, and the construction sector is still under pressure. This makes it more important to maintain focus on quality control and ensure that daily inspections, among other things, continue to run smoothly. Chemical pre-treatment is like the foundation of a house: it contributes significantly to the final quality of the product to be coated. To address these challenges, Alulack uses automation wherever possible. In addition, experienced operators train new employees through a comprehensive training plan with extensive professional training and on-the-job guidance. Managing Director Xavier Michiels says: ‘People are trained in such a way that managing and controlling the process becomes second nature to them. This ensures quality from the ground up.’ The support of AD Chemicals is also very important. They regularly contribute technical expertise and laboratory analyses to ensure the highest quality, ranging from bath analyses to corrosion tests.

Corrosion Protection on Recycled Aluminium

One problem is determining how much recycled aluminium is currently being used in the alloys to be processed. As a contract coater, Alulack is ready to take on this challenge.

Roland van Meer and Xavier Michiels are optimistic about the futue

An increasing amount of aluminium is entering the market from various sources, with some global producers sometimes paying less attention to quality.
Cleaner 602 from AD Chemicals offers the solution. It allows recycled aluminium to be effectively pre-treated, achieving results comparable to those obtained with primary aluminium. Optimising the etching process with Cleaner 602 improves both corrosion protection and paint adhesion, while reducing chemical consumption and waste. Xavier Michiels says: ‘This step combines sustainability, quality and efficiency, preparing us for a future with more recycled aluminium.’

Photo: Various types of profiles

Decades of Experience in Chrome-Free Pre-Treatment

Alulack has been using PreCoat CR Free, certified by QUALICOAT, for conversion coating for many years. AD Chemicals has been introducing chromium(VI)-free techniques to the market since 2003. PreCoat CR Free remains one of the best performing products for the chemical pre-treatment of aluminium. Like Alulack, AD always sets the bar high: not 1,008 hours, but at least 3,024 hours of corrosion protection is the starting point. This is important for Alulack in order to be able to deliver Qualicoat Seaside quality.

See photos for an impression of the quality.

Photo: Test results for PreCoat CR Free after 3,024 hours of salt spray testing

Photo: quality control

Quality and questions from the end customer’s perspective

Customers often take high quality for granted. In practice, however, we see that architects do not always ask for Qualicoat certification, even though it is precisely performance in practice that is decisive, according to Xavier Michiels. Quality is achieved, among other things, through the use of a dipping process, which ensures the correct application of the conversion coating to the inside of tubes and profiles. This process sometimes requires more man-hours, but the added value for the market is undeniable. Alulack has therefore been serving a loyal customer base for many years with an excellent track record in terms of quality. Although the sector ‘remains a small world’, Alulack will always be open to expanding its customer portfolio.

What Does the Future Hold?

Given the various developments in the field of materials and coatings, cooperation between chemical suppliers and applicators is crucial. Alulack knows that AD Chemicals’ advice plays an important role in this: AD supports its customers with technical knowledge and helps them to comply with future environmental requirements, including those under the Green Deal and CO2 reduction. Further development remains essential, naturally in accordance with the principles of Qualicoat certification. The Qualicoat philosophy is deeply embedded in Alulack’s DNA and culture, according to Xavier. It is important for the industry in the Benelux and the EU to remain competitive. That is why chain cooperation is necessary to take steps towards process improvement, according to Roland van Meer, Sales Director at AD Chemicals. ‘Follow the waves of the market and industry,’ he concludes.

Quality as a Compass: Alulack Navigates Challenging Market Conditions Towards a Sustainable Future

Corrosion Protection on Recycled Aluminium

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Decades of Experience in Chrome-Free Pre-Treatment

Quality and questions from the end customer’s perspective

What Does the Future Hold?

Newsletter

Metal Surface Treatment

AD International B.V.

+31 (0) 167 526 900

Visiting address

Quality as a Compass: Alulack Navigates Challenging Market Conditions Towards a Sustainable Future

Corrosion Protection on Recycled Aluminium

Categories

Decades of Experience in Chrome-Free Pre-Treatment

Quality and questions from the end customer’s perspective

What Does the Future Hold?

Newsletter

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Metal Surface Treatment

AD International B.V.

+31 (0) 167 526 900

Visiting address