Surface World April 2019 Surface World April 2019 | Page 34
QUALICOAT UK & IRELAND
QUALICOAT meet at the
NMC West Bromwich
Another good turn out
for the associations fi rst
meeting of 2019 with
a good cross section of
powder manufacturers,
pretreatment systems
suppliers, architectural
powder coaters and
aluminium systems
companies own powder
coating plants present
at there meeting.
Standard and early requests for licence
applications, several of which plan to be
licensed in early 2020. On the specification
front, coating members now regularly see the
QUALICOAT Standard quoted on many
architectural projects. Ensuring that the latest
technology and methodologies are adopted
by QUALICOAT members, a new, 16th
Edition of the Associations standard will be
released in Autumn this year.
Membership remains strong with proposed
new coating plants being installed in the UK
and Ireland to meet the QUALICOAT
An update on health and safety and the
compounds used in finishing explained that
REACH are set to limit the use of Cobalt
and Titanium Dioxide. This should have
limited effect on powder manufacture as
formulations have been changing due to the
change in classification of these compounds
over the last few years. The chrome pre-
treatment process has seen a temporary stay
of execution and as no future date has been
set for a ban in architectural coatings, it is
expected that a further four year consultation
period will be set. The majority of powder
coaters in the UK already use chrome free
technology and across the globe 70% of all
QUALICOAT licence plants are chrome free.
QUALICOAT UK & Ireland’s independent
inspection body, IFO, have undertaken
most of the first unannounced licence
Plant visits for 2019, initial feedback suggests
that all will be in compliance with the current
QUALICOAT standard. The unannounced
visits by IFO rely heavily on the work
completed in the coaters laboratory,
which constantly monitors production.
The mandatory Lab Technician training
course was confirmed to take place in
October this year located at AluK in Chepstow.
BS EN 12206 is currently under review from
its 2004 heritage, QUALICOAT members
are present on the working group and
it will be likely that the standard will be
updated to reflect some of the current
methodologies in the QUALICOAT Standard.
Copies of the current fi fteenth edition
of the QUALICOAT Standard, complete
with amendments and updates, is freely
available through the UK Association
website, www.qualicoatuki.org together
with an up-to-date list of Powder
Suppliers, Pretreatment Suppliers and
Applicators. Printed literature and
telephone support is available from
QUALICOAT UK & Ireland Head Offi ce
in Birmingham on 0121 601 6746
or email [email protected].
The Association can also be followed
on Twitter at @Qualicoatuki.
LIVE 2020
32
Surface World Live 2020 will be returning to Hall 11
at the NEC in Birmingham. The next show will be held
on the 18th & 19th March 2020.
- we have everything covered
APRIL 2019
If you are interested in booking a stand then call Nigel Bean
on 01442 826826 or send him an email at [email protected]
twitter: @surfaceworldmag