Converting from in-house post-painted metal to outsourced prepainted metal can save manufacturers cost, time and hassles. The National Coil Coating Association in Cleveland cites 10 reasons a manufacturer should consider using prepainted steel or aluminum.



  1. In-house paint shop expenses are growing. When maintenance budgets are growing and plant capital expenditures are being made for EPA compliance, prepainted metal and aluminum is often a cost effective alternative to in-house paint lines.
  2. Internal operating costs need lowering. By outsourcing prepainted metals, factories can eliminate in-house paint operations and the associated expenses of manning the line and complying with EPA regulations.
  3. Plant capacity must be increased. By outsourcing, manufacturers can eliminate or reduce the size of in-house paint shops, generating more floor space for other uses.
  4. Coating quality needs improvement. Coil-coated metals are uniformly cleaned, pretreated, painted and cured as a flat surface, so edge-to-edge and side-to-side variability is nearly eliminated. The prepainted part has two coats of paint compared to a post-painted part that often has just one coat. In most cases, the prepainted part also has paint on both sides, compared to the post-painted part that typically is coated only on one side.
  5. Plant downsizing or combining of plants is planned. A good time to switch to outsourcing is when other manufacturing changes are in the works.
  6. New product models are being considered. Many times, when design changes are being made, a prepainted metal can be specified and the new design can be more cost effective to produce.
  7. Manufacturing bottlenecks are reducing productivity. Production delays in a plant often are due to paint issues such as stoppage while parts are painted, dried and cured before moving to the next stage of assembly. These bottlenecks can be eliminated with the use of prepainted metals.
  8. Updating or replacing the in-house paint line makes sense. Capital expenditures can be avoided and long-term cost savings enjoyed by choosing prepainted steel and aluminum rather than refurbishing or replacing a paint line.
  9. A strategy of outsourcing is being implemented. Purchasing prepainted metals is a cost-effective outsourcing option that may offer more durable coating.
  10. New fabricating or material handling equipment is being evaluated. When significant changes are made at the plant, it opens an opportunity to improve many aspects of the manufacturing process, including outsourcing.


Manufacturers can get help to determine if prepainted metals are right for their products and a free cost-comparison form by visiting www.coilcoatinginstitute.org or calling (216) 241-7333.

For information on reprints of this article, contact Jill DeVries at devriesj@bnpmedia.com.

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