Powder Coating Fence and Gate Manufacturer

When your products are used outdoors in all 50 states, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean, it’s important that they be powder-coated tough – able to withstand a wide range of harsh environ[1]ments and weather conditions, and look good doing it.

Ideal Aluminum Products of St. Augustine, FL, is a privately owned company that manufactures powder-coated fences, gates, railings, guardrails, arbors, louvers and privacy panels. Their products provide aesthetically pleasing safety and security for commercial properties including resorts, hotels, country clubs, apartments and stadiums; industrial properties; schools; parks; and residential properties, to name just a few.

Established in 1998, Ideal was purchased by partners Doug Brady and Michael Siegel in 2010. In four short years, the new owners have turned it into one of the fastest growing companies in the fencing, gates and railing industry. Known for its breadth of product line and custom capabilities, the company operates under the principle that continuous process improvement and investment in new equipment and technologies creates value for its customers.

Recently, Ideal Aluminum Products moved its manufacturing north – from Deland, FL to St. Augustine, FL. “We also decided that the time was right to replace our 10-year-old powder coating booth with a state-of-the-art powder coating system,” says Siegel.

“We’ve always produced quality products, but powder coating technology has evolved and improved dramatically over the past decade. We knew that we could really benefit from faster color changes, higher powder reclaim rates and more efficient powder application.”

Self-described spreadsheet and efficiency enthusiasts, Siegel and Brady began planning for their new powder system more than two years ago, meeting for a full day with their powder and chemical suppliers to review two years worth of production data.

Afterward, they constructed a model of what they believed would help them achieve maximum efficiency in their pow[1]der coating process. Armed with data and a model, Siegel and Brady presented their ideas and requirements to multiple powder booth manufactures and system integrators at the Powder Coating trade show in October 2013.

“We put everyone on a level playing field by providing them with eight pages of information and detailed requirements” says Brady.

To achieve the product quality and durability required in the fence and gate industry, Ideal uses a five-stage wash cycle prior to powder coating. First, the aluminum alloy is treated with a phosphate cleaner. Second, it receives a phosphoric acid wash.

Step three is a water rinse. Fourth, an acid-based metal cleaner and oxide remover is applied. The fifth cleaning step is a new, reverse[1]osmosis water rinse. The thoroughly cleaned parts receive their chrome-free, non-phosphate chemical coating and are powder coated with a thickness of 2 to 4 mils, depending on product type.

Even in the few short months since the installation was completed, the company has recognized significant powder reclaim and labor savings. As a result of the powder coating system’s increased efficiency, the 100-employee company now operates one shift rather than two, producing 50 percent more products at a higher quality.

Partners Brady and Siegel expect to eventually realize 3 to 4 times the productivity of their old system. Best possible outcome “The quality of the finish on our products was always good,” says Brady, “But now, it’s unbelievable,” says Siegel.

“We had pretty tough requirements and high expectations when we entered this project. The Nordson system is even better than we thought it would be. We got the best possible system at the best possible price...the best possible system for our business.”