Happy to share with you this article published in the Surface Treatment Journal “Surfass Press” talking about the benefits of internalising the painting pase in your production process.
The decision of whether or not to internalise the finishing or painting process of their products is a dilemma faced by many companies.
There are key factors that condition this decision, such as the quality of the final product and its control, costs and production and delivery times, raw materials and/or human resources, among others.
In an attempt to make this important decision easier, below are some ideas that can help you discern between the pros and cons when evaluating this option for your business. Based on our experience with our clients, the 360 Zolutions team will explain in the following lines some of the advantages of including the painting/coating phase of products in your company, and when is the right time to introduce it in your business plan.
From the beginning of your production process you have the design of your products under control and you meet the needs of your customers. You also define your sales strategy and review the operation of your manufacturing process. Moreover, you carry out an analysis of the energy and raw material costs involved… but even so, you leave the durability and reliability of the finishing of your products in the hands of a ‘third party’!
There are many reasons for outsourcing this phase of your production
It is true that in this potential integration of the finishing phase, fears of an unknown activity arise, as well as the associated investment. It is undeniable that as a company you are taking a risk that will be mitigated by the results in the short-medium term, however it is a decision that must be carefully analysed.
Some of the concerns that may hinder this decision affect different areas of the company such as HR, production, finance and administration or the overall operational management. The potential increase in staff costs when opening a new phase of the production line, the increase in energy costs or raw materials, the need to expand the work space and facilities, as well as the lack of knowledge involved in the integration of a new process, with new suppliers and regulatory and environmental requirements are some of the most common arguments and fears we hear from our customers. However, there is no doubt that there are also many advantages to this implementation.
At 360 Zolutions, with the experience of our clients, we know that the immediacy of the results reveals these fears of internalisation to be baseless.
There is no better example than one of our recent installations, a growing family business that manufactures designer furniture for international markets and that, after much hesitation, decided to internalise painting phase and become completely autonomous in its production process.
This customer installed a custom-designed coating line adapted to its specific needs. By implementing a semi-automatic powder coating line, consisting of an automated conveyor system connecting the washing booth, the manual powder coating booth and the high temperature oven, this customer achieved a fully autonomous and internalised production process.
Here are some of the benefits of this internalisation which will make you wonder why you have not done it before:
- You will have absolute and meticulous control of the quality of the finishing of your products.
- You will achieve an improvement in delivery times, by having the information and processes under control, you can make a realistic time prediction and offer a more reactive service.
- A higher production flexibility, i.e. a better organisation of the production according to your priorities.
- Cost reduction in the coating process by avoiding direct invoicing from an external supplier.
- Improvement of the traceability of your products to be able to control how and when the finishing was done and under which environmental conditions or operating circumstances.
- Reduction of possible damage in the transfer of goods, by centralising all the production in the same place.
- Fewer incidents at the destination of the product, reducing potential damage or corrosion problems of the product or the costs associated with repairing the incident at arrival.
It is obvious that internalising the coating or painting phase is a complex decision and, above all, a determining factor for your business strategy, which is why the considerations set out above can be useful in the whole process.
From the 360 Zolutions team, what we recommend is to assess the risks, advantages, growth potential and added value to your production before implementing such a change in your process chain. It is also important to look for a painting booth or coating installation that fits your specific needs, custom-designed and to carry out a correct and detailed financial, production and market analysis.
