Hedrick business offers new approach to painting

By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer

January 06, 2009 12:01 pm

— HEDRICK — Firecoat Custom Powdercoating in Hedrick offers an alternative to painting.
The business restores color to any metal object using electrostatic currency and a heat intensifying process.
“It’s much more durable than wet paint ... it lasts 10 times longer than a paint job,” said co-owner Ron Spurlock. “Powdercoating doesn’t rust as easily as regular paint.”
Spurlock said powdercoating is guaranteed to last 10-15 years minimum.
The powdercoating process incorporates several steps in order to get the desired result. First the parts must be cleaned using the proper solution (it may vary depending on what kind of part it is). Then the parts are taken into the electrostatic powdercoating room, where they are hooked to a negatively charged ground wire and sprayed with the powder gun. The negative charge allows the positively charged particles in the powder to bond with the metal. The rack of parts are then placed in one of two ovens (which reach temperatures of 400 degrees) for 20 minutes. This allows the powder to form into a liquid and seal itself to the metal component.
Unlike other powdercoating businesses, all their projects are done by hand, said co-owner Randy Robertson.
“Some places have machines that spray the powder on ... here we do it all. It’s much better quality,” he said.
Robertson and Spurlock already have clients all over the state.
“We are willing to do business with anyone, wherever they are located,” Spurlock said. “For large companies we do delivery and pick-ups.”
“We do big or little jobs,” Robertson said. “We had a guy come in the other day that wanted us to powdercoat some washers ... then we have that truck frame over there we are doing.”
The business began as an experiment at Spurlock’s home. While he was working at John Deere as a wet painter, he started doing some research into the technique and found it to be quite interesting. He purchased a small amount of equipment on his own and began doing little projects on his daughter’s 4-wheeler and other items. Soon he had friends calling him up asking if he would do some powdercoating for them.
“I found out [then] there was a demand for this type of business around here,” Spurlock said.
After his business gained some momentum, he decided it was time to take on another partner. That’s when Robertson joined in.
Spurlock and Robertson both worked together at the fire department in Hedrick for several years, and when Spurlock decided to expand his business, he asked Robertson if he would come on as a partner. Robertson joined the business last July.
“We do anything metal ... from lawn furniture, farm machinery, antiques and much more,” Robertson said. “I think a lot of people are under the assumption that we only do automotive, but we do it all.”
Firecoat Custom Powdercoating is located at 201 S. Main St. in Hedrick. They can be reached at (641) 653-2131, (641) 680-1694 or (641) 954-1957. For more information, log onto: www.firecoatpowdercoating.com.
Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.

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