11/30/2009, Madison Heights, Mich.
New process is leaner and more energy efficient than conventional corrosion protection coating
Henkel Corporation has been selected as an Automotive News PACE Award finalist for its environmentally responsible Aquence® Co-Cure process technology. The Co-Cure process simplifies conventional metal pretreatment by reducing it to a two-coat cure process, therefore reducing the production footprint up to 40 percent. In addition, by curing the Aquence® coating and topcoat together in a single oven, the process also reduces energy requirements.
The Aquence® Co-Cure process is an efficient, leaner paint process which uses Henkel’s Aquence® series of autodeposition coatings in combination with liquid or powder topcoats to coat miscellaneous components. This process provides total part coverage, improved inside-out corrosion, superior edge protection and contains no HAPs or heavy metals.
Henkel is recognized as a finalist in the Manufacturing Process category for its Aquence® Co-Cure process technology. Henkel was first to introduce the technology at Valley Towing Products (formerly Thule Towing Systems), which uses the new Aquence® 930™ autodeposition coating and a powder
topcoat application to coat its towing systems, including hitches and fifth wheels for automotive OEM and aftermarket applications. The new Aquence® Co-Cure system utilized Valley’s existing metal pretreatment and powder equipment at its Lodi, Calif. facility due to its capital utilization, process efficiency and performance.
“We are excited to be a part of this opportunity with Henkel,” said George Caplea, president and CEO, Valley Towing Products. “The Aquence® Co-Cure process has provided superior quality performance and contributed to substantial savings and efficiencies in our manufacturing process.”
“This game-changing technology will reinvent the total automotive paint shop,” said Chuck Evans, executive vice president, automotive, Henkel. “As the industry’s leanest and most sustainable paint shop solution, this revolutionary two-coat Aquence® Co-Cure process reduces energy requirements, eliminates stages and contains no heavy metals. We are proud to be considered for the prestigious PACE Award, the benchmark of automotive innovation. This is a true testament to Henkel’s continued commitment to and investment in sustainable and innovative technologies for our customers.”
Henkel won the 2009 Automotive News PACE Award in the Manufacturing Process category for TecTalis®, the automotive industries first phosphate-free pretreatment that completely eliminates phosphates along with heavy metals such as nickel and manganese from the process. Winners will be announced in April 2010. For more information on Aquence®, please visit www.henkelna.com/aquence .
