Since the onset of powder coatings in the 1960s, powder coating has played an important role to revolutionize the finishing industry. It offers durable, eco-friendly, and superior finish, especially for metal products such as automotive components, appliances, and sporting equipment. Progress in technology coupled with curing methods have led to increase in demand for powder coatings for heat sensitives materials.     Powder coatings find applications in a wide range of industries, such as automation, furniture, and appliances. Further, powder coating enhances the appearance of cars, furniture, and several appliances. Advancements made in technology have significantly improved the durability, performance, and quality of powder coating over the years. Continuous R&D has largely helped in the development of application techniques of powder coatings. A recent report published by Allied Market Research offers valuable insights related to the powder coating market such as the market share, size, and growth. Further, it extensively covers the current market trends, opportunities, and the major challenges of the industry.

Applications of Powder Coating for Wood
Powder coating in heat-sensitive substrate for medium-density fiberboard (MDF) has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in the powder coating market. MDF is the combination of panel bonding particles with synthetic resin. The low porosity and homogeneous surface of MDF makes it apt for powder coating applications. Furniture, doors, shop fixtures and displays, barbeque trays, and kitchen and bath cabinets are all made of MDF. Powder coating offers design freedom that other laminating techniques don’t offer, thus revolutionizing the MDF market.
    
Few wood and wood products such as MDF contain enough moisture content to offer conductivity. They can be coated directly. The electrostatic attraction can be improved by pretreating wood with a spray solution that will provide a conducive surface. It has been observed that in recent times, office furniture manufacturers are drifting away from shapes like squares and rectangles and are shifting to rounded corners, countered edges to allow the computer cords to drop. Powder coating can easily accommodate round shapes whereas other traditional laminating techniques cannot. Powder coatings is a one-step finishing process and does not require successive coats and long drying time.

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Eco-Friendly Powder Coatings
Powder coating is durable and attractive, as well as eco-friendly. Powder coatings do not contain any harmful solvents and thus do not emit VOCs that pollute the atmosphere. The overall powder coating process is a clean process and enables the exhaust air from the coating booth to return to the plant. The cost to heat and cool is negligible for make-up air. Further, the cost to retain oven temperature is also minimized. Powder oversprays are reusable making powder coating a cost-effective and efficient alternative. The unused powder is returned to a hopper for recirculation within the system, which reduces the waste significantly. Powder coating are environment-friendly and enhance appearance in an eco-friendly fashion. The application and techniques used to apply these coatings are not complicated making it a preferred industry choice.
    
The powder coating market is set to witness a significant growth in the next decade due to several factors, including an increase in industrialization and urbanization. Rapid urbanization has led to an increase in demand for furniture, cars, and appliances. Powder coating is revolutionizing how wooden materials are coated, leading to major advancement in technology in the last decade. Further, as powder coating is an eco-friendly and a cost-effective way to improve the durability and appearance of wood and other materials, there is a high demand for the same coming from consumers. The powder coating industry is thriving in North America and Europe, due to progress in technology, continuous R&D, and advanced knowledge in this domain. However, Asia-Pacific offers several opportunities for powder coatings, as the overall economy of the region has shown tremendous growth. There is an increase in demand for cars in China, which is driving the market in the region. Several manufacturers are shifting to powder coatings due to the aforementioned advantages associated with it.
   
Deepak Bandal is senior digital marketing executive, Allied Market Research. For more information, visit www.alliedmarketresearch.com.