Services

Elite Fabrication offer on site surveys for “As Built” Drawings so we are not just relying on original pre-built drawings. This means we are more accurate in manufacture and avoid timely delays with making adjustments on site.

Our trained surveyors use the best equipment in the industry, a Trimble SX12 which combines innovative technology with simple and intuitive functionality providing critical surveys and data to our clients, allowing them to work with confidence and maximise efficiencies across the project lifecycle.

We finish products in house which means we are not reliant on 3rd party lead times, including wet spraying. We can fully manage our quality and package products as per out customers requirements for ease of delivery and identification on site.

Surface finishing is essential for the practical use of reactive metals like ductile iron and carbon steel. When left unprotected, the iron in these metals reacts with oxygen to form rust. This means that colourful exteriors aren’t just decorative—they are functional barriers that prevent corrosion.

Metal parts can be finished with either powder coating or wet paint. While they serve a similar function, each coating type has a unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

Application Processes

Despite being applied in different states (liquid versus solid), the industrial application methods for powder coating and liquid paint are surprisingly similar.

Pre-treatment is identical in both processes. Before any coating can be applied, the surface needs a thorough cleaning. Any oil, dirt, moisture, or other contamination will interfere with surface adhesion.

After cleaning, the processes diverge slightly.

Powder Coating

For the powder coating process, dry powder is shot through an electrostatic gun on to the metal exterior. The gun gives the powder a negative charge, and the negatively charged powder is attracted to the grounded part. The attraction results in fast, even application.

Once the coating reaches the desired thickness, the coated piece is placed in a curing oven, where the heated powder gels. Curing creates thermal bonds between powder particles, resulting in a smooth, hard finish.

Wet Paint

Liquid paint is dispensed in a fine spray. It is also electrostatically charged, but to much less effect. While powder coating forms even coats with almost effortless ease, liquid paint needs to be applied by highly trained experts to avoid drips or sags.

Both powder coating and liquid paint include a Zinc primer and a colour coat. Liquid paint may also include a clear top coat.

Colour Matching

Powder coating has many strengths, but liquid paint is the unequivocal winner when it comes to colour matching.

Custom colours of liquid paint can be mixed on-site, and with a high degree of precision, by almost any paint supplier. A blue and red pigment can be mixed to produce purple paint.

In contrast, custom powder coat colours require a special production run. The colour of powder coatings is determined by the plastics ground down to form it. There is no solvent in powder coating, so an attempt to blend blue and red powder will just create a blue and red speckle pattern.

Because it is hard to colour match, powder coating is usually produced in large batches of standard colours. Custom orders are possible, but more time consuming and expensive than colour matching with wet paint.

Powder Coating vs Paint

A finish is meant to protect metal surfaces from corrosion and other environmental damage. If the finish is damaged by scratching or chipping, it ceases to function as an effective barrier.

Powder coating is more resistant to chipping, scratching and other wear because of the thermal bonding it undergoes during curing, and because it can be applied in much thicker layers. However, once damaged on site products will either need to be removed, stripped back and re-powder coated or simply replaced.

Wet Paint is more widely available. It is less expensive, and it is easier to match colours for existing paints. High-gloss finishes are easier to achieve. The other main benefit is that repair work can be carried out on site without having to remove items. Simple, quick, effective, and inexpensive. Zinc primed items can also be installed on site and then finished once surrounding works have been completed meaning a perfect product can be presented to the customer at handover.

Products should always arrive in “tip top” condition so at Elite we have our own delivery vehicles to make sure this happens. 

Products are loaded on and off loaded with the highest levels of care, not just dropped in a loading bay by a third party carrier.

We even have our own HIAB. All our vehicles are rated Euro 6 and we can deliver FORS where required.

If you are pushed with site deadlines or simply need instruction installing a product for the first time we can help. 

Elite have multiple installation teams. All members of the team have their CSCS cards and can be fully inducted to site for the length of time they are needed.