CHARLOTTE, N.C.   – Wood finishing systems manufacturer Cefla says it partnered with Henkel to speed the process of giving melamine panels and other products the popular high-gloss finishes, pairing Henkel’s Technomelt CHS UV Fusion Coating technology with Cefla’s inert coater by Sorbini.  

Integration of the technologies is intended to shorten the length of production lines, saving equipment and labor costs, while reducing space and waste, Cefla says. Traditional finishing lines can be more than 300 feet long, designed for adding up to seven layers of coating. Each layer requires a UV cure lamp, followed by a sanding station to prepare for the next application.

To avoid that, Henkel says its Technomelt CHS bonds to all melamines and develops an immediate cure with ultraviolet light, so it can be incorporated into a wet-on-wet process with Cefla’s Inert Technology to achieve the right coating weight and avoid repetitive sanding. The streamlined processing saves the costs of extra labor, additional machines, and replacement parts such as sanding belts.     Henkel’s patented Technomelt CHS UV acrylic-based chemistry allows for complete cure by the end of the production line through UV light exposure alone, eliminating the need for staging or extended storage as can be the case with other types of moisture-cure, hot- applied coating technologies.

“Our partnership with Henkel reflects our dedication to continuously improve our solutions and surprise customers,” says Massimo Di Russo, Cefla North America GM . “In the months to come, our partnership will allow for creativity in imagining new opportunities and applications for both Cefla and Henkel.”

“We look forward to working together to create new applications in the finishing world," says Jim Trainor, Henkel’s Business Development Manager. "While initially focused on high-gloss finishing of melamine panels, the hot-applied UV cure nature of Technomelt CHS UV will allow for the development of new and innovative finishing solutions using digital printing and textures.”
   
Inert Technology, one of the products demonstrated at Ligna 2015, is now showcased for testing by customers and prospects at Cefla’s comprehensive lab, located at its North American headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. “With a full FusionCoat line installed at Cefla’s lab, we will be well-positioned to create new and sustainable processes for finishing across a broad range of markets,” Trainor says.

A special open house to demonstrate the new FusionCoat technology and other leading-edge technologies and equipment is scheduled for April 27-28, 2016 at Cefla’s lab in Charlotte. For more information, contact [email protected].