Jason Baker, left, and Robert Kingston of Premier Profile Lamination stand next to their profile wrapping system.

While previously working for a PVC die manufacturer, Robert Kingston, vice president of Premier Profile, noticed a widespread problem: plastics manufacturers could not successfully adhere vinyl laminate to extruded PVC parts. Consistently obtaining adhesion between the laminate and the PVC profile was a constant challenge; finished pieces often experienced air bubbles or voids between the laminate and profile. Consequently, scrap rates were as high as 50 percent for some in-house operations, and contract profile wrappers were nearly impossible to find.

Normally, an automated manufacturing process, in-house window and door profile wrapping is often susceptable to mistakes. In the summer of 2000, Kingston spent a week helping one of his die customers troubleshoot a profile wrapping process, and determined that only strict attention to the process and quality control could successfully reduce scrap and improve quality.

Kingston saw a huge need for a contract profile wrapper capable of consistently producing high-quality finished parts for use in window and door manufacturing. After his one-week indoctrination to profile wrapping, Kingston spent the next year intensely researching different profile wrapping processes and equipment-hoping to develop the most-reliable, highest-quality profile wrapping system available.

Since profile wrapping is commonly done in the woodworking industry, Kingston enlisted Jason Baker, a friend and colleague with a woodworking background, as Premier Profile's processing manager. The two decided that the ability to swap out and adjust the machine rollers, and adjust adhesive coating width and weight were the key design elements they were seeking.

Top, avoiding air bubbles or voids gives more complete adhesion of the laminate to the PVC part. Bottom, Premier Profile has the ability to run more than 200 different profiles.

Kingston noticed that he could integrate Friz and Nordson profile wrapping equipment. The Friz Optimat's modular design could be customized to meet specific production needs. The Nordson PW applicator head easily adjusted for changes in laminate width and thickness, and could provide a range of hotmelts (including reactive adhesives).

Production flexibility is an ongoing requirement to accommodate the more than 200 profiles Premier Profile runs. Sections can range from 7 to 21 feet in length and production runs can be anywhere from 2,500 to 30,000 lineal feet.

To maintain high-quality profile wrapping, Kingston or Baker personally setup each job and oversee production. Besides monitoring the profiles in process, each finished piece is hand inspected for air bubbles and voids that could indicate the need for adjustment. In addition to hand-inspection, samples from each production run are tested before that shipment can leave Premier Profile.

Premier Profile quickly developed a loyal customer base throughout the Midwest and the Eastern Seaboard, and continues to gain new customers today. Plans are underway to relocate to a 20,000-square-foot facility and expand with additional profile wrapping lines utilizing the successful combination Kingston and Baker developed. In the three years Premier Profile has been in business, Kingston has become even more convinced that "profile lamination is an art that requires the proper tools and equipment to achieve high-quality products."