Surface finishing failures often don’t announce themselves until it is too late, emerging as premature corrosion, failed quality inspections, or rejected parts months after delivery. For engineers and procurement teams managing complex OEM fabrication projects, finishing quality directly impacts product longevity, brand reputation, and total cost of ownership.
Outsourcing custom metal part finishing typically introduces transportation delays, vendor coordination headaches, and accountability gaps. At Northern Metal Products, we eliminate these risks by maintaining robust in-house powder coating and finishing capabilities fully integrated with our wire, tube, and sheet metal fabrication operations.
What Is Powder Coating?
Powder coating is an advanced finishing process where dry powder is applied electrostatically to metal surfaces and then cured under heat to form a protective layer. Unlike liquid paint, which can drip or run, powder coating creates a uniform, durable finish that is highly resistant to chipping, scratching, and fading.
The process involves three critical steps:
Surface Preparation.
Proper surface preparation involves rigorous cleaning and chemical pretreatment to ensure maximum adhesion.
Electrostatic Application.
Charged powder particles are electrostatically sprayed onto grounded metal parts for even coverage.
Thermal Curing.
The coated part is placed in a curing oven, allowing the powder to melt and chemically fuse into a hard, durable layer.
At Northern Metal Products, our powder coating treatments can be applied to a range of components, including intricate and three-dimensional products, adding corrosion protection and a resilient, attractive finish.
Benefits of In-House Powder Coating
In-house powder coating offers measurable advantages that outsourcing simply cannot match, including:
Faster Lead Times
We control the entire manufacturing value chain. By eliminating the need to ship raw parts to a third-party vendor, we cut weeks off the production schedule. While complex outsourced finishing can push timelines out significantly, our integrated approach keeps standard lead times competitive, ensuring your product gets to market faster.
Quality Consistency
Direct oversight means we control every part of the process, including application thickness, cure cycles, and surface preparation. Our ISO 9001:2015 certification extends to our finishing operations, providing documented quality control from start to finish.
Cost Efficiency
Eliminating the markup of third-party vendors and the logistical expenses of moving parts between facilities reduces your total cost.
Other Finishing Capabilities at Northern Metal
In addition to powder coating, we offer a range of other finishing solutions to ensure your parts arrive ready for use. We evaluate material compatibility and environmental exposure to recommend the optimal custom metal part finishing approach.
We offer these different types of surface finishes:
- Chrome Plating. This process applies a thin layer of chromium onto metal components to create a durable, corrosion-resistant finish, improve hardness, and facilitate easier cleaning.
- Black Oxide. This is a chemical conversion finish that transforms metal surfaces black, offering mild corrosion protection and a non-reflective, attractive appearance without drastically altering part dimensions.
- Zinc Plating. Zinc plating involves applying a thin, protective layer of zinc to metal components. This layer prevents rust and corrosion by serving as a sacrificial barrier that degrades before the base material.
- Electroplating. This electrochemical process utilizes electric current to coat metal components with a thin layer of another metal, improving properties such as hardness, corrosion resistance, and appearance.
Quality Powder Coating & Finishing from Northern Metal Products
Our in-house powder coating and finishing capabilities support the “one-stop” fabrication model that differentiates Northern Metal Products from job shops that rely heavily on outsourced vendors. We integrate welding, forming, laser cutting, and finishing into a single, accountable workflow.
Since 1959, we have built partnerships with major OEMs, retail brands, and powersports manufacturers who benefit from our 99% on-time delivery rate, fast lead times, and advanced engineering capabilities.
Contact us today to discuss your finishing requirements and discover how our in-house integration can secure your supply chain. You can also request a quote to get started.