In many production environments, energy costs have become one of the most important factors influencing the economic efficiency of industrial processes. Over recent months, energy prices have increased significantly in many regions, creating additional cost pressure for energy-intensive industries.
In particular, anodising and coating operations are directly affected by this development, as energy consumption has a direct impact on production costs. At the same time, requirements for surface quality, process reliability and reproducibility continue to increase.
For companies involved in surface finishing, an important question therefore arises:
How can energy consumption be reduced without compromising process stability or product quality?
Optimised temperatures = lower energy consumption
One key lever for improving energy efficiency lies in optimising process temperatures along the entire anodising line.
For example:
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- Cleaning processes can be carried out efficiently at temperatures as low as around 35 °C – depending on the product used and the condition of the material.
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- Anodising baths can be operated at temperatures of up to 25 °C while still achieving excellent colouring performance, for example with additives such as Alfinox 510.
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- Sealing processes can be carried out reliably using suitable medium-temperature sealing additives from around 85 °C.
The result: reduced energy consumption while maintaining consistently high coating quality.
Products such as Alfinox 510 and Alfiseal 1960 support these process conditions and help operators achieve stable results even with optimised energy consumption.
Greater flexibility in coating
In coating plants, flexibility is increasingly becoming the key factor in determining a plant’s economic performance.
Switching to a multi-metal pretreatment process can significantly expand production capabilities. With solutions such as Alfipas 7816, coating plants can, depending on the type of plant, treat not only aluminium but also steel and galvanised substrates within a single system, whilst achieving good corrosion protection properties.
This enables:
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- greater production flexibility
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- fewer system changeovers
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- additional business opportunities
Process check: identifying optimisation potential
Technology alone is often not enough to realise a plant’s full potential for optimisation.
That is why Alufinish supports its customers with process audits carried out by experienced consultants. This involves analysing the entire process chain, from cleaning and pickling through to anodising, sealing and pretreatment processes prior to coating.
This often enables:
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- reduce operating costs
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- achieve more stable processes,
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- increase overall production efficiency.
Reliable supply – even in demanding times
In addition to efficiency, security of supply also plays a crucial role in industrial production.
Although the global supply situation is currently subject to significant fluctuations, Alufinish is working hard to maintain stable logistics structures and resilient supply chains for its partners and customers worldwide.
For surface finishing companies, this means greater planning security and stable production processes – even in phases characterised by rising costs and dynamic market conditions.
Build on trust
For over 50 years, Alufinish has been supporting anodising and coating companies with high-performance process chemicals, technical expertise and reliable partnerships.
Our goal remains unchanged:
To support our customers in achieving stable processes, efficient production and consistently high quality.