Finishing - July-August 2022

40 POWDER COATING
Illuminating partnership
Interpon, the powder coatings brand from
AkzoNobel, is helping 3Brothers, a leading
international lighting design and
manufacturer in Egypt, to accelerate its growth
and support its sustainability ambitions
through the proven durability of the Interpon
Redox range.
Egypt has many extremes of temperature,
with high salinity in the air and frequent
sandstorms. This means that the coatings
applied to the lighting products – many of
which are used outside – have to be durable.
This protects them against corrosion, and
helps maintain the integrity and stability of the
colour even in harsh sunlight.
The Interpon team therefore worked with
experts within 3Brothers to conduct a series of
extensive in-house trials before reaching a
conclusion. They have decided upon
Interpon’s Redox Plus range with a UV
resistant topcoat as providing the most
effective protection in the challenging
environment of North Africa where the
manufacturer’s products are primarily sold.
The Redox Plus range is a powder primer
protective barrier that gives enhanced
corrosion protection across a range of metal
substrates, from mild steel to aluminum. It can
protect products for C5 environment for 7 to
15 years, while providing more than 25 years
of durability in a C3 corrosivity level.
The collaborative approach from the local
AkzoNobel team during testing and trialing
was key to establishing the successful
partnership which is now exploring Interpon’s
other innovations.
George Micheal, CEO of 3Brothers, says
that reputation is everything and he cannot
afford for his products to fail: “The Interpon
team was very helpful in providing samples so
we could assess how their products behaved
on different materials and in different
conditions when subjected to corrosion,” he
explains.
Sustainability is a key focus area for both
businesses. As a powder coating, Interpon’s
Redox Plus is free from Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs), meaning it is less
harmful to the environment: “Sustainability is
very important to us as a business and clients
are increasingly specifying the use of powder
coatings,” George adds.
Sanal Limoncuo lu, Commercial Director of
AkzoNobel Powder Coatings South and East
Europe agrees: “Working with 3Brothers using
products with a proven performance
highlights the value of building meaningful
partnerships with businesses that share our
passion for innovation and sustainability. These
partnerships are key to our mutual success
and delivering long-term, sustainable growth.”
The collaboration between the two
businesses extends beyond the powder in the
box. While performance is vital, and costs
need to remain competitive, the additional
testing that George’s team performs are also
shared with AkzoNobel’s technical teams. This
supports further research and development
into how Interpon Redox performs in extreme
conditions.
3Brothers has also been quick to embrace
the antimicrobial technology in Interpon AM
for lighting products used in hospital and
healthcare environments. They are also now
exploring the use of Interpon 610 Low-E
powder coatings – coatings that can be cured
more quickly or at lower temperatures – to
improve productivity and/or to further reduce
energy consumption.
“We are excited about our collaboration
with AkzoNobel Powder Coatings as experts
in making paints and bringing surface to life,”
George adds, “and look forward to working
with them in assuring our long-term
manufacturing success.”
3Brothers was founded more than 30
years ago and has grown to become a hugely
successful business with a 20-25% market
share in Egypt alone. The company designs
and manufactures more than 6,000 different
products, from interior downlights to exterior
streetlights, servicing both retail and
commercial segments.
Finishing - July/August 2022