Oregon Powder Coating
Oregon Powder Coating
Metal Finisher Saves Labor, Eliminates Product Damage
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The Challenge
At Oregon Powder Coating in Tangent, Oregon, owner Steve Lewis watched his $3 million operation grow steadily — but with growth came growing pains. The regional powder coating and sandblasting service provider was wrapping 30 pallet loads daily for delivery via their fleet of box trucks, and their manual packaging process was becoming a liability.
With 16 employees serving automotive, agricultural, and other industries, Oregon Powder Coating had built an efficient production process. But their packaging department was creating bottlenecks and safety concerns that threatened to undermine their success.
Their manual wrapping operation was causing multiple operational problems:
- Worker safety concerns: Employees complained of back soreness from bending and reaching under raised pallets hour after hour
- Labor-intensive process: Required 2-3 workers spending 5 minutes per pallet load, sometimes longer for irregular shapes
- Inconsistent wrap quality: Manual wrapping created variations — sometimes too tight, causing film tears, sometimes too loose, allowing parts to shift
- Product damage risk: Average of one part per month rejected due to transit damage from shifting loads
- Costly rejections: At $200 per part with 12 parts per pallet, recoating rejected orders could exceed $2,000 plus delay costs
Lewis recognized that powder-coated parts, while durable for outdoor installation, were sensitive to scratches and scuffs from mishandling during transport. With 600 pallet loads delivered monthly, even a low rejection rate was too costly.
“As we got busier, I could see our guys were working faster, and it was only a matter of time before something happened,” says Lewis.
The TAB Wrapper Tornado Solution
After investigating various packaging solutions, Lewis determined that traditional horizontal turntable wrappers wouldn’t solve his core problem; they only wrap products to each other, not to the pallet.
At a trade show, Lewis discovered the TAB Wrapper Tornado orbital wrapper and immediately saw its advantages. The orbital wrapping technology automatically wraps plastic film 360 degrees around and under pallets, creating single, secure, weather-resistant loads that resist shifting in transit.
Key Benefits Include:
- Single-operator efficiency: Forklift drivers manage the entire process via wireless remote without leaving the forklift seat
- Complete load security: Wraps products to the pallet, preventing sliding and shifting
- Consistent quality: Automated process keeps consistent wrap tension
- Weather resistance: Creates a protective barrier for sensitive powder-coated finishes
Forklift drivers center their pallet loads in the wrapping ring, press start on the wireless remote, and the machine automatically wraps multiple film layers, auto-cuts the end, and signals completion, all while the load remains on the forks.
“I immediately liked the idea that one lift truck driver could manage the entire wrapping process without leaving the forklift seat,” says Lewis.
Implementation and Results
Since installing the TAB Wrapper Tornado, Oregon Powder Coating has seen improvements across safety, efficiency, and quality.
Key Results Included:
- Employee satisfaction: No more employee complaints about back soreness
- Eliminated product damage: No pallet load has been returned due to product damage since installation
- Labor efficiency: Reduced from a 2-3 person task to a single-person process
- Time savings: Cut wrapping time from 5+ minutes to under 1 minute or less per pallet
- Daily labor savings: Saves 1.5 hours per day per person
- Enhanced productivity: Freed employees to focus more on part production, quality inspections, and paperwork
The transformation exceeded expectations. Workers who previously dreaded the manual wrapping process now prefer operating the automated system.
“All of our lift truck operators think it’s much easier than hand-wrapping,” says Lewis. “I don’t think any of them would ever want to go back to doing it manually; it’s just a great machine.”
The investment protected both workers and the quality that Oregon Powder Coating works hard to achieve throughout its production process.
“We put so much work into the powder coating process up front that it’s critical our efforts aren’t lost at the end of the line in packaging and delivery,” says Lewis. “The TAB Wrapper Tornado has helped streamline our business, save on labor costs, and ensure our products arrive safely every time. It’s one of our best investments and we’re very happy with it.”
Learn More About TAB Wrapper Solutions
Available in multiple configurations with wireless remote and automation options, the TAB Wrapper offers proven orbital stretch wrapper technology for manufacturers handling heavy, oddly-shaped products.
