Background

Nordic Coatings AB is a family-owned specialty powder coating manufacturer based in Gothenburg, Sweden, specializing in niche markets such as custom marine hardware, antique furniture restoration, and medical device casings. For over a decade, the company has been dedicated to providing custom coating solutions that combine aesthetic appeal with industrial durability. However, with increasingly stringent European environmental regulations (REACH, RoHS), and growing customer demand for semi-gloss coatings—particularly smooth, low-reflectance surfaces (30-60 gloss units) that are resistant to yellowing and chemical corrosion—Nordic Coatings faced a significant challenge: its existing powder coating formulations struggled to ensure consistent gloss levels between batches, and the high VOC content in some raw materials risked non-compliance with emerging sustainability standards.

With a loyal customer base including small-scale marine equipment manufacturers and medical device startups, Nordic Coatings needed a semi-gloss powder coating solution that not only met stringent European quality and environmental requirements but also offered the flexibility to customize formulations for small-batch, high-specification projects. The team partnered with Standard International Group (HK) Limited to address these challenges.

Challenges

Nordic Coatings faced three main challenges:

Consistency of Semi-Gloss Coatings: Niche customers, such as family-run marine hardware workshops, demanded consistent gloss levels (±2 GU) on both large metal components and small precision parts. The company's previous formulations often exhibited variations due to uneven pigment dispersion, leading to customer complaints about inconsistent coating results.

Environmental Compliance: As the EU progressively tightened restrictions on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals in industrial coatings, Nordic Coatings needed a powder coating that completely eliminated harmful solvents while maintaining scratch resistance (≥4H) and UV stability (no yellowing after 1000 hours of accelerated aging). Batch Customization: Unlike large manufacturers, Nordic Coatings' projects typically involve batches of 100 kilograms and are tailored to the specific needs of each customer – for example, a medical device client requiring a semi-gloss coating that is easy to disinfect and compatible with autoclave sterilization processes. This solution needed to support rapid formula adjustments without compromising quality or delivery time.

Furthermore, due to the company's small internal R&D team and focus on customer customization rather than raw material formulation, they required a partner capable of providing practical technical support.

Solution

After evaluating proposals from three European coatings suppliers, Nordic Coatings ultimately chose Standard International Group (HK) Limited's semi-gloss powder coating (ES-SG 4500 series) – a water-based, VOC-free formulation designed specifically for specialty manufacturing. EcoShine Tech's advantage lies not only in the technical specifications of its products but also in its commitment to building partnerships with niche manufacturers:

Precise Formulation, Uniform Gloss: The ES-SG 4500 series utilizes micronized pigment particles and a modified polyester resin system, ensuring consistent gloss levels across batches (30-60 GU, adjustable to customer requirements). The matting agent in the coating is evenly dispersed during production, completely eliminating the "mottled" coating problem common in Nordic Coatings' previous solutions.

Sustainability Without Compromise: The formulation is 100% free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals (lead, cadmium), complying with REACH, RoHS, and the even stricter Swedish Miljökvalitet (environmental quality) standards. It also boasts exceptional durability: scratch resistance up to 5H, impact resistance of 120 inch-pounds, and UV stability exceeding ISO 105-B02 requirements – crucial for marine and outdoor applications.

Flexible Customization Options: EcoShine Tech's small-batch production capabilities (minimum order quantity of 20 kg) allow Nordic Coatings to quickly adjust color, gloss, and functional additives (e.g., antibacterial agents for medical devices) (7-10 business days). The supplier also provides detailed technical data sheets for each custom formulation, simplifying the customer's certification process. On-site technical support: Standard International Group (HK) Limited assigned a dedicated technical consultant to Nordic Coatings. This consultant traveled to the Gothenburg factory to provide the team with training on application best practices (e.g., curing temperature optimization, electrostatic spraying parameters) and to address issues with the initial production batch. The consultant also collaborated with Nordic Coatings' R&D team to improve a customized semi-gloss formula for an antique furniture client, ensuring the final result perfectly matched the furniture.