Many of our dealers have expressed frustration that some colours in our standard colour range have a powder coat charge added. They inform us that they have ordered from our standard colour range but they see the powder coat charge has been added and want to know why. In our latest article we are addressing this issue and explain exactly why most of the colours in our standard colour range can incur a powder coat charge and why.
Powder coating is expensive in Australia
Powder coating aluminium locally in Australia is far more expensive when compared to buying aluminium extrusion that is already powder coated. At Starline Security we realised we could pass these cost savings onto our customers on a huge amount of their purchases. When we developed our online Ordering Portal we told it every single part and what all the colours those parts are available in already powder coated. If your Ordering Portal order does not have a powder coating charge it is because all the items that make up your entire order have been manufactured from items that are available from us already powder coated. The cost savings enjoyed are passed onto our dealers and customers.
Why do some standard colours require powder coating?
Unfortunately, not all of the extrusions or items are available in the full range of our standard colours. Many items are available only in mill finish, or are only available in a few of the standard colours, which means that they are either going to require a powder coating regardless of the colour selected or powder coating in the standard colours this component is not available in. In these cases, your order will incur a powder coat charge, whether you have selected a colour from the ‘standard colour’ range or not. From early 2021 whenever you attempt to order an item that requires powder coating a pop up alert will inform you that the item you are about to add to your order is going to result in a powder coat charge being added to your order. You can either accept the charge or you can choose to not order this item from us.
What is a standard powder coat colour?
Our list of standard colours for powder coating is made up of the cheapest colours to get our items powder coated in. Yes, some suppliers do supply their products in some or all of these colours, in which case the powder coat charge is already factored into the product cost.
But for those items that are available only in mill finish, which will need to be powder coated, the cost of powder coating a colour from the standard list is cheaper than the cost of powder coating from the non-standard colour list.
What is the price difference?
Choosing a ‘standard’ colour is the least expensive powder coat option. It might cost around $15 to powder coat a standard door frame in a standard colour, where-as a non-standard colour might be $20. Special colours should be avoided as these are not easily available, very expensive or may require you ordering a rather large minimum quantity ($500 worth of powder coating) before this colour can be supplied. Special colour items are considerably more expensive than standard or non standard colour items. We recommend you never order anything in a Special colour unless you absolutely have too.
What is the minimum powder coating cost?
When you first click on a product and you discover that the item needs powder coating, then down the bottom it’ll have a powder coat charge of $49. This is the minimum powder coat charge. If you continue adding more items in that colour – say for instance you add 10 of those items, and they’re $10 each to powder coat then that’s $100. That $100 is factored into the cost of the items and is higher than $49. Hence the $49 minimum powder coat charge disappears even though the items you have ordered all need powder coating locally.
Once again Starline Security is trying to make your screen orders as cost effective as we can make them.
As soon as your powder coating costs that are factored into each item exceed $49, then the $49 fee is waived.
Do all colours require powder coating?
All colours except for anodized colours require powder coating. However the difference is that sometimes we are able to source the materials from our suppliers pre-powder coated in the standard colours, and other times we are only able to source them from a supplier in mill finish.
If it’s only available from a supplier in mill finish, then we have to get it powder coated.
Get in touch
If you have any additional questions regarding the powder coating process or charges, please get in touch with our team.
