American Trim Receives Stimulus Funds to Install Efficient Line
American Trim will install a new line to selectively protect manufactured components using coatings produced in-house and then cured using UV light for a 95% energy savings over the current process.
American Trim of Lima, Ohio, received $994,000 from the State Energy Plan to install a new state-of-the-art coating line to produce products for the alternative energy, automotive, and appliance industries.
The new coating line will consume less energy then the existing processing line and provide greater product functionality to customers.
“This effort by American Trim is part of a multi-year commitment by the company to reinvent its manufacturing processes and pursue an agile manufacturing strategy with the express purpose of retaining jobs in Ohio and Lima in particular,” said Mayor David Berger.
The new line, which uses new coatings cured by ultraviolet light, will reduce energy consumption by up to 95 percent when compared to thermally cured coatings. This process eliminates the need to heat the coating and the substrate, cure the coating, and then cool the panel back to a temperature that can be easily handled. This new protective film coating technology will be marketed under the name SelectiveGuard TM.
Steve Hatkevich, director of Research and Development at American Trim said, “We are appreciative of the support from the Ohio Department of Development, the Mayor and our representatives to make this possible. We will add over $1.3 million of our own funding to bring this state of the art installation to our facility.”
American Trim specializes in the forming, decorating, and coating of metal and composite substrates and is Tier 1 supplier to the transportation and appliance markets.