Editorial, News, and Products
Powder Coating 4.0: Smarter, Faster, More Efficient and Connected
New tools reduce cost and waste, lower manufacturing footprint of powder coating operations.
Gema Celebrates PCI, Gema Scholarship Recipient
Gema is part of the PCI Scholarship Program which awards students interested in the powder coating industry.
PCI Names 2023 Scholarship Recipients
PCI has named the recipients of its 2023 scholarship program.
Gema Adds ServiceNet Technician
Frank Andrews joins the Gema service team as a ServiceNet technician, providing service to Gema’s North American customers.
40 Under 40: Class of 2023
Products Finishing's 40 under 40 program recognizes nominated individuals driving the surface industry forward. Meet the class of 2023.
Adjusting Current and Voltage When Powder Coating
Which manual powder coating gun setting is better to adjust, voltage or current? Jeff Hale of Gema USA discusses when to use different settings on your powder gun to achieve optimal results.
PCI Names 2023 Board of Directors, Executive Officers
The next individuals serving on PCI's board of directors and as executive officers have been selected.
Territory Sales Manager Celebrates 35 Years with Gema
Joe Mallee joined the company in 1988.
Gema Adds Service Employees
Gema is adding two ServiceNet technicians to its North American team, Jacob Argyelan and Jerry Croy.
Gema USA Promotes Mike Thies to General Manager
Prior to this role, Thies was the director of sales and engineering at the company.
Gema North America Promotes Chris Merritt to Vice President
Chris Merritt has been with Gema for more than 38 years.
Powder Coating Institute Accepting Applications for 2023 Scholarship Program
The Powder Coating Institute is accepting applications for 2023.
Springer Industrial Named Main Distributor for Gema Finishing Products
Gema Finishing Products names Springer Industrial as the main distributor of Gema products in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
PCI to Hold Symposium on Powder Coating Wood-Based Substrates
“Powder Coating Wood-Based Substrates: A Proven, Sustainable Solution,” will be presented on Monday, August 22, 2022, at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta Georgia.
Springer Industrial Hires Additional Technical Sales Representative
Allen Levine will provide sales and technical support to Springer Industrial customers in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Gema Launches Web-based Powder Coating Information Tool
Gema’s new GemaConnect web-based tool allows for comprehensive monitoring and analysis of powder coating equipment.
Mike Thies Celebrates 35 Years at Gema
Gema recognizes Director of Engineering and Sales Mike Thies for 35 years of service.
Gema USA Inc. Expands Sales, Service and Operations Teams
The Indianapolis-based powder coating technology company has hired five new employees.
Gema Announces Recent Promotions and Retirements
(L-R): Carlos, Fernando, Jamie Gema USA Inc. (Indianapolis, Ind.) is announcing the promotion of two employees.
Gema OptiFlex Manual Spray Units
Gema OptiFlex Pro Series manual spray units
FABTECH 2021 to Bring the Industry Together
FABTECH returns to McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., September 13-16.
40 Under 40: Class of 2021
Each year, PF editors comb through a long list of nominees with a wide range of skill sets to select the 40 Under 40 class. This year's finalists include engineers, operations managers, chemists, general managers, sales professionals and entrepreneurs working in the finishing industry.
Introducing On the Line: The PF Podcast
Products Finishing has released its first episode of On the Line, a podcast for surface finishing professionals.
PCI Announces 2021 Board of Directors and Executive Officers
The Powder Coating Institute has announced its 2021 Executive Officers and Board of Directors, led by president John Cole.
Gema Adds ServiceNet Technician
Gema Powder Coating adds Michael Roberts as a ServiceNet Technician. He will supervise installations and provide customer service.
Gema Adds, Promotes Sales and Service Employees
The hires and appointments include a ServiceNet technician and three regional salespeople.
Deep Connections Translate to Success for JIT Powder Coating Company
The 27-year-old powder coating operation invests in employees and customers, fostering a business built on loyalty.
Powder Coating Institute Awards 2020 Scholarships
The Powder Coating Institute has awarded its 2020 scholarship to six exceptional students studying subjects that can lead to powder coating careers.
Gema Manual Spray Gun Breaks Through Power Barrier
PowerBoost technology gives it 110 kV powder charging capacity, the highest in the industry.
Gema Manual Spray Units Increase Powder Coverage
Spray units feature high charging power for greater productivity.
Gema Adds Territory Manager
Jamie Argyelan has 30 years of experience in the finishing industry.
Chris Merritt Celebrates 35 Years at Gema
Serves as general manager responsible for managing the powder coating business within the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.
OptiFlex Pro Spray Units Feature Higher Charging Power
Powder coating technology enables faster powder coating process.
Greg Taylor Celebrates 30 Years at Gema
Serves as regional sales manager for Eastern U.S. and all of Canada.
Gema, Dubois and Vogel Industrial Coatings Hold Powder Coating Workshops
The first is training is May 1-2 in Las Vegas, and the second is September 10-11 in the Dallas area.
Gema wins 2019 Besser Lackieren Supplier Award
Participants of the survey were owners/managing directors and paint shop managers of customers based in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
Brian Stowell Joins Gema as a Controls Engineer
Stowell brings a strong background in mechanical engineering and software programming to Gema.
Architectural Coatings Help Minnesota Shop Grow Finishing Operation
Twin City Powder Coating now boasts 36,000 square feet, two 40-foot ovens with matching coating booths, one 8-foot oven and coating booth, and six manual coating systems.
Gun Controller Allows Monitoring of Costs, Data Collection
Gema’s OptiStar 4.0 gun control and Gema E-App also allows users to adjust coating parameters in real time using remote application control.
Gema Adds Territory Manager for West Region
Lawrence “Mac” McKane’s background as an end user in the powder coating industry offers a unique added perspective to the Gema team.
Workshops Promote Best Practices for Powder Coating
The two-day workshops, sponsored by Gema, DuBois and Vogel Industrial Coatings, will be held August 14-15 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and November 13-14 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
PCI Awards 2018 Scholarships
A total of $25,000 was awarded in the 2018 program, which includes donations of $5,000 each from corporate donors Axalta Coating Systems, Gema USA and Nordson Corp.
Gema Promotes Phil Flasher to Engineering Manager
Flasher is responsible for managing the project engineering team, supervising systems and retrofit engineering, and directing the customer application lab.
Gema Adds Territory Manager
Allen Levine has more than 10 years’ experience in the powder coating industry, and a background in sales and technical support within the Gema distribution network.
Automatic Powder Coating Gun Designed for Optimal Results
At Ecoat18, Gema will highlight its latest developments in automatic and manual powder spray guns and booths, including the OptiGun GA03 automatic powder gun.
Going Vertical in Powder Coatings
Gateway Extrusions, an aluminum extruder in Union, Missouri, installed a new vertical line that allows it to more efficiently process longer profiles.
Jeff Hale Celebrates 30 Years at Gema
The current Marketing Director for Gema has held a variety of positions within the company, including engineering, project management, product management, territory sales and distribution sales.
Top Surface Finishing Innovations of 2016
We look back at the industry’s top new products and services for the past year.
Gema Industry Partner Symposium a Success
Educational event outlined the many aspects of how Gema products precisely and efficiently “Control the Cloud.”
Mazak Achieves Faster Throughput With New Powder Coating Line
See the VIDEO as automated powder coating line allows machine tool maker to get products out 74 percent faster.
Strengthening a Powder Coating Line
Fitness Equipment Maker Cybex Shapes Up Its System In Eight Days.
FTC Requires Graco to Sell ITW Liquid Finishing Equipment Businesses
The Federal Trade Commission will require Graco to sell the worldwide liquid finishing business of Illinois Tool Works and ITW Finishing under a proposed order as part of a settlement. It will resolve charges that its $650 million acquisition of several ITW businesses would have been anticompetitive and led to higher prices and reduced innovation for the North American manufacturers who rely on this equipment.
Graco, Gema Combine Pending FTC Review
Deal with FTC allows powder business closing despite investigation into liquid
FTC Says Graco-ITW Deal Violates Anti-Trust Laws
The FTC charges that if the proposed acquisition were completed, the combined firm would control a dominant share of all North American sales of industrial liquid finishing equipment and have a monopoly specifically in the market for circulation pumps used in paint systems in the automobile industry.
PC-based Control for Powder
System automates powder application equipment
A Strong Finish
Bringing powder coating in-house leads to a top quality finish and quick turnaround
Powder Coating Spray Guns
Featuring electrostatic spray guns, systems, nozzles and more.
Not Your Average Recreational Powder Coating Facility
Lippert Components converted the paint line at one of its facilities to a manual powder coating line. At another facility it converted to an automated system. The success of these two plants is now being felt at all of its facilities...
Herman Miller Adds Powder Coating
The addition of a powder coating line has allowed furniture manufacturer Herman Miller to create interesting and unusual shapes for its state-of-the-art workstations…