Resicoat helps redefine ‘high performance’ for Termoresine

When it comes to insulating electrical components used in medium and high voltage applications, the choice of powder coating is critical: failure is simply not an option.

It’s why Termoresine has been using Resicoat from AkzoNobel for more than 30 years. It’s also why it continues to extend its partnership to develop new and innovative solutions to meet both its current and future performance and sustainability ambitions.

Established in 1982 as a specialist coating business for electrical systems, Termoresine quickly gained a reputation in the rail industry for the quality and reliability of its products, working with some of the sector’s biggest international brands. More recently Termoresine began working in the automotive market – developing the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs) and quickly becoming a trusted supplier of finished products to a number of global Tier 1 partners to high performance and luxury vehicle manufacturers (including Rimac Technology).

A key component of its business proposition is the safety and reliability of its products, supported by the global capabilities of AkzoNobel and the insulation performance of Resicoat. Resicoat powder coatings have been delivering safe, consistent performance throughout the life of the product or component they are protecting from the hazards of heat, chemicals or moisture since the 1960s.

Originally using a liquid system, Ippolito Ferrario, the company’s founder, wanted a more sustainable option that still guaranteed the performance he needed. He chose Resicoat, as his son and current CEO Nicola Ferrario explains:

“Resicoat gives our products a higher thickness of coating which in turn guarantees electrical insulation, even on parts that have sharp edges or are not perfectly finished. In our industry, working with medium and high voltage applications of up to 25kW, every component must be carefully designed and every part of the product has to be coated. Even the slightest pinhole can have fatal consequences.”

Termoresine ensures complete coverage by using the fluidized bed process, where the product is pre-heated and then effectively ‘dipped’ into a vat of Resicoat powder. The powder coating takes on a liquid property, coating the product evenly across all surfaces until the desired thickness has been achieved, after which it is taken out and cured.

Performance is one half of the equation; the other is sustainability. This challenge has become more acute in recent times, with the rising cost of energy and uncertainty of supply. Termoresine is creating its own source of energy, by installing solar panels, but also working with a Resicoat powder that requires less energy in its application.

Lucio Bianchi, Chief Technical Officer, says that the challenge is in finding solutions that are more sustainable, but that don’t compromise on Thermal Class performance: “The Resicoat powder coatings we use guarantee 30,000 hrs of safe operation at a certain temperature,” he explains. “But obviously, the higher the temperature requirement means a higher temperature in application which therefore consumes more energy.

“Working with the Resicoat team, we are now able to attain the same Thermal Class but at a lower application temperature and thereby consuming up to 20% less energy. This is a significant saving.”

The collaborative nature of the relationship between Termoresine and the Resicoat team has been a key feature from the beginning. The two teams have shared platforms and events, developing solutions together to address specific needs, Termoresine benefiting from AkzoNobel’s global presence and R&D capabilities.

Further innovations are in the pipeline, especially to target what Nicola describes as the emerging EV sector. Demand for Termoresine’s products is likely to increase, but more competitors will also be entering the market, making the partnership between Termoresine and AkzoNobel even more important: “We’re looking forward to what the next 10 years can bring,” Nicola concludes, “and an exciting future with Resicoat.”