DuPont CoatingSolutions: Simply Better Solutions

When the federal government recently presented its plan to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, many Canadian manufacturers were left wondering how the new program would impact their business. MCI, however, recognized the challenge and took steps to meet it.

A key to MCI's success is its ability to work closely with suppliers to identify opportunities that would reduce their environmental footprint and keep them compliant with future environment regulations. This past October, representatives from MCI and DuPont evaluated options to improve the MCI paint department's environmental performance.

"MCI challenged DuPont to bring them ideas that would make a meaningful difference to their future success. They wanted solutions that would be good for business and good for the environment," said Don Charmichael, DuPont CoatingSolutions sales manager. "This meant preparing them for stricter emission limits, while improving the overall quality of the paint finish."

The solution was simple: convert MCI's paint department to DuPont's next-generation topcoat — DuPont™ Imron® Elite — the industry benchmark for quality, durability and environmental compliance.

The cross-functional team, comprised of representatives from MCI and DuPont, spent the following months preparing for the line trials, which began in November 2006 with approximately 15 units. The trial was a success and Imron Elite was launched at MCI on April 1, 2007. DuPont™ Imron® Elite's chemistry proved that environmental performance improvements could be achieved without sacrificing MCI's production process or the quality of the finish. In fact, MCI's customers will be very happy with the new finish. "The new Imron Elite finish is exceptional," said Rudy Venturini, an MCI paint supervisor. "We are able to apply more colors in the same amount of time, and the reduced orange peel really improves the appearance of the final finish."

The conversion to DuPont™ Imron® Elite was completed in May. MCI's customers can expect their investment to retain its original appearance longer, reducing the finish maintenance costs and keeping the fleet looking great. DuPont™ Imron® Elite is also a tremendous advantage for MCI's customers when they need to repair the finish; because of the paint characteristics, they're able to achieve factory color and appearance easier than ever before.

There's no telling how the government's environmental plan will impact Canada's manufacturing sector, but one thing is certain: MCI is positioned for success.

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Information for this article was supplied by DuPont, who is solely responsible for its contents, and is offered as a service to FYI from MCI readers. More product information can be found at www.dupont.com.