The final step in many automotive manufacturing processes is painting and finishing. At American Manufacturing, everything from our containers to automotive parts is finished using environmentally friendly water-based paints. These paints are safer than alternative options without sacrificing durability or quality. Ultimately, water-based paints play a role in a greener tomorrow.

Other Painting Options in Manufacturing

While many manufacturers have made the switch to water-based paints, some still use traditional methods that are less sustainable. These alternatives are believed to make up for in quality what they lack in eco-friendliness, but water-based paints have improved to the point where this is no longer such a contrast.

Oil-Based Paints

Oil-based paints have traditionally been popular for metal because of their excellent adhesion and durability, but their high flammability makes them extremely dangerous in manufacturing facilities. These paints are also inherently unsafe for the environment due to high levels of DLC.

Solvent-based Paints

With the inclusion of chemical additives, solvent-based paints are not ideal for manufacturing because of the toxicity when the products eventually end up in the landfill. The solvents will leak out into the groundwater over time, making them hazardous for the environment.

Powder-coat Paints

Powder-coat doesn’t have the flammability or groundwater leaking concerns of the other painting options, but it is essentially sprayed-on microplastics. These microplastics are very contaminating to the environment.

Benefits of Water-Based Paints

Water-based paints are safer, more durable, and more environmentally friendly than any other paint option in manufacturing. You can practically throw it down the drain without worrying about environmental harm (though this will probably clog your drain, so we don’t recommend it).

Environmental Benefits

Water-based paints have the lowest VOC emissions on the market. VOCs, or “volatile organic compounds,” are gases emitted from certain solids or liquids that are harmful to air quality, especially in an enclosed indoor environment. VOCs occur to some extent in most paints but are much higher in solvent-based paints than in water-based paints.

Water-based paints don’t contain any solvents or hazardous chemicals and are not harmful to air quality. They will not leak into groundwater or create any toxic waste, regardless of the disposal method post-manufacturing, making them an excellent choice for sustainability in manufacturing.

Workplace Safety Benefits

While painters and finishers still wear respirator masks to protect themselves while working, they don’t have to worry as much about fumes when using water-based paints compared to the other options. This increases workplace safety and gives our employees peace of mind about their respiratory health.

To ensure the safest and most eco-friendly approach possible, we have the remaining solids professionally removed by a company that follows a stringent protocol for the safe disposal of water-based paint waste, crushing out any liquids that may be trapped to reduce waste.

Durability Benefits

A common misconception with water-based paints is that they sacrifice durability for eco-friendliness, but this is not the case! Water-based paints are direct-to-metal paints that include nonhazardous additives to give excellent adhesion and a rapid dry time. They also work wonderfully for touch-ups and repairs, unlike powder-coat which has to be sand-blasted down to bare metal before repainting.

Through salt-spray testing, we assess the lifetime of our paints at American Manufacturing to determine how long our water-based paints will last before rust starts to occur. Our paints far exceed the automotive industry standard for paint lifetime, so you never have to worry about durability with our products!

Regulatory Benefits

Thanks to our use of water-based paints, American Manufacturing classifies as a low emitter despite the high quantity of paint we use every day. This minimizes the regulatory burden, and minimizes costs for us—which is a win-win for our customers!

Save the Environment (and Your Bottom Line)

We are proud to use water-based paints for all of our products at American Manufacturing. These paints keep our environment safer while also reducing costs for us and our customers! Contact us to learn more about our services and the difference our American-made products can make for your business.