At INDEX® we are committed to the safety of our workers and the preservation of the planet, which is why we are looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact we may have in our work environment.
In line with this commitment, in 2024 we began the transition to the use of water-based paints in our fastener coating service.
About the fastener painting service
Screw painting is a bespoke service we offer to customers embarking on projects that use visible hardware and are therefore looking for an aesthetically pleasing finish.
Lacquering is available in over 60 colours, and you can choose to have the entire bolt painted, or just the head of the bolt.
A flawless finish, resistant and now more sustainable.
Why are we switching to water-based paints?
Traditional paints contain solvents and other hazardous components that presented a significant risk to both the health of our workers and the working environment. At our facility, where we operate paint drying ovens, the use of flammable paints was a constant hazard.
‘Our priority was to guarantee the safety of our employees and minimise the risk of accidents,’ says Marta Velilla, our Quality and Prevention Manager.
By switching to water-based paints, we have managed to reduce workers’ exposure to harmful chemicals, significantly improving safety conditions in the factory.
All changes bring technical challenges
The transition was not without its challenges. The main challenge we faced was adapting our machines and paint spray guns to work with the new material texture.
‘We had to adjust the parameters of the machines and replace the guns to avoid lumpy or uneven paint application,’ says our technical manager Juan Garcia.
In addition, the elimination of conventional solvents required the modification of the drying process. After several months of work, we were able to stabilise the process by using a new catalyst, which allowed us to dry the waterborne paints without compromising production efficiency.
It took eight months of research and development, where professionals from our Production, Quality, Packaging and Technical teams worked side by side to find the right solutions to these challenges.
We are good people, and we are proud of that.
Same quality as always
All samples have been rigorously tested by our technical team, ensuring that the switch to waterborne paints has not affected the quality or durability of our products.
What impact do we expect?
‘Although measurements of the CO2 reduction with the new paints are still pending, we are confident that the environmental impact will be significantlyreduced,’ says Marta Velilla.
This change not only reduces the environmental impact, but also contributes to improving working conditions and reducing risks in the manufacturing process:
- Water-based paint is harmless because it does not contain substances that are toxic to health.
- We do not use solvents to clean the machines, as we can now clean them with water.
- Water-based paint is non-flammable, which eliminates the risk of explosions or fires in the production area.
A way to go
Since August this year we have started serial painting with our new water-based paints, completing this change seamlessly and without affecting the customer experience. We have also outsourced the paint plate cleaning process, eliminating the use of environmentally hazardous paint strippers.
The future of our business model is based on sustainable growth and responsibility, and we will continue to work to implement improvements that will allow us to move in this direction.
