The Importance of Powder Coating in Maximizing the ROI of Your Retail Displays

Retail displays can be a significant investment, especially for brands that are looking to maximize exposure and brand awareness via a large number of placements. These marketing opportunities can be extremely effective — one study found that more than 60% of shoppers who recalled seeing in-store displays purchased the featured product. 

But the key in getting the most out of your retail displays is ensuring their durability, reliability, and performance, particularly for outdoor displays or those that are more readily exposed to environmental elements. Carbon steel is ideal for extending the service life of retail fixtures, but finishing can also help protect your displays, specifically powder coating. 

Here, we’ll look at how powder coating works, and then look at a couple of key ways that powder coating can help maximize the ROI of your retail displays by enhancing their visual appeal and structural integrity.

What is powder coating?

Powder coating is a dry finishing process in which a combination of polymer resins, adhesion agents, and other additives are pressed into a fine powder and electrostatically applied to the steel surface. The electrostatic charge ensures the powder is attracted to and sticks to the surface material, and from there the coated parts are put in a curing oven where the heat sparks a chemical reaction that melts the powder and creates a hard, protective coating. 

Different powders are used for different different applications, with the most common for retail displays and fixtures being: 

• Nylon, which is extremely durable and popular for outdoor displays and fixtures
• Polyester, which is also highly durable and resistant to UV rays, making them also suitable for outdoor use
• Epoxy, which is ideal for indoor displays and fixtures

Powder coating can be applied via a couple of different methods. Thermoset curing uses a heat source to cure the powder to the carbon steel, while thermoplastic curing — which also uses a heat source — does not alter the chemical composition of the workpiece, thus allowing it to be melted or softened after curing. UV curing uses light to UV light to cure the powder coat, which requires less heat and accelerates the curing process.

How does powder coating help brands increase their investment on retail displays?

Powder coating retail displays can help brands see a more robust ROI on their in-store marketing spend for a variety of reasons, especially when compared to other types of steel finishes. Aside from creating a professional, polished appearance, powder coating helps brands see a greater return on their display spend via: 

• Superior durability. Your display is only as good as it lasts, and metal can rust and corrode when exposed to extreme temperatures or moisture. This can leave displays vulnerable to a number of visual deformities or structural issues. Powder coating preserves the appearance of your retail display, regardless of whether it’s used indoors or outdoors.
• Cost reduction. Compared with other types of metal finishing, powder coating reduces costs by providing greater efficiency in the use of both materials and labor. It takes less time to apply and produce, and the transfer efficiency — how well the coating adheres to the steel — is much greater with powder coating, so less material is wasted. The powder coating process's enhanced efficiency helps brands navigate market forces such as labor shortages or supply chain difficulties. 
• Enhanced sustainability. Sustainability and eco-friendly business practices are top of mind for businesses and consumers. Powder coating is a safer, more eco-friendly solution because it’s free of solvents and toxins, and produces little to no waste in the production process. And because powder polymers don’t release any greenhouse gasses, any material that does wind up not getting used can be safely disposed of in a landfill. This helps ensure your displays align with consumer sentiment and expectations, and this can help drive increased market awareness and growth. 

When looking for durability, cost reduction, and a more eco-friendly approach to protecting your retail displays and fixtures, powder coating is the ideal finishing option. Not only can powder coating help brands experience more meaningful ROI on their retail fixtures, color matching and textured powders make it possible to properly brand custom fixtures in a more engaging, dynamic way. 

Franklin Display Group has worked with numerous brands to create high-quality displays and fixtures that leverage powder coating and carbon steel that are designed to last. Reach out to our team of experts to get started on your next display project today.