Ten years ago, Michael Knoblauch was doing business like everyone else in his industry. The office furniture components manufacturer he presided over was using a vinyl thermofoil process to finish their medium-density fiberboard (MDF) parts — a common practice.
Then he heard about a new way of finishing wood with ultraviolet light-cured powder coatings. By April 2001, he had installed the first UV powder coating line for wood in North America.
Out of the gate, he garnered the support of several big-name powder paint manufacturers. But under the weight of the post-Sept. 11 recession and the dot-com bust, the market lagged and, as a result, the supporters backed down. But not Knoblauch.
In 2005, he and an investor established DVUV LLC, where Knoblauch serves as president, and then Keyland Polymer a year later as a subsidiary supplier to develop and produce UV-curable powder coatings. The result is a one-stop source for both the chemistry development and manufacturing with application technology. Since the addition of Keyland, the company’s sales have tripled, and 2009 sales were up 35 percent from 2008.
All the while, the company keeps the environment in mind, aiming to maximize sustainability and minimize the consumption of natural resources. DVUV uses only 100 percent recycled content MDF, diverting wood waste from landfills and incinerators, and the scraps are recycled as mulch. The powders are free of volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants and hydrocarbon waste. Compared to other finish processes, the 20-minute UV-cured powder process results in 40 to 60 percent energy savings. On top of that, the residual powder is recycled into plastics.
DVUV balances the responsiveness of a small company with the reach of a global one. The Keyland subsidiary has enabled DVUV to offer custom finishes. Because of the aesthetic appeal and increased design potential of the process, DVUV is developing a customer base in point-of-sale displays and retail store fixtures. While many retail manufacturers have migrated production overseas for cost savings, DVUV customers get the world of service they need in Cleveland.
In fact, one of the company’s customers that manufactures health care equipment has DVUV finish its parts in Cleveland before sending them to China for assembly and worldwide distribution.
How to reach: DVUV LLC, (216) 741-5511 or http://www.dvuv.com/