The investment has been made, the supply chain is in place and Balcas is now champing at the bit to unleash KOTA pre-finished mouldings onto the market.
The commercial launch of KOTA next month is the result of a collaboration with US-based Eastman Chemical Company, with its Cerfis coating technology central to the product.
"The product has come at the right time for everyone and it’s nice for us at Balcas to be appointed as the European licensee," said Balcas sales director Gary Sowerby.
Superior surface solutions is the name of the game in order to provide what Balcas calls a quantum leap forward in mouldings performance.
Eastman, which has a background in innovative wood-related technology, including the TruLast acetylation system used to produce the Perennial Wood modified wood brand in the US, scoured Europe for a partner to become a licensee, eventually choosing Balcas.
It has already chosen a US partner in the moulding and millwork manufacturer Woodgrain Millwork Inc, which is now using Cerfis to produce the Finished Elegance brand.
It has evidently been a stunning success, with Finished Elegance becoming a bestselling item through the Home Depot DIY chain.
Balcas’s new £2m KOTA production line using the Cerfis technology is only the second in the world.
The actual coating technology is still a closely-guarded secret but basically involves the uniform application of a patented painted substance on all sides of the moulding, normally MDF.
Mr Sowerby said the coating application method was completely different from existing systems.
"Our Cerfis technology maintains a consistent geometry and surface finish on any profile, providing dimensional stability and reduced warping and twisting," said Paul Madren, Eastman’s global market development manager.
Durable coating
The coating itself relies on Greenguard-certified resins which are high in solids and with no VOCs. The result, Balcas says, is a more durable coating compared with traditional paint.
Mr Sowerby said this increased durability and resistance to damage opened the way for potential use of lighter versions of MDF in the moulding substrate.
Balcas, of course, is no stranger to MDF architectural mouldings, having launched them almost 25 years ago.
"We were attracted to something that could improve the procedural efficiencies for housebuilders while offering them increased quality, saving them time and money," added Mr Sowerby.
Several large distributors are already on board to distribute KOTA to the trade, housebuilders and the DIY sector.
The trade and housebuilders will be targeted in January, with the DIY sector following in the second quarter.
Balcas and its distributors have analysed the housebuilding sector’s use of tradesmen to finish standard primed mouldings and other interior decorative wood.
"Housebuilders are interested in KOTA due to the high-quality finish and the opportunity to eliminate the need to paint on site, which is notoriously expensive and time-consuming," said Mr Sowerby.
The combination of improving housebuilders’ construction processes and cost efficiencies – literally removing the on-site painting of architectural mouldings – with added aesthetics and durability, is what Balcas believes is a winning combination.
It is driving home the message with the strapline "Paint No More" in the marketing of the KOTA product.
Ancillary on-site products KOTA Fix, (adhesive), KOTA Fill (sealant) and KOTA Krayon (colour-matched soft wax filler for nail and pin holes) are designed to give the builder a whole installation kit and protect the integrity of the finish.
Balcas says once the moulding is in situ it will not need repainting as it will not yellow and because it’s less likely to be damaged.
Balcas is initially focusing KOTA on skirtings and architraves but it has plans to roll out the range to include first fix internal wood profiles.
Positive reaction
Initial reaction to KOTA at its first public airing – at the Timber Expo show in Coventry in September – was very good, said Mr Sowerby.
"It was a good launch vehicle for KOTA. The reaction has been phenomenal since Timber Expo."
At the exhibition, Balcas won the prize for the Best Interior Product.
Eastman is looking forward to working closely with Balcas to extend the product into the European market.
"There is large interest in Continental Europe, especially France and Belgium," said Mr Sowerby
