Hello ,
Gold (yellow) Zinc Preservation
I recently ran a short video on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok about our "Gold Zinc Process" and got all kinds of fuss about zinc chromate officially being "Yellow Zinc" and not Gold. Yes, that is correct, the official color used in the zinc process is officially Yellow Zinc... but if you look at a product that has gone through the yellow zinc chromate process, you would all agree that it looks more like gold than yellow. At any rate, we call it Gold Zinc due to it's appearance.
In that post, there were a few comments about how the gold coloring can fade in certain environments, at the same time, there were also an immense amount of success stories from customers and jobbers who have had great experiences with our zinc finish in those same environments. Either way, we know that it works, but there are a few things that you, the Jobber, should know and convey to your customers about our zinc chromate finish.
- The gold color on our parts can fade over time. Zinc acts as a sacrificial anode to fight corrosion and it will fade as it does its job. The speed of that fade depends on the conditions you're in and how well you take care of it... which brings me to point #2
- Do NOT use anything but simple soap and water on your gold/yellow zinc products. If you use cleaners or anything with a Ph higher or lower than 7 (neutral), your coloring will fade. Stay away from degreasers and cleaners of any type.
- You can preserve the finish and help it stay brighter with more luster by adding a layer of clear-coat. It's not necessary, in fact we have customers throughout the world that still have shiny gold parts after years of use, but the clear-coat just adds an extra layer of protection. You might then ask, "why doesn't Metacloak do a clear coat on parts prior to shipment?" Answer: It's not necessary in most cases and it would add more expense to the product, therefore costing you more money.
Upol makes a nice rattle-can clear-coat that also has some UV protection in it. The UV aspect just keeps the clearcoat from turning yellow as it ages.
Just be sure to educate your customers as to why we chose this finish. It works well and unlike powdercoat, zinc chromate gets deeper into the part (into the threads for instance) to help fight corrosion and rust over time. It also doesn't chip and expose raw steel beneath as easy as powder coating and we all know that control arms and skids take a beating off-road. Additionally, if you have customers who for whatever reason just don't like the gold, they can always paint or powdercoat over the zinc.
If you have questions about this coating process, feel free to reach out!
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Production/Shipping
As we head into Spring, sales orders are ramping up and vehicle builds throughout the world are in full swing. We've noticed an uptick on big orders from both Jobbers and direct customers. This serves as a reminder to each of you that you don't want to get caught empty handed or with a long lead time on parts. Try to be proactive and bring in items that you know you'll need.
Having said that, we have been working diligently to increase inventory levels in an attempt to get shipments out the door quicker. Hopefully you've felt that extra effort and we will continue to improve upon our efficiencies to get things out to you quicker. Just be sure to mention "Metalcloak" early on in your customer conversations. :-)
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-Mike Upchurch
Brand Strategist, Jobber Account Manager & resident 2-door fanatic
916-823-3563
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