Material Handling: The Missing Link in Most Coating Lines

In the world of industrial coating, we’ve all seen it: a beautiful washer, a high-efficiency oven, or a state-of-the-art powder booth, a workhorse blaster... all bottlenecked by how the parts are moved.

Material handling is often the last thing designed—but it’s the first thing that affects throughput, safety, and quality.

Whether it’s steel fabrications, cylinders, structural steel, 55-gallon drums, IBC totes, or smaller components, the way we transfer parts through the blasting, washing, painting, and curing stages matters just as much as the process equipment itself.

Why Handling Matters

When coating lines struggle, the issues often come down to:

• Manual loading/unloading that slows the line
• Inconsistent spacing between parts
• Operators exposed to awkward lifting or hot parts
• Damaged finishes from poor transfer methods

We’ve helped coaters solve these exact problems with integrated systems—think powered rollers, shuttles, vertical lifts, turntables, and indexing conveyors that sync with blasters, washers, booths, and ovens.

The Real Win: Flow + Safety

When handling is dialed in, everything improves: ? Better takt time ? Fewer touches, less damage ? Safer ergonomics ? Easier training and repeatability ? Leaner labor costs ? Smarter automation down the road

It’s not just about adding conveyors—it's about building flow into the line.

What We’re Seeing in 2025

?? High interest in coating lines where handling, washing, and curing are fully connected ?? Demand for overhead or shuttle systems that keep hot/cured parts separated from wet/raw ones ?? Projects where customers want us to retrofit handling upgrades into older coating systems ?? More interest in robot-ready transfer zones and safety interlocks. AUTOMATION and one stop shop accountability.

In dealing with a single supplier there is nowhere to point fingers, except inward. You get to call one person when troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and service.

Automating material handling in a coating line can create real, measurable labor savings across several fronts. Here’s how it adds up:

?? 1. Reduces Manual Touches

• Each lift, carry, push, or rack-load takes time and muscle.
• Automation (rollers, conveyors, shuttles, lifts) cuts out non-value-added labor.
• Less need for teams of workers to move parts between stages.

? Example: Instead of 3 operators moving drums between a washer and oven, one person can oversee the automated flow.

?? 2. Improves Line Speed & Throughput

• Automated handling ensures steady, repeatable takt time.
• No more waiting on someone to move parts or fix spacing.
• You get more parts per shift with the same or fewer people.

? Example: An automated line can run continuously with fewer pauses between batches.

?? 3. Eliminates Heavy Lifting & Repetitive Motion

• Reduces fatigue, injuries, and OSHA risk.
• Lets you reassign labor to higher-value tasks like QC, packaging, or process monitoring.

? Example: Instead of having 2 people lifting hot or wet parts from a washer, a lift-and-transfer station does it safely every time.

?? 4. Lowers Headcount Needs

• Instead of needing 4–5 people to run a manual coating line, you might need just 1–2 to supervise an automated one.
• Helps solve labor shortages and keeps production running even with smaller teams.

? Example: We've seen clients reduce coating line labor by 30–50% after installing integrated handling systems.

?? 5. Consistency = Less Rework

• Automated transfer reduces part damage, dings, and finish defects from mishandling.
• Less rework means fewer labor hours spent fixing issues.

BOTTOM LINE IS IT IS AFFECTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Final Thought

The equipment might do the coating, but the handling system moves your money.

If your coating line is being held back by how parts are getting from A to B, it might be time to rethink the flow.

Need help connecting the dots? Let’s talk.

Melissa Palmer

Sales Manager and trusted partner in your automation