Interpon powder coatings help power Turkish bike manufacturer to leading position

Interpon powder coating experts at AkzoNobel are supporting a major European bike manufacturer with new and bespoke colours to help satisfy a global boom in cycling and the demand for stylish new models.

Interpon’s technicians delivered more colours in the Q1, 2021 than it did in the whole of 2020, as BİSAN, the first and the one of the biggest bicycle manufacturers in Turkey, seeks to build more than 200,000 finished bikes this year and make another 100,000 alloy and steel frames and forks for third-party manufacturers*.

Ali Orçun Bal, General Manager of BİSAN, says that since switching to Interpon and taking manufacturing in-house, he has never looked back: "With the support of the Interpon team, we made the switch to powder coatings which are not only better for the environment, but also offer much greater protection, being highly resistant to UV, chipping, and scratches.

"Best of all,” he continues, "is the range of colours and finishes available to us. Both of our organisations are close followers of trends and AkzoNobel delivers with the latest on-trend colours to a quality and consistency second to none. The Interpon technical team is working with us to develop bespoke colours to support new model launches, as well as matching existing colour schemes that gave the look and feel of a fluorescent liquid paint, but without causing harm to the environment.”

Many of the coatings are derived from AkzoNobel’s Interpon A3280 range and ACE series – which are relied upon by global automotive manufacturers to deliver the durability, style and performance they need to protect their products and their reputations. BİSAN is also using Interpon’s Auto wheel Vedoc black which gives a brilliant gloss finish.

Interpon powder coatings create less waste, which reduces BİSAN’s production costs, and the lack of any VOC emissions during manufacture and lower curing temperatures also help reduce BİSAN’s carbon footprint. "We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and AkzoNobel shares these sustainability values which is very important to us,” Ali Orçun Bal adds. "The strength, durability and colour of our Interpon powder coated frames are also a strong selling point in helping us win new business from third-party manufacturers.”

Daniela Vlad, Director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business, says she is delighted to be helping Ali OrçunBal and his team to grow their business: "We have considerable global experience in helping manufacturers like BİSAN to become even more resilient, both in terms of the product they manufacture and their business as a whole, helping reduce the cost of manufacturing while supporting the environment and meeting their sustainability goals.”

BİSAN is a global enterprise, producing 85 models, from children’s tricycles to professional racing bikes, folding and electric, and exporting to 15 countries. It is actively working with AzkoNobel to introduce future innovations and processes, including the use of low-temperature curing and using specialist Interpon powder coatings to replace the need for chromium plating.

"Working with AkzoNobel Powder Coatings and our shared passion for quality, innovation and the environment makes me very excited about the future,” Ali Orçun Bal adds. "We very much look forward to discovering where the future with Interpon will take us.”

*AkzoNobel Powder Coatings created 15 bespoke colours for BİSAN in 2020, and 17 colours in the Q1, 2021.