Is low-quality, low-priced powder really a good deal?

Many powder coating manufacturers believe that purchasing "low-quality, low-price" powder will save money, but is this really the case? In fact, the price of powder coatings never represents its economic efficiency. Truly cost-effective powder ensures that every penny is spent wisely while guaranteeing the sprayed area and coating performance. Those seemingly cheap, low-quality powders often hide "hidden costs," making them less economical in the long run.

1. First, understand: How is the "economic efficiency" of powder coatings calculated?

To determine if powder is cost-effective, you can't just look at the unit price; the key is its "average coverage"—that is, how many square meters can be sprayed per kilogram of powder. There's a practical formula in the industry: Average Coverage (m²/kg) = 1000 × Utilization Rate (%) / [Specific Gravity × Film Thickness (μm)] The formula clearly shows that the sprayed area per kilogram of powder is directly related to three parameters: utilization rate, powder specific gravity, and coating thickness. With a fixed film thickness (e.g., a customer requirement of 50μm), the only factors truly affecting the spraying area are "specific gravity" and "utilization rate." These two parameters are precisely where low-quality powder manufacturers cut corners.

2. The "Tricks" of Low-Quality, Low-Price Powders: Hidden Losses Behind the Cheap Price

Many manufacturers of low-quality powders add large amounts of fillers with extremely high specific gravity (such as barium sulfate) to their formulations to reduce costs. It's important to know that the core raw materials of high-quality powders (epoxy resin, polyester resin) have a specific gravity of only around 1.2. while barium sulfate has a specific gravity of over 4.0—the more filler added, the greater the overall specific gravity of the powder. You might think that "saving a few dollars per kilogram" is a good deal, but in actual spraying, you'll find that the same weight of low-quality powder, due to its much higher specific gravity, results in a significantly smaller spraying area compared to high-quality powder. For example, 1 kg of high-quality powder can spray 8-10 square meters, while low-quality powder may only spray 5-6 square meters. In the end, to spray the same area of ​​workpiece, the cost of low-quality powder is actually more than that of high-quality powder! Even worse, excessive filler directly degrades coating performance: the gloss becomes dull, leveling is poor (the surface has a grainy feel), impact and bending resistance decreases (prone to cracking and peeling), weather resistance deteriorates (losing gloss and chalking after six months of outdoor use), and surface defects are numerous. In the short term, you might save a little money, but in the long run, you'll face significant costs for rework, repairs, and replacement workpieces, making it completely counterproductive. Some low-quality powders are even more problematic—they are either expired or scrapped products from manufacturers, or recycled or mixed powders that have been modified. Expired powders have already deteriorated in performance: molecular chains are broken, and the hardener has agglomerated, rendering them ineffective for decoration and protection after coating; recycled mixed powders are full of impurities and moisture, and even with a thick layer, they cannot conceal surface defects such as particles and pinholes, making them only suitable for rough workpieces where performance requirements are negligible.

3. Standard International Group (HK) Limited: High-Quality Powder – The True Economic Choice

In stark contrast to low-quality powder, Standard International Group (HK) Limited adheres to the principle of "quality first," ensuring that every customer experiences "high quality ≠ high cost," and instead reaps long-term economic benefits and reliability. Regarding raw material selection, Standard International Group (HK) Limited never uses excessive fillers to achieve high yields. Its core resins are made from high-purity, high-quality raw materials, with strict control over filler ratios to ensure the powder's specific gravity remains stable within a reasonable range (approximately 1.2 times the resin's own density). This means that the same 1 kg of Standard International Group (HK) Limited powder achieves higher utilization and a wider coating area, truly helping customers reduce coating costs per unit area – while the unit price may seem slightly higher, the "cost per square meter" is actually more economical. In terms of performance control, Standard International Group (HK) Limited has stringent standards for powder storage period, production process, and quality testing: from raw material warehousing to finished product delivery, each batch undergoes multiple tests to ensure consistent flowability, electrical conductivity, and curing effect; expired powder is never produced, and mixed powder is never recycled. Even small amounts of recycled qualified powder undergo rigorous purification and testing to ensure performance is not compromised. Using Standard International Group (HK) Limited's powder, you can clearly feel the following: uniform coating gloss, smooth and delicate surface, excellent leveling and decorative properties; superior mechanical properties such as impact and bending resistance; weather resistance and corrosion resistance that can withstand long-term outdoor testing; and stable performance between batches, avoiding the situation of "works well this time, but has problems next time." Whether it's outdoor railings, appliance casings, industrial pipelines, or high-end building materials, a single coating application can achieve the desired result, eliminating the need for subsequent rework and repairs—making it the most worry-free and cost-effective choice.

4. Conclusion

Ultimately, low-quality, low-priced powder coatings are like "disposable consumables." While they may seem to save a small amount of money in the short term, they hide losses due to limited coverage, poor performance, and high rework costs. Standard International Group (HK) Limited 's high-quality powder coatings, on the other hand, take a "long-term benefit approach"—offering a wider coverage area, superior coating performance, and a more worry-free user experience at a reasonable price. In the long run, this is the truly worthwhile choice. When purchasing powder coatings, don't be blinded by "low prices." Focus on its overall economic efficiency and reliability. Standard International Group (HK) Limited  proves with its high-quality raw materials, rigorous processes, and stable performance that "high quality is the core of cost reduction and efficiency improvement for enterprises." Choosing such powder coatings ensures both worry-free and cost-effective coating, truly adding value to your product.