The pandemic led to the closure of surface treatment in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Baltics. Some of their customers applied to Sweden and Provexa.
The pandemic led to the closure of surface treatment factories in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Baltics. Some of their customers turned to Sweden and Provexa.
– Several customers have stayed with us, says Daniel Hedling, head of business area ZnFlake.
Primarily, it concerns surface treatment with Geomet®. Geomet® is a world-leading corrosion protection performed by selected surface finishers worldwide. The rights belong to a company that places very high demands on performance and Provexa is the only certified factory in the Nordic region.
– This means that a Geomet® treatment with us is equivalent to what is offered in Germany, says Daniel.
Therefore, it was easy to change supplier during the pandemic. But why do several customers choose to stay with Provexa instead of returning to their previous supplier?
– The surface treatment itself is equivalent, but we offer greater flexibility, Daniel answers.
Shorer lead times
On his desk, Daniel has a bag with screws from a German manufacturer of leg prostheses, of the kind that amputated athletes use to continue competing. The quality requirements are high. The screws simply must not rust off, especially not during a running competition. The prostheses are manufactured to customer order, which means that the volumes vary over time.
– We offer flexible and secure deliveries with high quality. The manufacturer shortens its lead times, which means that the user gets their prosthesis faster, says Daniel.
The business area offers two surface treatment processes: Zinc and Geomet®. The latter is a high-class corrosion protection without solvent, and without hexavalent chromium. Geomet® is used to protect exposed components in vehicles and wind turbines, among other things. A third process is under development: Provexa Earth® with black passivation.
Flexibility attracts foreign customers to Provexa and business area ZnFlake. From left Eide Olsson, Pablo Navarrete, Daniel Hedling and Hugo Falck. Photo: Janne Näsström