Chambersburg, Pa.-based Bri-Mar Manufacturing recently added a new rust and heat scale remover to its paint pretreatment system. Working in co-operation with chemical supplier Nalco Co. of Naperville, Ill., Bri-Mar added Nalco's Acid Clean 969 to its paint pretreatment process.

“There are many trailer builders in North America who use no paint pretreatment process whatsoever,” said Craig Burkart, Nalco's industry development manager. “This neglect cheapens the product and allows corrosion to form beneath the paint, eventually destroying the painted surface.”

Today's heat treating, laser or plasma cutting and welding practices can cause heat scale, which in turn can prevent the phosphate conversion from working properly. Bri-Mar's new Nalco Acid Clean process is designed to eliminate heat scale, thus allowing the phosphate conversion to be uniform on all surfaces. The process ensures adherence of Bri-Mar's powder-coated paint finishes, which are now available in basic black and a wide range of colors.

“Our goal on this project was to further ensure proper adherence of our paint such that we could extend warranty to two years — the best in the industry,” said Kevin Kelley, Bri-Mar operations manager.

Bri-Mar Manufacturing’s product line includes hydraulic dump trailers, equipment haulers, car haulers and tilt trailers.