Special liquid coatings for top-of-the-range alloy wheels

Quality finish and colour with Arsonsisi liquid coatings for Fondmetal alloy wheels for the Automotive OEM and aftermarket sectors.

Arsonsisi produces and markets a wide range of industrial coatings, while Fondmetal owes its fame to the production of aluminium wheels both for the OEM or original spare part market of well-known car manufacturers, and for the Tuning sector (aftermarket).

Both companies have known how to progress and develop also through brave acquisitions, in their search for 100% made in Italy excellence.

Arsonsisi is today the largest supplier of Fondmetal liquid coatings for alloy wheels: metallic solvent and water base-coats in various types of silver, coarse or fine grain, anthracite and black — shiny or matt acrylic liquid clear coating, applied on a solvent or water base-coat.

The cooperation started in 1988 by Colorificio Sebino in Berlingo (BS), acquired by Arsonsisi in 2009, does not include just the supply of coatings in the requested colours, but is enhanced by the constant technical service and support in developing customised coatings according to the Customer’s special requirements.

Alloy wheel coatings

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Fondmetal alloy wheels
are characterized by speed, innovation and design where wheel technology and finish matter most.

It is no coincidence that the coating is applied at the plant and is totally automated in two lines using both liquid and powder coatings.

The coatings used play a fundamental rule in meeting the requests of the Styles Centres of car manufacturers, always looking for colour innovation and component customisation.

«Since there’s not much space as far as design is concerned, finish and colours are vital to differentiate the wheel. Price is no longer the pivot in assessing these projects, technology, coatings, colour variety and result quality are what matters.» Explains Giuseppe Uberti, Fondmetal OE Sales Department Manager.

Arsonsisi coatings are appreciated by wheel producers above all for their application versatility and durability on automated systems and with all application types.

«Our liquid base-coats are formulated to form, with powder and clearcoat to finish, a cycle that can pass the tests requested by OEM car manufacturers, giving the wheel also an aesthetic extra. Adding the base-coat to water allows the customer to avoid installing a post-combustor.» states Federico Scaietti, Arsonsisi’s OEM & Industrial Coating Division Commercial Manager.

fondmetal-coating-processCoating cycles for standard wheels are studied to reach the maximum aesthetic quality without faults and obtain high resistance.

After applying a powder primer, a liquid base-coat is added that gives the colour and metallic effect, to finish off with a liquid or powder acrilic clearcoat with a shiny or matt effect.

In case of diamond wheels, the base-coat applied to the powder primer is «cured» to allow the following mechanical process, and, after passing again through the pretreatment tunnel, it is over-coated with a polyester powder clearcoat or liquid urea-epoxy coating. These latter clearcoats are functional and their only purpose is to get the final acrylic clearcoat to stick to the part of the wheel where the diamond-grinding has removed the coating.

Behind the choice of colour there is careful study and research by Fondmetal, that must be able to interpret market trends and the innumerable tone variations requested by car manufacturers.

«In colour development, Arsonsisi is surely a help, supplying us with quick, flexible and precise colours» states Stefano Rumi, Fondmetal Chairman and son of Gabriele Rumi, the founder.

Fondmetal annual production capacity is currently 1 million wheels, mainly for the OEM, aftermarket and sub-contract sectors.

Alloy wheels, a strategic choice.

Fondmetal was founded in 1970 in Palosco (BG), as an aluminium foundry for various products, mainly spacers for electric cables and covers for polishing machines until it specialized in the production of components for well-known brands in the car industry.

fondmetal-alloy-wheels-rangeThe production turning point happened in the Eighties, when Gabriele Rumi decided to pass from casting pieces for third parties to producing and marketing an own brand product — alloy wheels — in order to guarantee the company’s full independence.

The investment to convert and develop the equipment for the new production had the objective of offering customers a high quality product. After just a few years, Fondmetal wheels successfully were standing out in the market and in 1984 the production was completely dedicated to alloy wheels.

f1-fondmetalThe founder’s tendency to start new adventures, in different sectors too, took the company to face the car-racing world and widen its horizons.

From 1989 to 1992, the company from Bergamo took part in the Formula 1 World Championship with its own Fondmetal F1 team.

In 1993, Fondmetal Technologies (FondTech) was established to offer consultancy on racing car aerodinamics and wind tunnel tests, while in 1997 and up to 2000, a majority share in the Minardi F1 team was acquired and held.

Nowadays, the activities of the Fondmetal Group are aimed just to the creation of car technologies, in a highly competitive sector that is constantly looking for the highest levels of performance and perfection also in details.

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Alloy wheel liquid coatings are produced in the Berlingo (BS) plant, where Arsonsisi is specialized in the production of solvent and water coatings for metals and plastics, established in various highly specialized industrial sectors.

For the automotive sector, Arsonsisi has obtained the ISO TS 16949 certification for the production and marketing of liquid and powder coatings.