Dunn-Edwards Expands Industrial Services with NACE Certification

Dunn-Edwards® is proud to announce that we have completed our first of two NACE CIP Level I Coatings Inspector Certification courses through National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) International. NACE is a worldwide organization recognized globally as the premier authority for corrosion control solutions. NACE offers technical training, certification programs, conferences, reports, publications, industry standards and governmental relations activities. By utilizing the NACE CIP Level I Certification program, Dunn-Edwards now has a highly trained and focused team of individuals with much greater, in-depth knowledge of corrosion control, substrate preparation, coatings and inspection knowledge to better serve the needs of the architectural, commercial, and light and heavy industrial coatings markets. Throughout our geographic footprint, we now have more than 25 team members who have been certified through the NACE CIP Level I Certification program, furthering our commitment to being the No. 1 resource for the professional painting contractor.

Through the NACE certification program, this team has developed a deeper understanding of the surface-preparation process, particularly on steel and other metal substrates. During the certification program, our team was exposed to and trained on industry-accepted surface-preparation standards — including SSPC-SP 1, 2 and 3, in addition to gaining greater knowledge regarding the use of dry abrasive blast cleaning standards for steel and other metallic substrates.

The rigorous course not only requires that students participate in four 10-hour days of intense lecture and study, but each student must also master the proper use of unique inspection tools that help determine successful coating installation — from surface inspection and cleanliness standards, environmental testing and proper profile verification, to proper wet film thickness (WFT), dry film thickness (DFT) and adhesion testing. In addition to lectures and tool usage, on lab day, every student is given a piece of 1 x 1 carbon steel and must progress through the entire surface preparation process, conduct dry abrasive blasting, and apply a zinc-rich primer with epoxy top coat. This is key to ensuring each student understands the importance of surface inspection, surface preparation and proper application required to guarantee a successful coatings project. Of course, in order to be certified, each student must pass three tests — written exam, log book and practical exam — upon completion of the course. By the end of the certification process, students have a better, practical understanding of the coatings process to ensure our customers get the best, most-qualified recommendations for their coatings projects.

At Dunn-Edwards, technical expertise, as well as exemplary customer service and industry knowledge are ideas that we take seriously. Our No. 1 goal is to be the coatings industry leader by providing not just the best products and service, but being committed to being your best resource when it comes to preparing and selecting the right coatings system for your architectural, commercial, and light and heavy industrial projects. For more information regarding NACE International and our commitment, please contact your local sales representative.