Published on October 31, 2022
Fort Wayne, Indiana (October 31, 2022) — Harris® Boats, a leading pontoon manufacturer, today announced the launch of its new powder coat painting process at its factory in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This new in-house capability for Harris enables the automation of powder coating fence components. Designed to streamline operations, the new paint equipment, which is operated by a hand-selected team of trained professionals, enables the reduction of manufacturing costs, improved quality, and improved flexibility.
“This new in-house capability helps move our business forward and transforms our manufacturing process,” said Chris Bernauer, Harris president. “Pontoon demand continues to remain strong, and we believe that the installation of the new powder coating system will pay dividends for years to come. The initial feedback has already been overwhelmingly positive, and we are confident that our dealers and customers will be thrilled with the end result.”
Featuring a 3-dimensional part scanner that adjusts the distance to the surface for the powder coat spray guns, the system requires only a quality inspector on duty at any time and the process is controlled via a touch screen user interface. Staff on site are protected by dozens of safety interlocks to prevent improper use of the machine. To improve sustainability, it has a cyclone system that separates reclaimable powder from unusable powder.
Following a year of development, the new process began operation in June.