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35 Year Pvd Coating Machine In Foxin
Faucet PVD Coating Equipment: How New Zealand Brand Felton Built Local Coating Capability
Overview
For a bathroom brand that buys in part of its range, installing faucet PVD coating equipment is usually a decision about control: over color, over batches, and over where the work actually happens. New Zealand bathroom brand Felton took that step with a 1616 medium-frequency PVD coating system from FOXIN, establishing local coating capability and gaining more direct control over the color consistency of its faucet products. This case also records an unusual delivery stage, when the L/C documents were briefly lost in transit.
Project at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customer | Felton, a New Zealand bathroom brand |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Industry | Bathroom faucets |
| Market | New Zealand domestic market |
| Application | Faucet PVD coating |
| Equipment type | Medium-frequency PVD coating system |
| Equipment model | 1616 |
| Configuration | Standard project configuration |
| Order time | End of 2022 |
| Payment term | 100% L/C (Letter of Credit) |
| Production capacity | Not confirmed in the available project data |
Who the Client Is
Felton is a New Zealand bathroom brand that produces and sells bathroom faucet products, mainly for the New Zealand domestic market. Its range combines self-manufactured items with products sourced from external suppliers.
As its production operations developed, Felton wanted to increase what it could produce and process locally, and to bring part of the related manufacturing process in-house rather than relying entirely on outside supply.
The Requirement: New Capability, Not a Machine Swap
This project differs from a typical PVD upgrade. Felton did not have its own PVD coating equipment before this project, so there was no old machine to replace and no inherited problems with yield, cost, capacity or stability.
Two requirements shaped the decision.
Better Color Consistency Between Batches
Color is a visible product feature on a faucet, so batch-to-batch color differences are an appearance issue rather than a minor detail. Felton wanted tighter, more consistent color across production batches. It is the same concern that leads many bathroom manufacturers to compare PVD vs electroplated tapware before choosing a finish.
More of the Process Completed Locally
As Felton expanded its local production lines, it wanted selected products and related processes completed in New Zealand rather than supplied from outside.
In short, the goal was to add new local coating capability, not to fix an existing machine.
Why Felton Chose FOXIN
FOXIN prepared an equipment solution and a quotation based on Felton’s requirements, and the project was moved forward with support from the team in China. In the later stage, both sides focused on commercial terms, including payment, and agreed on 100% L/C (Letter of Credit). The order was confirmed at the end of 2022.
The available project information does not record which other suppliers Felton compared, so this case does not name competitor brands or claim a specific supplier comparison.
The Solution: A 1616 Medium-Frequency PVD Coating System
Based on Felton’s products and production requirements, FOXIN supplied a 1616 IP magnetron sputtering machine (a medium-frequency PVD coating system) for coating bathroom faucets and related products, giving Felton its own local coating capability.
No confirmed production capacity figure is available in the project data, so this case does not state a daily output. Actual PVD capacity depends on product dimensions, loading method, coating process and specific production requirements.
Project Equipment Information
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Customer | Felton |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Industry | Bathroom faucets |
| Market | New Zealand domestic market |
| Application | Faucet PVD coating |
| Equipment type | Medium-frequency PVD coating system |
| Equipment model | 1616 |
| Configuration | Standard project configuration |
| Production capacity | No confirmed data available |
| Order time | End of 2022 |
| Payment term | 100% L/C |
A Delivery Challenge Worth Recording: The L/C Documents Went Missing
The project hit an unusual international logistics problem during delivery. Because it ran under 100% L/C terms, the original documents, namely the bill of lading (B/L), commercial invoice (CI) and packing list, had to be sent to the customer’s bank in line with the L/C requirements.
The documents happened to be sent during the Chinese Spring Festival. After the holiday, when the DHL shipment was checked, it could not be located.
Because the originals mattered both to the L/C transaction and to the customer’s ability to collect the goods, the team did not simply wait. It immediately began preparing a backup plan.
The Emergency Handling
After confirming the shipment could not be found, the team prepared the required materials and contacted the freight forwarder. Replacing a lost bill of lading follows a set procedure, which starts with a formal loss notice. From preparing the materials and arranging payment to completing the notice and handing the documents to the forwarder, the process took roughly one to two days.
The forwarder then began preparing the replacement documents. While that was under way, however, the customer reported new information: the original DHL shipment had been found. The replacement bill of lading and other documents were no longer needed.
Final Outcome
- The original DHL shipment was located;
- The replacement documents were not required;
- The project payment was received;
- The customer collected the goods;
- The equipment project was completed.
The takeaway: in international PVD equipment exports, managing original documents under L/C terms is as much a part of delivery as manufacturing, shipping and installation.
What the Project Delivered
This was not a classic “old machine upgrade”, so there is no verified “capacity up X%” or “cost down X%” to report. What can be confirmed is:
- New local PVD coating capability — Felton previously had none, and the 1616 medium-frequency system added it.
- Support for local production — the equipment gives Felton a basis to extend its local production lines and complete related processes locally for selected products.
- Better control over product color — with its own coating capability, Felton can take a more direct role in the coating process that determines final color.
No before-and-after figures for yield, cost, capacity or color consistency are invented here, because none were provided.
Customer Experience
The available project information does not include a formal testimonial, a direct customer quotation or a satisfaction score from Felton, so none is invented in this case. What is confirmed is that the project was delivered, payment was received, and the customer collected the goods.
Figure: 1616 medium-frequency PVD coating system supplied to Felton in New Zealand.
Project Summary
Felton’s project is not a conventional PVD upgrade. The brand had no PVD coating equipment of its own; as its production operations developed, it wanted to increase local production and processing capability and tighten color consistency between batches.
FOXIN supplied a 1616 medium-frequency PVD coating system. The order was confirmed at the end of 2022 under 100% L/C payment. During delivery, the DHL shipment carrying the original documents was temporarily lost; the team prepared a replacement process for the bill of lading and other documents, and the original shipment was then found, so the backup documents were not needed. Payment was received, the customer collected the goods, and the project closed.
For bathroom brands planning to build local PVD coating capability, the Felton case shows that PVD equipment is not only about capacity expansion. It can also add local production capability and give a brand more direct control over product appearance.
Related Equipment and Articles
- bathroom hardware PVD coating machine — how faucet and bathroom hardware color finishing is configured for volume production
- view all coating machines — compare multi-arc, magnetron sputtering and large-diameter PVD models by chamber size and output per batch
Build Your Own Faucet PVD Coating Capability
If your faucets, bathroom fittings or other metal products currently rely on outside suppliers for surface coating, and you are considering your own PVD line, equipment selection comes down to product dimensions, product type, target colors, production method, available factory space and actual production requirements.
FOXIN can propose a suitable PVD vacuum coating system based on your products and production requirements. Contact us to discuss a PVD coating solution for your products.
FAQ
1. Why did Felton need a PVD coating system?
Felton did not have its own PVD coating equipment. The project was mainly intended to increase local production and processing capability, improve color consistency between batches, and allow selected products and related processes to be completed locally in New Zealand.
2. Did Felton have PVD equipment before this project?
No. Felton did not have its own PVD coating equipment before purchasing the FOXIN system. Its products included both self-manufactured items and products sourced from outside suppliers, so this was about adding new PVD capability rather than upgrading an existing system.
3. What PVD equipment did Felton purchase?
Felton purchased a 1616 medium-frequency PVD coating system, mainly for coating bathroom faucets and related products. The specific configuration was determined by the project requirements and is not detailed in this case.
4. What is the production capacity of Felton’s PVD system?
No confirmed production capacity figure is available for this project, so no daily output is stated. Actual capacity needs to be evaluated according to product dimensions, loading method, coating process and specific production requirements.
5. What payment method was used, and what happened with the documents?
The project used 100% L/C (Letter of Credit) payment, so the original bill of lading, commercial invoice and packing list had to be sent per the L/C requirements. During delivery the original DHL shipment was temporarily difficult to locate, but it was eventually found.
6. Can the same approach work for other bathroom fittings?
Yes. Medium-frequency PVD coating is used on stainless steel bathroom hardware where decorative color and corrosion resistance are both required. Film selection and fixture design are matched to the shape of the part.