2 DECEMBER 20142

Written by Leon Bracey

Headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Bridge-

ton, Missouri, CUI provides services such as com-

posite repair technology, ultra high-pressure

cleaning, industrial coatings and linings, concrete repair

and protection, lead abatement, specialized surface prep-

aration and fireproofing.

“We occupy a niche market – working in all industrial markets

– as a specialty industrial contractor, protecting concrete and

steel from corrosion fire,” Mr. Phillipp says. He started working

in the office of the family business as a child and worked in

the field throughout high school and college.

For five generations, the Phillipp family has owned CUI

resulting in a management team with decades of experi-

ence. In 1954, Fred Phillipp Sr. began building a business in

Since 1954, Coatings Unlimited, Inc. (CUI) has provided industrial coatings on some of the most ambitious projects throughout North America. Vice President Steve Phillipp, Jr. spoke to Business In Focus about CUI and how the company has grown from a regional contractor into a national firm while holding onto its principles of quality, safety and performance.

“CUI provides specialty coatings for a wide range of industries and sectors such as food processing,

pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, industrial process, mining, power and heavy

manufacturing.”

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which his sons, Fred and Steve Sr., would

grow up working. By 1973, the Phillipp

family was able to buy out the non-fami-

ly partners and add services, technology,

equipment and staff to meet the needs

of its customers.

Coatings Unlimited began by applying

coatings in chemical and auto plants.

The company later expanded to special-

ized projects and applications, such as

fireproofing or linings for tanks.

Today, CUI provides specialty coatings for

a wide range industries and sectors such

as food processing, pharmaceutical, pulp

and paper, industrial process, mining,

power and heavy manufacturing.

For composite repair technology, CUI uses

fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites

to externally bond to structural members

using epoxy resin, increasing the load

carrying capacity of steel and concrete

structures. Embedded in resin of these

structural strengthening systems are high

strength fibers such as carbon, glass or

Kevlar. The resin protects the fibers, main-

tains the fiber alignment and distributes

the loads evenly among them.

FRP composites were originally used in

industries such as aerospace, automotive

and sports equipment. The composites

are now becoming used extensively for the structural upgrade of steel and concrete

structures in more general applications.

Concrete repair and protection coatings from CUI are applied to industrial concrete surfaces

to extend lifespan, provide traction, seal out penetration by chemicals, corrosive materials

or food products. The coatings can even be used to improve aesthetics. Concrete surfaces

can be damaged or fail due to improper mixing and installation of the concrete or from

the effects of impacts, normal wear, weathering, structural shifts or chemicals such as salt.

CUI has extensive experience in assessing the status of concrete surfaces, the development

of specifications to remediate concrete repairs and the removal of damaged or contami-

nated material. After the condition of the concrete is analyzed, it can be repaired. A variety

of materials are used for this purpose, including epoxy adhesives and coatings, cementi-

tious and epoxy grouts, joint fillers and sealants or other concrete restoration materials. The

company can also protect concrete using uses clear sealers, epoxies or UV floor coatings.

Fireproofing is another specialty of CUI. The company is experienced in the specifica-

tion, planning and application of all industrial fireproofing materials and is a Society

for Protective Coatings (SSPC) QP1 and QP2 certified contractor.

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CUI also offers ultra high-pressure water jetting to clean asphalt,

concrete and metal surfaces for the purpose of repair and re-

application of coatings at pressures above 25,000 psi.

Its high-pressure cleaning process is used to remove mem-

branes, elastomeric coatings, paint, rubber, mastics and paint.

Typical applications include metal surfaces, highways, runways

and parking structures. Extensive pre-planning and scheduling,

containment, environmental health and safety are vital due to

the dangers of this cleaning.

For industrial coating, CUI provides its clients the knowledge

to choose the appropriate coating and when and how to

use it. Proper selection of coatings avoids coating failure that

could affect plant downtime in an industrial process setting.

The company also assists clients in developing specifications,

schedules and safety programs for the application of industrial

coatings and linings.

Commonly used external coatings include alkyds, epoxies, epoxy

copolymers, water/solvent borne inorganic zinc-rich coatings, water-

borne acrylics, silicones and one- and two-pack polyurethanes.

While white lead hasn’t been a component of paints or other

coatings in decades, significant amounts can still be found on

industrial, municipal and transportation structures. CUI’s lead

abatement team works to reduce the hazards to people from

airborne particles of lead coatings. The company specializes in

lead abatement and the removal of hazardous materials such as

asbestos. In some situations, the removal of these materials can

be more harmful than leaving it in place. In such cases, lead-

based materials may be encapsulated rather than removed,

and CUI is expert in working with customers to develop effec-

tive risk mitigation programs.

This diversity of services has enabled the company to remain agile

over the years and, more importantly, stay afloat in a volatile economy.

“The recession reinforced the idea to continue to innovate and

expand our service portfolio and diversify our services,” Phillipp

says. “Any capital and maintenance spending in the marketplace

– we can capture it because the end-user knows what addi-

tional services we can perform related to our core services. For

example, we didn’t know we could even do fireproofing, but that

helped us expand our revenue with existing clients and let them

know what other scopes we can perform for them and demon-

strate that we’re a full-service specialty contractor.”

The company owners have held various leadership positions

within the Society for Protective Coatings, the Painting and Deco-

rating Contractors of America and the Finishing Contractors Asso-

ciation. CUI’s deep-seated commitment to quality has led it to

incorporate the training and performance standards of those pro-

fessional organizations in raising its safety and standards of service.

“For composite repair technology, CUI uses fiber reinforced polymer

(FRP) composites to externally bond to structural members using

epoxy resin.”

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CUI takes a proactive approach in creating safe work environ-

ments. Through continuous evaluation, it seeks to minimize the

impact on the communities in which it works and the environ-

ment while preventing harm to employees. All employees have

training in specific tasks and safety education. The program is

continuously reviewed our program to identify to identify job-

specific risks and potential areas of improvement, and then

reduce or eliminate them if possible.

“There is a lot of regulation in the construction industry from

OSHA,” Phillipp says. “We train our employees based on those

rules and regulations, so we have lots of workforce safety

training as well as tech-skills based training.” Employee safety

covers everything from ladders, scaffolding and respiratory

protection to hazards from lead, chromium and cadmium. Its

workers learn how those particular dangers may affect their

health and how to protect and monitor themselves.

CUI’s commitment to service and safety is based on its principles,

and Phillipp says that these are what have kept the company

in business for sixty years. “They’re ingrained into the culture

around here and really show our commitment to business.”

It is important for the company to continue to build on its

family heritage and to remain privately owned by active man-

agement and guided by firmly held values. A dedication to

ethics, excellence, safety and sustainability create an environ-

ment of mutual respect and an inclusive culture.

The vision of CUI is to be the nation’s premier industrial specialty

coating contractor. Its goal is for customers and partners to see

the company as an essential part of their success as CUI anticipates

their needs and delivers on the commitments made to them.

“Our customers and partners are integral to our success,”

Phillipp shares. “Our vendors are more like our partners; they

need us, and we need them to land more business. We view

our vendors as an extension of business development arm.”

CUI has embarked on projects designed to reduce danger at

many facilities. At a coal power plant, the company had a thirty

man trowel crew in order to reduce the explosion hazards of

coal dust. To prevent the dust from accumulating, the crew

covered all surfaces with high-performance Carboline coatings.

The rapidly accelerated project was completed ahead of

schedule, freeing workers for other projects and reducing scaf-

folding costs. Early completion allowed the client to test the

newly installed equipment successfully and on schedule. “Our

clients know that know if we’re on job, projects will be installed

per their specifications and standards, which is a comforting

feeling for them,” explains Phillip.

For over sixty years, Coatings Unlimited’s dedication to quality,

service, safety and performance has helped reduce hazards

for many companies. Its experience has given the company

a wealth of knowledge while creating extensive relationships

with its skilled labor and industry clients.

“Industry leaders count on Coatings Unlimited,” says Phillipp. “We

have a long history of performing projects on time, for the price

that we supply, with zero incidents and strong financial resources,

to accomplish the most challenging projects. And we’ve always

prevailed – never failed – to complete a project. Our reliability is

rock-solid, and we have strong values for a “get it done” mindset.”

“A diversity of services has enabled the company to remain agile over the years and, more importantly, stay afloat in a volatile economy.”

Unit 210, 1310 Hollis Street, Halifax NS B3J 3P3, Canada | Phone: 1-888-477-2938 Ext. 206

Coatings Unlimited

4325 Bridgeton Industrial Drive

St. Louis MO 63044

P: 314-739-1081

F: 314-739-1187

www.coatingsunltd.com