Kida Seiko(Higashi Osaka City) added black color to its lineup of "stainless plating," a surface treatment featuring high corrosion resistance, in February this year. In addition to the conventional items of white and blue colors, the company intends to offer black, which is highly visible, in the future.

The stainless plating is a composite surface treatment technology consisting of three layers: (1) stainless plating, (2) trivalent chromate, and (3) ZECCOAT®. It boasts high corrosion resistance of more than 300 hours before white rusting and more than 2,000 hours before red rusting in salt spray tests, as well as excellent heat resistance that allows use in a high-temperature atmosphere (180°C) without problems. Since stainless plating can provide high corrosion resistance comparable to stainless steel, cost reduction effects can be expected by replacing stainless steel products with stainless plated products.

The stainless plating is available in two colors: white, which is close to the color of stainless steel, and blue, but black was added in February of this year. The company's representative said, "We have been receiving requests for black color for some time," and added, "After repeated trial and error, we were able to produce a beautiful black color. The new product is highly visible, making it easy to distinguish when working in the field. Stainless Plating has a proven track record in many fields, including automobiles, home appliances, construction, and outdoor applications, and the company aims to further expand sales by adding black to its product lineup.