Coated lead a value added option for ballast

Coated lead has become the norm for the Navy and the Coast Guard. This eliminates the lead dust situation in a closed in environment of a ship or sub. This process has been being performed by the big ship and submarine builders for 15 plus years.  For years they performed this painting task on their sites, but over the past 5-10 years the lead manufacturers have taken on this task. Its is a nice value added process for the lead industry.

Manufacturers of all kinds of medical equipment that use lead parts also use coated lead parts. Coating can be paint, epoxy or even just etching products. Keeping raw lead out of the hands of manufacturers employees is a smart health and safety move.

We have seen the bridge builders using epoxy coated lead products in the construction process.

Coated lead products will be a growing value added product line for all lead manufacturers over the next few years. I envision the smart lead companies even having their own painting operations. This is a good news for an industry with very tight margins and significant over capacity issues through out the United States.