I-FRONT, a new brand of painted MDF fronts

We've reached I-FRONTCluj-Napoca shortly after I filmed the footage about finishing MDF, which you can see here. I still had in mind what I had said about the quality of the paint film and the conditions in the finishing area, when the proposal came to visit a new manufacturer of painted MDF fronts equipped with a pressurized spray booth. It was a perfect fit, it was like the conclusion of the video filmed, so I immediately accepted. That's how we met Marius (Marius Bob) and Miși (Kiss Mihaly), two of the four shareholders of the company, who told us how the idea of the painted MDF front factory came about and about their plans for the future (see video at the end of the article).

The birth of a new brand of MDF fronts

I-FRONT was born out of necessity. Marius, a friend of the other three shareholders since college, started a furniture business some time ago. One of the problems he faced was the increasingly difficult struggle to meet delivery deadlines due to the lack of fronts in Painted MDF. Although there are two major manufacturers of painted MDF fronts, the increasing demand has led to a considerable increase in delivery times. Marius has seen that he's not the only one with such problems, as demand is high all over the country, not just in Cluj, where he operates. So he came up with the idea of setting up a factory to paint MDF to the highest quality standards.

As high quality meant big investment, he seriously documented the idea and presented the business proposal to his old friends. The timing couldn't have been better. Even though they were already in the construction business, Miși and his partners liked Marius' idea and they set off down this road together.

Everything they have done since the decision to industrially paint MDF has been about quality. They purchased equipment to ensure a continuous production flow, fast turnaround on orders, outstanding milling and a high quality finish. They started right from the beginning with machines for processing MDF and equipment for the finishing area: with a circular slicer, CNC, sanding machine, pressurised spray booth and high-performance exhaustion system.

The first painted MDF fronts were made for Marius' factory. That way they could check the quality and improve where needed. Only when they were satisfied, and they are hard to please when it comes to quality, did they start accepting orders from factories in the area. In the meantime, they are testing new designs and finishes and developing a line of clear finished veneered MDF. For now they are focusing on the market in and around Cluj, but they don't rule out expanding if there is demand. The focus is on quality and they are counting on it to conquer the market.

High film quality is only achieved in a clean environment

The very good quality of the painted surfaces is due to the clean working environment. Dust removal is very well managed and is absent even where sanding is done by hand. Dust is removed as soon as it is generated, it is not allowed to accumulate.

The spraying area is well separated from the mechanical processing area. Even if you try to remove it as best you can, some dust still remains and it doesn't take much to ruin a wet paint film. Between the spray booth and the machine shop they have set up a buffer area, used more for passing and temporary storage of some finishing materials. From here they enter the pressurised spray booth and the drying area for the painted plates.

High cabin pressure keeps dust at bay. This is where finishing materials are applied and the vacuum system removes over-spray particles. What's left is electrostatically attracted to the film on the walls. The panels are left in this area for dust and fingerprint drying. Only then are they moved to the drying area.

Sanding, both of milled MDF and of insulation and primer is done very well and with great care. On flat surfaces, a sanding machine with brushes and drums is used. In hard-to-reach milling areas, sanding is done with hand-held machines with a vacuum cleaner or even by hand. In the end, the painted boards have a smooth surface and a very pleasant to the touch tuft.

Finishing products and supplier relationship

Last but not least, the quality of the finish depends on the materials used and the relationship created with the supplier. The materials should be of a professional standard, created specifically for industrial use, not those from DIY stores. They are finishing systems with successive layers, each with its own role, which in the end result in quality finished surfaces. Stages don't skip, drying times don't shorten, application technology doesn't change! There are no shortcuts if you want quality.

The relationship with the supplier is important because they choose the right system and determine the technology. He knows the way to get the finish customers want. I-FRONT works with Lomiluxand use ICA brand finishing materials, but the above recommendation applies regardless of the supplier chosen. Marius and Miși have a very good relationship with Lomilux and Cristi, who established the technology and the materials they work with. He is there when a new finish is desired or if the slightest problem arises. You can see Cristi here presenting various berries for staining wood.

You can watch the talk with Marius and Miși in their new painted MDF factory below. Good luck I-FRONT!