A powder coating plant uses electrostatic powder paints that are applied dry and then cured in an oven at temperatures between 160°C and 200°C. It offers excellent mechanical resistance, zero solvent emissions and a high transfer efficiency (up to 99% of the powder can be recovered). A liquid painting plant, on the other hand, uses paints in liquid form (water or solvent based) and is preferred where special finishes, complex metallic colours or treatments on materials unsuited to oven heat are required. Varco International designs and builds both types, in manual and automatic versions.