By Sean Delaney
Founded in 1989, Topkote Design Finishes Inc. provides top quality industrial finish services to the GTA and surrounding areas.
Over the years, as trends change, the company stressed the importance of investing in new technologies and techniques to get the job done more quickly and efficiently. However, Topkote’s focus remains small quantities and odd shaped parts.
“This benefits consumers that require industrial finishes for several pieces rather than several thousand,” said Joe De Ciantis, President and Owner of Topkote. “We paint things like bike frames, railings, patio furniture, louvres, glass and more.”
Topkote specializes in residential railings or internal home rails in custom homes. They provide specific colours for specific custom railings, whether spindle or welded railing, anything that’s metal, De Ciantis said.
And while they’ll paint in the high-rise industry, they remain focused on high-end work to feed the artist inside of them.
“In the high-rise industry, if you look at a building nowadays, there might be some brickwork for the first couple of floors, then stucco, then concrete, and all these colours are different,” De Ciantis said. “So, we’ll paint stuff for high rise, and sometimes you’ll get five different colours on one condo, and the job will be quite complex.”
High end storefronts that require custom aluminium framing around glass are also something Topkote will do, De Ciantis said.
Not very many powder coaters provide the services Topkote does, as they don’t require the typical minimum quantity to do a job. It’s allowed them to blend seamlessly in the construction and home improvement industries.
On some jobs, instead of having to replace a number of pieces that remain in good condition, customers can see restored what they already have. And with special equipment, they can provide their services remotely.
Stairs, storefronts, railings and more, can be painted on location or at Topkote.
De Ciantis answered an ad to manage Topkote in 1995. In 1999, the owner approached him and offered to sell him the business in order to retire.
Joe approached another employee and together, they took on the business in 1999. In 2003, that partner decided he wanted to go in a different direction, so De Ciantis bought him out. And Topkote has grown ever since.
Initially, he expanded his operations from 4000 square feet to 5000 square feet, and then in 2010, he secured the lease on the property in Emery Village and doubled his capacity.
“We purchased new equipment, bigger equipment to be able to handle and service the clients we had, and new ones, and we basically are growing daily with the type of work that we do,” De Ciantis said. “We don’t do high volume. That’s not where we fit in the marketplace. We cater to the people who need two pieces of one colour, five or six of another colour, so we’re in a unique market, but it’s what we do best. We cater more to the custom than the production.”
Topkote can be found at: 40 Millwick Dr., Unit 12. You can reach them at: 416-740-9567. Or find them online at: www.topkotefinishes.com