Five years into his professional career, Perry Walton is moving into a greater management role at MikoFlex Coating Solutions, taking over for his father, Mike Walton.
The two founded MikoFlex, an industrial and commercial corrosion company focused on specialty coating applications, in 2018 after perceiving a host of major shortcomings in the industry.
The younger Walton, who attended College of the Mainland and Texas State University, said that time and again he and his father watched millions of square feet of assets being replaced at refineries and other facilities — because the cost of coating those assets was too high.
"MikoFlex, through its flagship product PowerSpray, can keep end users from ever replacing another asset," Walton said. "Thirty-plus year longevity, no sandblasting and absolutely zero VOCs enable MikoFlex to tackle the big problems in the corrosion industry." The industry is ready for a product that can last 30 years with no maintenance, and then can be resprayed to last another 30 years with no sandblasting.
MikoFlex’s Walton: Innovating future design, continuing a family legacy
Founders of MikoFlex, Perry and Mike Walton
That message is being preached by MikoFlex as it looks to establish itself as a leader in the coatings industry, which is the legacy that Walton wants to leave behind. "I want MikoFlex to be known for its excellent service and saving customers money," he added.
PowerSpray and its variants allow MikoFlex to compete with the largest manufacturers by reducing surface preparation requirements and decreasing application times.
"We are competitive by having excellent, innovative products; we remain competitive through our commitment to excellence in all areas," said Walton. "How you do anything is how you do everything."
A typical day for him consists of setting and taking meetings with distributors, contractors and O&G companies, including pipelines and refinery personnel. Skills heavily relied upon in his role as GM include sales management, organizational and people skills, problem solving and patience. But he quickly added that having a sense of humor helps, too.
Walton said he attributes his success to his dad, who has been his greatest mentor. "I have been watching and listening to my dad do business since I was a kid. I know that has greatly contributed to my personal development, and as a young businessman," he said.
"Joining my family’s business and helping to build it from the ground up has allowed my personal development and business-centric skills to grow tenfold," he added. Access to ownership and being involved in high-level management decisions is something he could not have gotten anywhere else, which he is incredibly grateful for, Walton noted.
As for the future of the coatings industry, Walton believes it will see improved surface-tolerant coatings, integrated external corrosion management (IECM) and a massive design phase procurement initiative on the client side.
"I can’t tell you how many times we have been called just a few weeks too late to save the customer millions of dollars," said Walton.
He explained that IECM connects expert-corrosion specialists with end users to control corrosion by establishing uniform practices, material selection and design across an organization.
Perry Walton General Manager MikoFlex Coating Solutions
"If a maintenance manager or engineer is handling 10 different projects of all types on a daily basis, it would be very difficult to stay up to date with the latest developments in technology," Walton said. "An effective IECM program can help them find the best solution for any given problem."
For more information, visit mikoflex.com or call (409) 771-3009.
