Steelpan will soon be more than music to the ears, it also will be a sight for sore eyes and create a new industry.

A new business venture embarked upon by Panland Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (formerly known as Trinidad and Tobago Instruments Ltd) has brought colour to the world of pan. After observing the finish of NAMM's (National Association of Music Merchants) coloured pans at instrument trade shows in USA, Panland CEO, Michael Cooper was determined to find the source of the glossy finish and rainbow colours that graced the foreign pans and bring that home to our pan men.

Cooper did just that. He formed an alliance with a US "pan coating" company in 2003 and since then steelpans from his factory have been shipped overseas to be powder coated in an array of colours and hues.

Cooper said "the powder coating system is a new service we offer at Panland. We have discovered that the powder system is the future of coating pans and we have jumped on board to bring this service and innovative addition to the world of pan back to the people who created pan.

"Powder coating will also keep the pans free from rust and brighten up our Panorama festival with a new burst of colour that will add a whole different dimension to pan."

Powder coating is also a new type of business in T&T. Pans can be textured and special effects can be added. Rusty or dull, painted pans can be resurfaced and recoated. Resurfacing can cost anything between $50 and $300 according to the condition of the pan.

However, Cooper said finishing a steelpan with powder coating is also cheaper than a chrome finish. He also said the price of pans will be decreased as a result of this new in-road in pan coating.

"As of the first of July, we have already decreased our prices," he said, "and though they are now cheaper the instruments may last longer as rusting will not be an issue.

"Pan men will no longer have to run from rain and rainy day jobs, this will give them new advantage in the music business," said Cooper. and Eastern Main Road, Laventille.

"This is still a new process, hot off the press but we are already expecting spectators to show up for Carnival 2K7 to look at more than the pretty costumes but also the new-look pans."

Before the introduction of the powder coating business to T&T coloured pans were available, but Cooper explained that they would be coloured through the use of paint which would produce a nice colour but it would dull the sound, "and nobody wanted a pretty pan that played ugly notes, powder coating ensures that your pretty pan will play superior notes also."

For this service pan men will have to fork out $300 to coat a tenor pan with a basic coat or $450 for a premium double pass coat, whereas coating the six pan ensemble which makes up the bass pan can run at $4500 for a basic coat or $6750 for a premium coat.

Cooper said an array of colours including black, white, silver, red, blue, green, yellow, gold, extreme chrome and multicoloured blends are available to those music lovers who wish to indulge and be some of the first to have their pans powder-coated and personalised.

"Powder coating lasts as long as chrome, plays just as well, fights against rusting, it is a cheaper and quicker process, is much more aesthetically appealing and the coating process is environmentally friendly," said Cooper.

He said he saw it as a business venture worth investing in and a new process worth trusting.

NB: Pan Trinbago is no longer a share holder in Panland Trinidad and Tobago as was erroneously reported last week. It has been replaced by Dynamic Equity Company Limited which is a significant investor in the company.

Though the service is yet to be formally launched, it is already available at Trinidad Powder Coaters, a sub division of Panland Trinidad and Tobago located at the corner of Dorata St