New Anodizing Treatment Provides Superior Corrosion and Heat Protection for Key Engine Components While Cutting CO2 Emissions by Half Suzuki Marine USA has introduced Suzuki Edge eCoat, an advanced new engine anodizing process that delivers two very important things — superior corrosion protection for saltwater use and significantly reduced environmental impact. This new factory process was first used in August 2024 to manufacture Suzuki’s popular DF140B outboard. As of September 2025, the application of Suzuki Edge eCoat was expanded to include the DF140BG, DF140B, DF115BG, and DF115B models, and will progressively be adopted across Suzuki Marine’s model line-up.
This anodizing process was developed by Suzuki Motor Corporation specifically to protect key engine components, including the cylinder block, cylinder head, and crankcase. It is designed to withstand high temperatures and provide superior corrosion resistance by uniformly coating cooling water passages and other engine components that have contact with cooling water. As Suzuki outboards are extremely popular for use in bays, oceans, and other marine environments, this new level of protection will benefit boaters in many regions throughout the United States.
‘First and foremost, Suzuki Edge eCoat is a premium finish that performs,” said Brandon Cerka, Vice President Sales and Marketing for Suzuki Marine USA. “We are always looking for ways to improve our products and provide a more robust, reliable product for the boating industry and boaters nationwide. This latest development from our factory in Japan accomplishes this, while providing a significant environmental advantage as well,” added Cerka.
The Suzuki Edge eCoat process involves immersing aluminum components in an electrolytic solution and passing an electric current through it to create a porous layer on the surface. Corrosion resistance is enhanced by the formation of an aluminum oxide coating. By innovating the immersion process to prevent air pockets, Suzuki can uniformly treat the complex shape of cooling water passages.Superior heat resistance is another key advantage of this process. By employing a low temperature sealing treatment using metal hydrates to close the fine pores on the surface, Suzuki can maintain corrosion resistance even when exposed to temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius (572o F). This treatment is the first of its kind to be adopted for mass-produced outboard motor engine components. *1
Suzuki’s new anodizing process also includes special protection for the cast iron sleeve integrated into the cylinder block. Because this sleeve can suffer from pitting if it contacts the electrolytic solution, Suzuki has developed a sealing technology using a dedicated jig that protects this critical sleeve throughout the anodizing process.
This entire process not only provides superior protection for key internal engine components, but it also allows for an approximately 50% reduction is CO2 emissions compared to traditional treatment methods — which previously involved a chemical treatment followed by painting. This change eliminates the energy consumption associated with drying and baking the paint.
“Finding ways to reduce the environmental footprint of recreational boating is an ongoing process at Suzuki Marine,” Cerka said. “From expanding our successful Micro Plastics Collecting Device, to finding better alternatives to pack and ship our parts and motors, to making our entire operation more energy efficient, we are always looking for ways to improve. With this new process, we are making our engines more durable while simultaneously reducing energy consumption. That’s what I call a win-win,” added Cerka.
Guiding Suzuki Marine’s conservation ethos is the company’s CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT, a far-reaching program involving grass-roots clean-up events, technological advancements, and waste reduction efforts designed to minimize the environmental impact of boating worldwide. This ongoing commitment helped Suzuki Marine win the inaugural 2025 EPIC Award in the Sustainability Category from Soundings Trade Only Magazine. According to the EPIC Awards website, the Sustainability Category was established to “recognize projects that use inventive design to meaningfully reduce harm to the environment,” and for “developing products with consideration for end-of-life cycles, a thoughtful utilization of materials for packaging, shipping, industrial design and components.”
The introduction of Suzuki Edge eCoat is testament to Suzuki Marine’s passion for enriching the boater experience through technological innovation, while simultaneously pursuing its sincere responsibility to preserve our oceans for future generations. Moving forward, Suzuki will continue to build a better marine future for all boaters.
*1 Based on Suzuki Research
###About Suzuki Marine
Suzuki is a leading manufacturer of 4-stroke outboard motors ranging from the ultra-portable 2.5 horsepower to the flagship DF350 V-6 with contra-rotating dual propellers. Over the years, Suzuki outboards have won nine Innovation Awards from the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) for motors as small as 25 horsepower, demonstrating Suzuki’s commitment to making the best technology available to the widest possible audience. Over the past few years, Suzuki Marine USA opened a U.S. Marine Technical Center in Panama City, Florida and moved to a new corporate headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to be closer to the heart of the U.S. boating industry and boating capital of the country. Through its CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT, regional cleanup and habitat restoration efforts around the world, and company-wide plastic waste reduction efforts, Suzuki has demonstrated a commitment to protecting coastal and marine habitat at home and around the world.
