In most operations where the corrosion resistance of finished workpieces must be especially high, conversion coatings are applied using zinc phosphate.

This approach is widely used in the automotive industry and in certain sectors of the appliance and electronics industries. Similarly, zinc phosphating is often specified by the armed services, especially for equipment that may be exposed to severe environments. Moreover, many operations using electrocoating or powder coatings, particularly when a one-coat finish will be exposed to the weather, pretreat workpieces with zinc phosphate.