A coating apparatus comprising: a lower assembly comprising: an infeed belt configured to receive a substrate and direct the substrate to a treatment zone; and an upper assembly comprising: an upper distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate and spaced a distance away from the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more upper coating distributors adapted to deliver the treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes through the treatment zone; and at least one upper assembly vacuum opening, formed through the upper distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, characterized in that: the lower assembly further comprises: a lower distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more lower coating distributors adapted to deliver a treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes though the treatment zone; and at least one lower assembly vacuum opening, formed through the lower distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, wherein the lower distribution plate is located vertically below a plane defined by the infeed belt and the substrate is suspended above the lower distribution plate as the substrate passes through the treatment zone; and the at least one lower assembly vacuum opening includes a plurality of lower assembly perimeter vacuum openings disposed along each side of the treatment zone and along each end of the treatment zone and the at least one upper assembly vacuum opening includes a plurality of upper assembly perimeter vacuum openings disposed along each side of the treatment zone and along each end of the treatment zone, the plurality of lower assembly perimeter vacuum openings and the plurality of upper assembly perimeter vacuum openings creating a vacuum perimeter wall about an outer perimeter edge of the treatment zone. a lower assembly comprising: an infeed belt configured to receive a substrate and direct the substrate to a treatment zone; and an upper assembly comprising: an upper distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate and spaced a distance away from the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more upper coating distributors adapted to deliver the treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes through the treatment zone; and at least one upper assembly vacuum opening, formed through the upper distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, an upper distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate and spaced a distance away from the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more upper coating distributors adapted to deliver the treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes through the treatment zone; and at least one upper assembly vacuum opening, formed through the upper distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, the lower assembly further comprises: a lower distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more lower coating distributors adapted to deliver a treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes though the treatment zone; and at least one lower assembly vacuum opening, formed through the lower distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, wherein a lower distribution plate having a substrate facing side facing the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the treatment zone; one or more lower coating distributors adapted to deliver a treatment to the substrate while the substrate passes though the treatment zone; and at least one lower assembly vacuum opening, formed through the lower distribution plate, from one side thereof to the other side thereof, through which a vacuum is applied to provide a vacuum in a portion of the treatment zone, wherein the lower distribution plate is located vertically below a plane defined by the infeed belt and the substrate is suspended above the lower distribution plate as the substrate passes through the treatment zone; and the at least one lower assembly vacuum opening includes a plurality of lower assembly perimeter vacuum openings disposed along each side of the treatment zone and along each end of the treatment zone and the at least one upper assembly vacuum opening includes a plurality of upper assembly perimeter vacuum openings disposed along each side of the treatment zone and along each end of the treatment zone, the plurality of lower assembly perimeter vacuum openings and the plurality of upper assembly perimeter vacuum openings creating a vacuum perimeter wall about an outer perimeter edge of the treatment zone.