Recently Products Finishing traveled to Karlsruhe, Germany to attend Paint Expo 2024 and get a global perspective of trends in industrial coatings and to learn about the latest technologies. In this episode of On the Line, Gardner Business Media brand vice president for finishing and valve media Todd Luciano and PF editor in chief Scott Francis discuss some of the takeaways from the visit.  ..read more

As the EPA conducts fact-finding surveys in the metal finishing community regarding PFAS contamination, wastewater treatment is a growing concern for finishing operations. In this installment of Products Finishing’s On the Line podcast we’re digging into trends in wastewater management. Robin Deal, product manager and wastewater treatment specialist with Hubbard-Hall recently took some time out of her busy schedule to sit down with PF and discuss the latest in this field ..read more

In this episode of Products Finishing’s On the Line podcast, we  delve into the subject of workforce, touching on such topics as gender roles in manufacturing, and the importance of education in fostering a workforce for the future of the industry. Holly Gottfredson, president of two companies involved in manufacturing for the architectural market (American Metalcraft Inc. and Finishing Dynamics), recently took some time out of her busy schedule to talk with PF about her work running these companies and as an advocate for women in manufacturing and industry education ..read more

In the latest installment of On the Line, Products Finishing learned about a recent ERP deployment by manufacturing software solutions provider Steelhead Technologies that was completed in record time for A1 Paint, Powder and Sandblasting in Kansas City, Missouri. Frank Laster, president and owner of A1 and Jordan Peterson, deployment engineer for Steelhead Technologies, recently sat down with PF to talk about the project ..read more

The end of 2023 marks the completion of the third full season of Products Finishing’s On the Line podcast. This installment marks our 38th episode of OTL (not counting several bonus episodes, video eps, etc.) and our last of 2023.  To celebrate, PF is looking back at some of the stories from the past year that stood out as representative of some of the major topics in the surface finishing industry. Check out this special retrospective episode ..read more

One of the biggest issues in the metal finishing industry is the move away from hexavalent chromium-based finishing technologies. While trivalent chromium alternatives have existed for decades, hexavalent has been favored by many in the industry. Today, as trivalent chemistries improve and regulations tighten, more platers are compelled to make the switch. In this installment of On the Line, PF had the opportunity to speak with John Mulder, president of Master Finish (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Master Finish has a long history in chrome plating for decorative applications and has been using trivale ..read more

In this installment of On the Line, we take a look at evolving material solutions trends and what they mean for finishers, particularly with regard to ways in which lightweighting and electrification of aerospace and automotive applications are influencing finishing operations. Peter Mirabello is chairman of Metal Finishing Technologies LLC, a company with a 75-year legacy in metal finishing with much of its work focused on aerospace and defense, including a large maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) division. Mirabello recently spoke with Products Finishing about his pas ..read more

Recently, Products Finishing attended the 2023 SUR/FIN finishing trade show and technical conference organized by the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). Unsurprisingly, one of the big topics of discussion was the increasing adoption of trivalent chromium technologies for finishing applications. One company working to advance the use of trivalent chromium for functional coating applications is Trion Coatings (South Bend, Ind.) with its SAFEChrome technology. SUR/FIN provided a perfect opportunity to catch up with Trion President Doug Morrison and Vice President of Marketing ..read more

From research chemist to chemistry teacher to marketing manager to business development, Astro Electroplating’s new president Chrissy Pullara has already had a prolific career in finishing — she recently sat down with Products Finishing's On the Line podcast to talk about her experience, trends in the industry and what’s next for her company ..read more

In this installment of Products Finishing’s On the Line column, we discuss ERP solutions for finishers, and the latest trends and software for streamlining business operations. Given the wide variety of ERP systems, from off-the-shelf solutions to custom programs, how do finishers know what to look for when they’re thinking of implementing new software? Robert (Bobby) Haggard is a consultant for TrinSoft LLC, a company that provides industry-specific solutions for manufacturing and finishing businesses. PF recently sat down with Haggard to get his insights into what finishers should consider w ..read more