by Doug Trageser, C.E.F
Southeast US Regional Manager
As published in Products Finishing Magazine, August 2020 issue.
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When I began my career in metal finishing in the mid-1980s, the industry took an introspective view of where it came from and in what direction it was going. It is interesting to look back at that time and remember all of the changes that began occurring as we entered the 1990s. Environmental concerns dominated the industry. I can specifically remember the market being flooded with new technology and equipment to deal with environmental concerns about the plating process. This was followed by developments in plating technology that addressed global concerns about the air and water pollution associated with the disposal of the plated product at the end of its life. The challenge presented to proprietary chemical formulators was to develop environmentally friendly processes that met the demand for corrosion-resistant finishes.
Fast forward to today. The industry, as a whole, has adapted very well at providing OEMs in various industries with finishes that comply with strict environmental standards, while also meeting very challenging corrosion resistance requirements. Read more.
Pictured above: Asterion acid zinc and trivalent passivate are used on a variety of cold-form fittings and pipes. Photo courtesy of APCOM (Franklin, Tenn.)
