ANO-TALK: All Things Anodizing

Meet the Industry Figure: Kevin Janis, Reliant Aluminum Products

Our podcast hosts, Mark Spencer, George Oh and Tej Patel, talk with Kevin Janis, Business Development Manager for Reliant Aluminum Products to learn more about his 25-year career in the aluminum finishing industry. Kevin's background as a lawyer, his love of college football at his alma mater University of Wisconsin, his experience with a "wood-fired bright dip anodizing line" early in his career, and what he does during his down time are explored. Here Kevin's perspective on the benefits of attending the Anodizing Conference every year in this enlightening episode.

Dan Bishopp, Quaker Houghton, on Acid Etch

Dan Bishopp, Regional Sales Manager for Quaker Houghton, discusses his start in the aluminum extrusion industry and his eventual move into the anodizing line in the 1980s with Bonnell Aluminum in Kentland, Indiana with our hosts Mark Spencer and George Oh. He discusses his career trajectory from line worker to Process Improvement Manager with Bonnell Aluminum and then to Regional Sales Manager with Quaker Houghton. Dan explains how the Dallas Cowboy's Stadium project became the first architectural acid etch job in the United States. The eventual adoption of the acid etch process in the U.S., which reduces streaking on aluminum extrusions, and how the acid etch process may have increased the volume of anodizing today is also discussed.

Meet the Industry Figure: Rob Pawson

Rob Pawson, Vice President of Haviland Products in Grand Rapid, Michigan, talks with our hosts about his company, the anodizing industry, the benefits of membership and committee involvement in the Aluminum Anodizers Council, as well as Rob's longevity in the industry.

Bill Zahner and Aluminum Anodizing

President & CEO of A. Zahner Company, Bill Zahner, talks with our hosts to tell us a little about his background, and his company. The company, founded in 1887, is a pioneer in architectural metal fabrication, engineering and installation. Bill, a prolific writer, talks about the lack of knowledge of architectural metals during the research of his first book. The hosts dig into his book Aluminum Surfaces: A Guide to Alloys, Finishes, Fabrication and Maintenance in Architecture and Art, and discuss aluminum anodizing, its characteristics, how Zahner approaches anodizing finishes and how it differs from paint. Learn also what Bill does in his downtime, his aluminum finishing tips, and the differences between the use of anodized aluminum in the U.S. and Europe in this fascinating episode.

Sequel Anodizing Racks

Get into the details about anodizing racking with Kyle and Peter Schumer of Sequel Anodizing Racks, a 35-year-old family-owned and operated racking company in Minnesota. Kyle and Peter talk with our hosts about their career paths and how they landed in the anodizing industry, their approach to sales, experiences at the AAC Anodizing Conference, idiosyncrasies of anodizing racking, which type of racking material works best in various situations, and more.

Tej Patel of Techevon, Mark Spencer of AaCron Anodizing, George Oh of Quaker Houghton, and special guest Pinakin Patel of Techevon talk about the differences between anodizing and painting aluminum and why anodizing is actually a superior coating. The guys discuss why paints are used instead of anodizing and vice versa, the durability of both methods, benefits and drawbacks for anodizing and painting, color fading, filiform corrosion, and much more in this informative episode.

Meet the Industry Figure – Dawn Purucker

Learn a little bit about Dawn Purucker, Environmental, Health and Safety Director for Bonnell Aluminum in Niles, Michigan, including how she started in the anodizing industry, her career and educational background, what she likes to do in her spare time when she's not leading the safety program at Bonnell Aluminum, how she feels about Charlie Brown, and more.

Safety in the Anodizing Industry

Dawn Purucker, Environmental, Health and Safety Director for Bonnell Aluminum in Niles, Michigan, talks with podcast hosts George Oh and Tej Patel, about safety - specifically in the anodizing industry. In this fun and engaging episode, Dawn discusses her approach to safety at Bonnell Aluminum and the success she has had with reducing injuries, the types of safety issues in around the anodizing plant, how the culture of safety can bleed into other areas of one's life, the types of people who tend to display safe behavior, and more. In addition, tune in to hear some fun trivia about rocks, minerals and the Great Lakes from Dawn, Tej and George!

Non-Nickel Sealing

Pinakin Patel, Founder and President of Techevon LLC, with decades of experience in the anodizing industry, talks about the different anodizing sealing methods – and focuses specifically on non-nickel sealing – in this episode of ANO-Talk: All Things Anodizing. He talks with our hosts, George Oh, Mark Spencer and Tej Patel about this mid-temperature range (180-200 degrees F/82-93 Celsius) sealing method, the pros and cons, the chemistry involved in the process, why anodizers use non-nickel seals, when and how it is used, the effect on dyes, and the non-nickel seals currently available on the market.

Scott Walker is Regional Vice President for Products Finishing magazine and a Professional Member of the Aluminum Anodizers Council. Hear how Scott got his start in the metals industry publishing world and where his career took him before he landed at Products Finishing. Tej Patel and George Oh talk with Scott about AAC, his involvement with the Council, and what Products Finishing offers the anodizing industry.