On the Line

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 and Sales Kyle Hankinson and learn about the company's latest developments. Check out our discussion in the latest episode of On the Line.

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.

Automation solutions are seeing increasing adoption for finishing applications, driven by shifting trends in the workforce, rapid advances in robotics and smart technology, as well as the need for repeatability and consistency in quality.

In this installment of On the Line, Products Finishing sits down with Hope Dollarhide, Project Engineer for automotive component and industrial paint with FANUC for insights into automation trends in the industry.

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 when exploring a new ERP solution.

In this installment of On the Line, Products Finishing catches up with PF columnist and host of the TechEd Podcast Matthew Kirchner, president of LAB Midwest, a distributor of e-learning and hands-on training equipment dedicated to furthering industrial education programs and workforce training. Kirchner has been involved directly in manufacturing for more than 20 years and has spent the last eight years working in education and training for those interested in pursuing or furthering careers in manufacturing. Here are some of his thoughts on today's workforce dilemma.

The past few years have radically changed the supply chain landscape and the way business is conducted. In the midst of this upheaval comes new opportunities for manufacturers who are seeking the right partners. In this installment of On the Line, Products Finishing talks with Rhonda Dibachi, founder and CEO of HeyScottie, a new AI-enabled, cloud-based marketplace for anodizing, powder coating and electroless nickel finishing services. Dibachi discusses how her new automatic pricing engine can help manufacturers find finishing services and streamline the price quoting process.

In this episode of On the Line, we sit down with Kim Scott, the voice behind Maui Powder Works' Powder Coater Podcast, to learn about the company's grassroots approach to marketing and the mission that has grown from the podcast that helped propel Maui Powder Works from an island job shop to a recognized voice in the finishing community.

In addition to running a powder coating operation that serves all of the Hawaiiian islands, Maui Powder Works also records and produce the Powder Coater Podcast (also known as RossKote) — a weekly podcast that explores industry secrets, new products and trends in the world of powder coating.

This episode of On the Line follows up on an ongoing story for the finishing community and the topic of a recent interview with Bryan Leiker, executive director for the Metal Finishers Association of California (MFACA) – and that is the latest regulatory discussion over a proposed ban of hexavalent chromium use for plating and anodizing operations in the state.

On January 27 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) conducted a public hearing where members of the finishing community had the opportunity to voice their concerns over the proposed ban. Leiker sits down with Products Finishing editor Scott Francis to offer a recap of the event and next steps in this important industry discussion.

Production levels and demand for electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise. What opportunities and challenges are in store for finishers working in the automotive space? In this installment of On the Line, Products Finishing catches up with Darrick Gula, North American OEM manager Atotech product line, and Brandon Lloyd, global product manager for paint support technology with MKS to hear about the ways chemical suppliers are helping to innovate in today's ever-changing automotive landscape.

This special retrospective episode of On the Line takes a look back at the podcast's second full season, discussing some of the themes and industry trends from 2022 as we look ahead to a new year.

What might 2023 have in store for coaters & finishers? Products Finishing editor-in-chief Scott Francis and Todd Luciano, vice president for the Finishing and Valve media brands of PF's parent company Gardner Business Media, discuss some of what the industry has gone through this past year, revisit some excerpts from some of OTL's best episodes of 2022, and talk a bit about what might be on the horizon for the coming year.