On the Line

In the latest episode of Products Finishing's On the Line podcast episode, recorded at the SUR/FIN 2024 finishing industry tradeshow , we had the opportunity to sit down with executives a MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions to get their take on some of the latest trends in surface finishing from finishing solutions enabling various aspects of EVs to the latest sustainability and regulatory conc...

In this episode of Product's Finishing On the Line podcast, Chandler Mancuso, technical director with MacDermid Envio discusses updating your wastewater treatment system and implementing materials recycling solutions to increase efficiencies, control costs and reduce environmental impact.

Products Finishing recently attended the Metal Finishing Association of California's annual legislation day event, which provides a forum for finishing operations in the state to voice their concerns to government officials. In this installment of On the Line, we learn more about the initiative and the key issues for California-based finishers.  OTL spoke with Bryan Leiker, executive director of t...

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. 

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 o...

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)...

This marks our 40 th episode of Products Finishing's On the Line podcast and to celebrate we decided to turn the interviewer into the interviewee as PF  senior editor Lori Beckman interviews  PF  editor-in-chief Scott Francis about some of the trends that are top of mind for finishers, industry events that are on the horizon and some of  PF 's initiatives for the year.  

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...

The end of 2023 marks the completion of the third full season of Products Finishing 's On the Line podcast. This installment marks our 38 th 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 indus...

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 ha...

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...

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 app...

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...

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...

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 la...

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 a...

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 se...

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 Res...

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...

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 Ga...

For this bonus installment of On the Line, Products Finishing sat down with Bryan Leiker, executive director for the Metal Finishers Association of California (MFACA) to get an update on the latest moves to ban hexavalent chromium use for plating and anodizing operations in the state. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the proposed amendments to the Airborne Toxic Control Measure for chromi...

The latest episode of PF's On the Line podcast rounds up some of the interviews we recorded at FABTECH 2022. You'll hear from John Anderson of Bulk Chemicals and Kelly McCabe of PEM about their work on a project for farm equipment provider Bazooka Farmstar Inc. Derek DeGeest of LestaUSA and JD Rogers Wagner discuss a new partnership between the two companies aimed at providing automation solutions...

As phosphate-based pretreatments become increasingly regulated, more finishers are considering zirconium pretreatment solutions. In this episode of On the Line, the official podcast of Products Finishing magazine, Darren Howard, a key account manager with Circle-Prosco , Inc., discusses the increasing popularity of zirconium pretreatment use in such areas as automotive and agriculture.

In this episode of On the Line, the official podcast of Products Finishing, Keith Jacobs, CEO of wastewater solutions provider ElectraMet, discusses the company's approach for reclaiming heavy metals and the latest sustainability trends for wastewater treatment.