From the Left John Cheng, Eric Olander, Char Heinke, Mark Kulas, Tom Axon, and Paul Kozdron

By Eric Olander

Sorry for the delay in not writing a blog, but my father Stan has been had some health challenges. Sur/Fin 2010 was a great success as we  visited potential new customers and existing ones on new processes. It seems that alkaline non cyanide copper was one of them more popular topics. The  discussion included heat treat stop off applications which the E-Brite 30/30 leads the way as it is Boeing  approved BAC 5722 for commercial and defense applications. Another application was replacing cyanide copper being used in a strip application plus a barrel application on steel. To learn more about the alkaline copper CLICK HERE.

Mark Kulas, EPi Chemist from our lab demonstrated our latest Insta Blak 333 GEL for steel and iron and B/ox 311 GEL for copper and copper alloys. We shooing a video and we  will shortly be posting it once I create it. CLICK HERE to learn more.

Insta Blak 333 had some considerable interest as well as people were looking at  bringing parts in house that they were sending out for hot black oxide.

I won the Munning Award from the NASF on my work as the Sur/Fin committee chair person. I will be serving as Past Chair for the next two years.  The Munning Award is given to a supplier has demonstrated leadership and volunteerism for the NASF. I am working on a picture for you to see.

Last week I attended the www.nasf.org 's Washington DC forum with a trip to Capitol Hill. We learned at the DC forum many of the  latest issues regarding the metal finishing industry.  We learned  that the PFOS/PFOA issue is not going away. These materials are being used as mist suppressants in chrome plating baths. EPi does offer an alternative product E-Mist 7 that does not contain any PFOS/PFOA material and it effectively lowers the surface tension  to below 40 dynes/cm. The E-Mist 7 also does not cause a foam blanket. The resulting lower surface tension results in a reduced bubble size which suppresses the chrome mist.

EPA's TSCA act is going to be reformed under the Chemical Securtiy Act (CSA). This seems to be an answer to the EU REACH program. We can only hope that this resulting  CSA act will not result in too many new regs, paper work , and the elimination of using some chemicals.

Then I spent a day going to the hill visiting the Congress and Senate offices. I did meet briefly with Congresswoman Baldwin, Congressman Kind, and Congressman Ryan.I discussed mostly manufacturing industries. There were a lot of groups including the firemen group on the hill. In the past I could visit all the representatives in WI, but now it seems that some are getting to busy to see you if you are not from their district.

By Eric Olander

EPi was recently asked to participate in congratulating Master Lock in its upcoming 90th year in business. Of those 90 years EPi has been doing business for over 40 years with Master Lock. EPi was asked to support Master Lock's 90th year by creating an ad for Industry Today magazine www.industrytoday.com .

EPi has been selling its cyanide cadmuim process E-Brite C-135 for Master Lock laminated locks. The shackles have E-Brite 757 bright nickel process. The zinc diecast use EPi's E-Brite 23-11R cyanide copper brightner system and the E-Brite 757 bright nickel process. The new Magnum lock process uses E-Brite Ultra Chlor AP and our trivalent chromate E-Chrome Ultra Blue.

EPi processes measure up to Master Lock's stringent quality requirements resulting in a long lasting lock!

Need directions to Grand Rapids?

EPi is excited to annouce a new product for achieving verdi green finish on copper and copper alloys B/ox 316 GEL. This latest new product B/ox 316 GEL is easy to use and produces a thick verdi green  that accepts thick clear  lacquers and thick clear powder coats. Previous verdi green products will disappear with a thick coating of lacquer or powder. The problem is now solved with B/ox 316 GEL because itself results in a thicker verdi green finish. Want to save money and time applying your verdi green?  The B/ox 316 GEL applies directly to the brass and copper substrates. Save money by not having to apply a brown-black antique onto to the copper or brass prior to applying the verdi green.  In the past the only way you can achieve the verdi green finish is through applying the brown-black antique first. This will save you 20-40% in chemical cost, plus labor costs and time.LEARN MORE

I received my Manufacturing & Technology (www.manufacturingnews.com) update for 10/19/09 and  it shows that companies are not making new parts for various industries. In fact, to quote the article it states  we are at "depression-level" for the machine tool industry. While econmists  state the worst recession in recent memory is over some parts of the economy will take longer to recover  because of where they are in the pipline of manufacturing. It could take up to 6-12 months before some companies start to feel the new growth. An indicator of the manufacturing business climate is machine tools sales. I am not sure if manufacturing  will achieve the high levels we achieved prior to the recession. I feel that until we easy money( available credit) days return we  will not experience that high level again.

 To read more specific details on the article including a graph view this link. (Souce US  Technology Consumption Report  www.usmtc.com )

Last September  I traveled to Rotterdam, Netherlands to visit AD Chemicals. EPi and AD Chemicals agreed that EPi will distribute AD Chemicals including  AD Precoat Chrome-Free for aluminum substrates to be painted. It has flawlessly pretreated 60 million square meters. It is Qualicoat A021 certified and is suitable for immersion/spray and coil coating applications.

EPi will also distribute the entire product line of anodizing products; cleaners, no dump caustic etch additve, fast desmutting  additive, anodizing additive that allows you to anodize at 86F(30C) increasing productivity and saving you money in cooling costs,standard seal additive, a lower temperature (190F (88c)) sealer that contains no nickel saving energy(30%) and improving productivity (30%)

Dinner at Kaat-Mossel with my wife Jeanie, Barry from AD and his wife Tanya

This Wednesday June 24th, I met with "Rocky" Hiroaki Ikoma right side of picture and Yoshihiro MAEDA to discuss a new blackening process that is green and safe for the environment. At this time the details can not be discussed in public, but EPi excited to work on this new project stay tune to the results we achieve this year!

ByEric Olander

We are back from Sur/Fin and the show reflects the state of the manufacturing economy on the US today. The numbers are down from last year, but the Keynote speaker Dr Ken Mayland. ClearView Economics, LLC discussed past  recessions and "What will be the sign of the Coming Recovery" and it indicates that we are bottoming out and we should be seeing signs of life late this year. For the metal finishing industry we may lag behind in the initial phases of the recovery as typically we  are the last to go into a recession and the last to go out of a recession.

 The attached picture is Rebbecca Bennett Director, Chemical & Environmental Compliance of Precision Plating in Chicago,IL Becky is holding her Award of Merit from the NASF www.nasf.org for all of her hard work and volunteerism she has done for the NASF. Congratulations Becky!

This year at Sur/Fin EPi displayed our new Insta Rust 340 process. This new architectural finish contains no acid and produces a rainbow of rust colors.

Next June 15-17th the 2009 version of Sur/Fin will be held in Louisville, KY.  EPi is ready to meet new potential customers and loyal existing  customers from all over the world. These economic challenging times present opportunities to reinvent our selves by going to a different type of metal finishing process. Sur/Fin is the place to learn how you can reinvent you finishes and your company. The technical program has over 70 papers this year. We will see you at Sur/Fin! I also get to help cut the ribbon on opening day. I hope the scissors is sharp!