Electrochemicals Blog – EPI – Electrochemical Products Inc.

April 15th, 2011

By Eric Olander

Tomorrow I wil get up at 3 am to go on a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight to Washington DC with George Sirotkin who is 92 years old , fought in the Pacific with the Navy. To learn more go to www.starsandstripeshonorflight.org  We will be spending the entire day in DC going to momumnets especially the World War 2 momument www.wwiimemorial.com . There will be 200 WW2 vets plus 200 guardians on a Delta airlines 747 flying into Dulles Airport.

Every day 900 WW2 vets pass away.  Over 4 million vets fought in WW2 with over 400,000 giving their lives so we can have our freedoms today! I so looking forward to tomorrow!

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April 8th, 2011

By Eric Olander

April 12th I leave for Washington DC to participate in the National Association of Surface Finishers ( NASF) www.nasf.org Washington DC forum at the Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington VA.

The 2011 Washington Forum will feature timely updates on major trends impacting the surface technology community and the manufacturing base in North America and globally. Attendees will gain new strategic insights on the regulatory, technical and political factors affecting their operations while exchanging with prominent thought leaders and top experts in the field.

This year Chris Wagner  from Kohler Co. will be joining Eric in learning the latest political challenges. On Thursday April 14th Chris Wagner and Eric Olander will be heading for a day out on the hill. So far appointments have been made in the following office Senator Johnson and Kohl and Congressional offices of Ryan, Petri, Baldwin, and Sesenbrenner. Interesting fact, in creating the  appointments some offices are commenting that there probably will not be any meetings on April 14th as the US government will be shut down since the Congress can not agree on the funding of the government. Stay tune to my tweets ericolander!

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March 14th, 2011

By Eric Olander

EPi is excited to annouce its new ecommerce platform is now available on smart phones such as Iphone and Droids. EPi's e-commerce site is https://ecommerce.epi.com/ . Save this web address on the favorite section of your phone. We are working towards having more information available on the ecommerce site such as technical data sheets and material safety data sheets. EPI is making it easier to do business!  SIMPLY SUPERIOR!

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October 5th, 2010

By Eric Olander

EPi last week launched it s new e-commerce platfom that will make it easier to for our e-commerce customers to order on line. The eventual goal is to use this platform for all types of customers. This month EPi is having a sale on all e-commerce orders of Insta Blak 333. These customers will receive 10% off on all e-commerce orders of Insta Blak 333 which has the widest operationg window without smutting problems like other processes.CLICK HERE to go to the new e-commerce site

We are working on getting msds and technical data sheets as well on the site. Stay tune to the latest updates!

Posted in Black Oxide, Uncategorized | No Comments »

September 24th, 2010

By Eric Olander

EPi is exhibiting at Fabtech 2010 in Atlanta, GA in booth 822 in the Finishing Pavillion for the first time. EPi joined the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI) this year to exhibit in Fabtech to showcase AD Chemical's Precoat CF process from the Netherlands. The Precoat CF process for aluminum  is very unique in that it contains no hexavalent chrome in the formula, but produces excellent adhesion and performance like the hex chrome  formulas.  Additionally the Precoat CF does not require a rinse after applying it. This saves the finisher money and they can elimiante the hexavalent chrome from their shop. Eric Olander will be making a presentation on Precoat on Tuesday November 2,2010 2:50 pm-3:30 pm session C-30 room B 314.

EPi will be exhibiting it full line of products at Fabtech including E-Brite Ultra CU alkaline non cyanide copper, E-Brite 50/50 alkaline non cyanide silver, E-Chrome Ultra Yellow and  600 for zinc plating. Want to learn more about black oxide? EPi will be showing it Ultra 400 premium grade hot  black oxide that costs less to apply and Instra Blak 333 room temperature process that has a wide window of operation without the smutting problems of other room temperature blacks.

 Eric Olander will also be making a presentation for the CCAI on "Introduction to Plating Processes" Session C-11, room B315 at 9:00-10:00 am. We hope to see you at Fabtech!

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May 6th, 2010

By Eric Olander

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.

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March 8th, 2010

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!

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Metal Finishing, Nickel Plating, Trivalent Chromates, Uncategorized | No Comments »

October 30th, 2009

By Eric Olander

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 )

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October 29th, 2009

By Eric Olander

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

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June 11th, 2009

By Eric Olander

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!

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