1998 Large Plating Job Shop Survey A new list of companies responded to this year's survey . . . By Steven R. Kline, Jr., Associate Editor Large Plating Job Shops This article presents the results from the 1996 Large Plating Job Shop Survey. Check it out to see what the big players were up to. The 1998 Large Plating Job Shop Survey, a biennial survey conducted by Products Finishing, is complete. The 1996 survey had many of the same respondents as the previous survey. However, 18 out of 25 respondents in the 1998 survey did not respond in the 1996 survey. Therefore, it is hard to say whether these large job shops have grown or remained stable in size during the economic upswing of recent years. But, Products Finishing did get some interesting answers to the opinion questions posed in the survey. The survey asked platers three questions: Other industries are promoting their advantages and benefits. What should the plating industry do to promote itself? Are you involved in the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) and Strategic Goals program? If so, why? If not, why? What are your plans for growth, diversity and/or staying competitive? The first question resulted in similar responses from virtually everyone who answered it. Most people thought that the best way for the plating industry to promote itself was to demonstrate that the industry operates in an environmentally responsible manner. Many of the respondents answered this way because they feel that regulators and legislators look at the industry as a "dirty" industry. Also, some respondents felt that the plating industry should promote how its processes enhance a number of products that are used by millions of people everyday. Without plating there are simply a number of products that would no longer have the durability or other properties required of them. Many people outside the industry do not truly understand what plating does. The second question asked whether or not each company was a member of the CSI and Strategic Goals program. Fourteen of the 25 companies are currently participating in the Strategic Goals program while one company is currently assessing the advantages/disadvantages of the program. There were a variety of reasons why companies said they signed up for the program, including: demonstrate a positive relationship with the EPA/federal government; help establish environmental goals; become more efficient; be at the forefront of environmental technology; and inform regulators of the industry's environmental stewardship. Despite all of the talk about the program this year, two companies were unaware of the CSI and Strategic Goals program. The third question asked platers about their plans for growth and diversity. The two most popular answers were making the plating process more efficient and developing new products. Other answers included: moving into new industries; improving quality and service; expanding geographic coverage; and reducing costs. To see how each company is doing, note the survey results. Also, if you would like for your company to be listed in the 2000 Large Plating Job Shop Survey, inform Steve Kline, Jr. at 513-527-8837 or skline2@gardnerweb.com. PF Plateco, Inc. Reedsburg, Wisconsin Phone/Fax: 608-524-8241/608-524-6486 Contact: Todd Dempsey Employees: 160 Plants/Facilities: Sq Ft of Facilities: 120,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Zinc Manual: none Other Processes: Mechanical zinc Craddock Finishing Corp. Evansville, Indiana Phone/Fax: 812-425-2691/812-429-1370 Contact: Marc Craddock Employees: 150 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 64,500 Annual Sales Volume: $5 to 10 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromate Manual: none Other Processes: Phosphating Organic Finishing: Air-assisted airless spray, powder coating, electrostatic spray, HVLP Electro Chemical Finishing Wyoming, Michigan Phone/Fax: 616-531-0670/616-531-2440 Contact: Ed Roebuck Employees: 180 Plants/Facilities: 3 Sq Ft of Facilities: 110,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Brass, chromium, Copper, Electroless Copper, Gold, Nickel Manual: Chromate, Electroless Nickel, Silver, Tin, Tin/Lead Other Processes: Abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing Organic Finishing: Powder coating, electrostatic spray, HVLP Plastics Plated: ABS, ABS/PC, PC, PPO DV Industries, Inc. Lynwood, California Phone/Fax: 323-563-1338/323-567-7130 Contact: Larry Blair Employees: 150 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 175,000 Annual Sales Volume: $15 to 20 million Other Processes: Anodizing, pickling, etching, phosphating, chemical conversion coating Organic Finishing: Electrostatic spray, HVLP Crown City Plating Co. El Monte, California Phone/Fax: 626-444-9291/626-448-6915 Contact: Robert L. Coombes, Sr. Employees: 350 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 278,000 Annual Sales Volume: $20 to 25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Brass, Chromate, chromium, copper, Electroless Nickel, electroless Copper, Gold, Nickel, Stain Nickel Ghromium, Duplex Nickel, Ruthenium Manual: Tin/Lead Other Processes: Buffing/polishing, tumbling, vibratory finishing Organic Finishing: Air-assisted airless spray, powder coating, electrocoating, electrostatic spray, HVLP Plastics Plated: ABS, ABS/PC, polysulfone nylon, polycarbonate, polyester, polyetherimide, polyphthalamide, others Fin-Clair Corp. St. Louis, Missouri Phone/Fax: 314-535-7868/314-535-6658 Contact: Pat Gleason Employees: 145 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 240,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Brass, Chromium, Nickel, Zinc, Duplex Nickel Chromium Manual: none Other Processes: Tumbling Organic Finishing: Powder coating Arlington Plating Palatine, Illinois Phone/Fax: 847-359-1490/847-359-1499 Contact: Alan Blankshain Employees: 160 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 55,000 Annual Sales Volume: $10 to 15 million Plating Processes: Automated: None Manual: Brass, Cadmium, Chromate, Chromium, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Nickel, Silver, Tin, Zinc Other Processes: Buffing/polishing, pickling Organic Finishing: Powder coating, electrostatic spray, HVLP General Metal Finishing Co., Inc. Attleboro, Massachusetts Phone/Fax: 508-226-5626 Contact: Robert Palos Employees: 110 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 40,000 Annual Sales Volume: $10 to 15 million Plating Processes: Automated: None Manual: Copper, Electroless Nickel, Gold, Nickel, Rhodium, Silver, Tin, Tin/Lead, Platinum Other Processes: Vibratory finishing, pickling, etching, phosphating Jagemann Plating Co. Manitowoc, Wisconsin Phone/Fax: 920-682-6883/920-682-8003 Contact: Mike Jagemann Employees: 185 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 70,000 Annual Sales Volume: $10 to 15 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromate, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, Zinc Manual: Brass, Chromate, Chromium, Copper, Nickel Other Processes: Pickling Hohman Plating and Manufacturing, Inc. Dayton, Ohio Phone/Fax: 937-228-2191/937-228-5171 Contact: Jim Moloney Employees: 120 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 90,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Tin Manual: Brass, Chadmium, Chromate, Chromium, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Gold, Nickel, Silver, Zinc, Zinc Cobalt Other Processes: Anodizing, abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing, black oxiding, pickling, etching, phosphating, PVD, sputtering, ion plating, cathodic arc deposition, plasma arc deposition Organic Finishing: Dry film lubricant coating, conventional air spray Gene's Plating Works Los Angeles, California Phone/Fax: 323-269-8748/323-269-5390 Contact: Harry Levy Employees: 450 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 100,000 Annual Sales Volume: $20 to 25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium, Nickel Manual: Chromium, Nickel Other Processes: Buffing/polishing Master Finish Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan Phone/Fax: 616-245-1228/616-245-0039 Contact: Dale Mulder Employees: 120 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 51,000 Annual Sales Volume: $5 to 10 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium, Nickel Manual: Chromium, Copper, Nickel Other Processes: Abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing, tumbling, vibratory finishing Metal Surfaces, Inc. Bell Gardens, California Phone/Fax: 562-927-1331 Contact: Jerry Margolin Employees: 245 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 98,000 Annual Sales Volume: $15 to 20 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium Manual: Cadmium, Chromate, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Electroless Copper, Gold, Nickel, Rhodium, Silver, Tin, Tin/Lead Plastics Plated: Virtually all Lincoln Plating Co. Lincoln, Nebraska Phone/Fax: 402-475-3671/402-475-9565 Contact: Steve Bauer Employees: 290 Plants/Facilities: 3 Sq Ft of Facilities: 300,000 Annual Sales Volume: $20 to 25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Cadmium, Chromated, Chromium Nickel, Tin, Tin/Lead, Zinc Manual: Chromated, Chromium, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Gold, Nickel, Silver Other Processes: Anodizing, abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing, tumbling, vibratory finishing, black oxiding, pickling, etching, phosphating, sulfamate nickel Organic Finishing: Powder coating, electrostatic spray Apollo Metals, Ltd. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Phone/Fax: 610-867-5826/610-867-7594 Contact: Michael Selya Employees: 130 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 120,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Brass, Chromium, Copper, Nickel Manual: None Other Processes: Buffing/polishing Fleet Design Portland, Tennessee Phone/Fax: 615-325-6701, 615-325-4773 Contact: Terry Woodward Employees: 200 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 110,000 Annual Sales Volume: $15 to 20 million Plating Processes: Automated: None Manual: Chromium, Copper, Nickel Other Processes: Buffing/polishing Organic Finishing: Airless spray, HVLP Nico Plating Minneapolis, Minnesota Phone/Fax: 612-822-2185/612-822-4580 Contact: Jon Phillips Employees: 120 Plants/Facilities: 4 Sq Ft of Facilities: 200,000 Plating Processes: Automated: Zinc Manual: Brass, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, Tin Other Processes: Buffing/polishing, tumbling, phosphating, automated degreasing Penn United Technology Saxonburg, Pennsylvania Phone/Fax: 724-352-1507/724-352-1799 Contact: Dave Miller Employees: 550 Plants/Facilities: 4 Annual Sales Volume: More than $25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Manual: Cadmium, Electroless Nickel, Electroless Copper, Gold, Nickel, Silver, Tin/Lead Other Processes: Abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing, tumbling, vibratory finishing, etching Organic Finishing: Electrocoating Precision Plating Co, Inc. Chicago, Illinois Phone/Fax: 773-583-3333/773-685-7777 Contact: Jeffrey Belmonti Employees: 150 Plants/Facilities: 2 Sq Ft of Facilities: 65,000 Annual Sales Volume: $20 to 25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Copper, Gold, Nickel, Tin, Tin/Lead, Palladium, Palladium/Nickel, Palladium/Cobalt Manual: Copper, Gold, Nickel, Silver, Tin, Tin/Lead, Palladium, Palladium/Nickel, Palladium/Cobalt Professional Plating, Inc. Brillion, Wisconsin Phone/Fax: 920-756-2153/920-756-3246 Contact: Kent Aubry Employees: 105 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 80,000 Annual Sales Volume: $5 to 10 million Plating Processes: Automated: Zinc Manual: None Organic Finishing: Powder coating, electrocoating S.K. Williams Co. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Phone/Fax: 414-464-2220/414-464-2009 Contact: Bill Stern Employees: 130 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 100,000 Annual Sales Volume: $5 to 10 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium, Nickel, Zinc Manual: Brass, Chromated, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Gold, Nickel, Tin Other Processes: Anodizing, abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing, black oxiding, phosphating Reilly Plating Co. Melvindale, Michigan Phone/Fax: 313-928-6800/313-386-2270 Contact: Carole Babik Employees: 140 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 100,000 Annual Sales Volume: $10 to 15 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromate, Zinc, Zinc Iron, Zinc Nickel, Zinc Cobalt Manual: None Other Processes: Pickling, phosphating Organic Finishing: Electrocoating, dip spin Techmetals, Inc. Dayton, Ohio Phone/Fax: 937-253-5311/937-253-5096 Contact: Steve Deisher Employees: 115 Plants/Facilities: 6 Sq Ft of Facilities: 100,000 Annual Sales Volume: $10 to 15 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium, Electroless Nickel, Nickel Manual: Chromium, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Gold, Nickel, Silver, Tin Other Processes: Phosphating, electropolishing Schulte Metal Finishing Cincinnati, Ohio Phone/Fax: 513-272-0311/513-272-0314 Contact: Tom McAndrews Employees: 82 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 70,000 Annual Sales Volume: $5 to 10 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium, Copper, Nickel Manual: Brass, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, Bronze Other Processes: Abrasive blasting, buffing/polishing Organic Finishing: Powder coating Whyco Technologies, Inc. Thomaston, Connecticut Contact: Robert Hyner Employees: 215 Plants/Facilities: 1 Sq Ft of Facilities: 120,000 Annual Sales Volume: $20 to 25 million Plating Processes: Automated: Chromium Manual: Chromate, Chromium, Copper, Electroless Nickel, Nickel, Zinc Other Processes: Vibratory finishing, phosphating Organic Finishing: Electrocoating