SUR/FIN 2012: Elvis is Still in the Building

He hasn't left.  He's just found a new identity.

"Frank as Elvis was one of the best things we ever at SUR/FIN," Dan Dunigan said. "He really connects with our customers and prospects and makes the whole thing a lot of fun."

Dan is in charge of technical sales and marketing at A Brite Company, a 30-year-old supplier and partner to the surface finishing industry. Frank is Frank Dunigan, the CEO of A Brite.

This year's Surface Finishing Expo (SUR/FIN) was yet another success for A Brite.  And it was also a way to update the industry on what is happening with the company and the coming out party for a new partner.

"Every year everybody tries to get us to reveal our theme before the show," Dan  said.   "But every year, we refuse to tell what we will be doing in the booth."

"This year we had extra reasons to not only be at the show, but to be there in a big way," Dan continued. "With A Brite's recent merger with Enthone, it was important for us to tell our clients and partners that A Brite is still alive and kicking."

Earlier this year, Enthone acquired elements of A Brite. A Brite also rolled out it's relationship with The Finishing Experts.

"The Finishing Experts is a comprehensive online customer service portal for the surface-finishing industry," Dan said. "Our customers are able to draw upon exceptional expertise through the use of on-line and real-time interactive video consultations with some of the leading experts in the finishing industry."

With traffic up at the A Brite booth and a higher than anticipated number of visitors at The Finishing Expert's booth, the show was a great success for both groups.

"We definitely will be back to SUR/FIN for years to come," Dan said.

You can reach Dan and the rest of the A Brite family by calling 1-888-822-7483 or visiting their website.

Succeeding at the NASF Trade Show

Every June, A Brite Company heads off to the National Association of Surface Finishing (NASF) conference and trade show.  And every year, we enjoy some level of success.

"We've been very fortunate," Dan Dunigan said. "We are always able to engage our customers and meet new people because of how we approach the show.  And we always come back energized."

Dan Dunigan is one of the principals in A Brite Company, the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

 The NASF event, or SUR/FIN show as it is more popularly known, is the industry meeting for the surface finishing chemistry business.  The show moves to a different city each year.  This year's show was in Rosemount, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

"Because we are known in the industry, people seek us out at the show," Dan continued. "In fact, our theme each year draws enough attention that some clients call in advance of the show trying to get us to reveal it in advance."

This year's theme had an Old West flavor.  The exhibit itself looked like a saloon, and the staff was outfitted in Western shirts and jeans.  Everybody also wore a hat and had a badge, most marked "Deputy." CEO Frank Dunigan was the "Sheriff."  An added conversation starter was the badges themselves: each was coated with a surface treatment offered by the company. The product was on display, but in a most unusual and memorable way.

"We've been exhibiting at this show for most of the last 30 years," Dan said. "And each year we have a different theme. Surpisingly, none of our competitors has yet to copy us."

One of the fun features and draws of the show was the quick draw competition (the first day's winners are shown here).  A Brite's own Craig Hassell devised the game using a Nintendo Wii console and controller.

"Our visitors had more fun with the game," Craig told us. "As much fun as it was to build, it was more fun to watch our customers and prospects get into it," he said.

Overall, the A Brite team's efforts resulted in a record number of leads and some  solid conversations with existing customers. It is an annual event that is a must-do for A Brite and a must-attend for the industry.

For more information, please contact A Brite Company in Dallas, 214-291-0400.

Metal Finishing Process Equipment

Finding metal finishing chemistry is one thing.  But do you have a source for the equipment used in the process?

Let's talk about the products and their categories in this segment.  This is the first post in a series to familiarize you with these types of equipment and what is commercially avaiable.

The high-level list reads like this:

• Anodes
• Anodizing
• Automatics
• Barrels
• Blowers
• Brightener feeders
• Buffs
• Chillers
• Coils
• Controls
• Compounds
• Danglers
• Filterpress
• Filters
• Grating
• Heaters
• Laboratory equipment
• Liners
• Magnets
• Mixers
• Polyballs
• Plastics
• pH meters
• Pumps
• Rectifiers
• Scrubbers
• Sand filters
• Saddles
• Spraynozzle
• Tanks
• Waste treatment

"The list is extensive," Dan Dunigan said. Dan is VP of technical sales and service for A Brite Company.  A Brite is the leading provider of process chemicals and services for the surface finishing industry in North Texas.

"We at A Brite have learned over the years that providing the equipment and service is just as important for our customers as is the chemistry," Dan continued.  "Maybe more so, in some instances.

For more information, please contact A Brite Company in Dallas, 214-291-0400.