The People Who Work Here: Frank Dunigan, CEO

Ideas for companies come from lots of places. Most are born of necessity. Such is the history of A Brite Company. And such is the career of Frank Dunigan.

Back in 1982, Frank found himself the newly former regional sales manager for a national chemical supply company. But he had an idea that he could continue to serve the customers he had worked with for years in a better way than he had with his former employer.

Frank is CEO and founder of A Brite Company, a leading supplier of chemicals and equipment for the metal plating industry. A Brite not only is a supplier of off-the-shelf chemicals, they also provide equipment and parts to their customers to keep their processes and lines running.

"I knew I could build and run a better company," Frank said recently. "And I knew I already knew most of the talent I needed to do it."

Most of Frank's employees (he prefers to call them his coworkers) have been with him for almost the entire lifespan of the company. Although there are some newbies who bring the average up to about 15 years, most came on board in the first few years.

"I'm lucky to work with some real gems," Frank said. From Tom Hyman and Chalo Alon in the laboratory and testing area to Les Winkler, his COO, to Sabas Gonzalez in shipping and receiving, he knows them all and has stories to go with each person.

"The strength of A Brite is in our people," Frank said. "Without them, there is no company."

You can reach Frank and the rest of the A Brite family at 214-291-0400.

Pre-Treatment Cleaners

The pre-treatment  step of any finishing process is both critical and defining of the quality of the work done by the finisher. Having the right pre-treatment cleaners in your process will ensure quality in the completed product.

There are several areas to consider as you look to improve or enhance this step in your process:

• Soak cleaner systems with higher performance characteristics.
• Solvent degreasing alternatives.
• Electrocleaners with higher performance characteristics.
• Pre-treatment processes using aluminum.
• Cleaners for the removal of buffing compound.

Each of these areas has its own unique characteristics.

A new generation of soak cleaners are safer, more effective and environmentally friendly.  Cleaning has been elevated to a science rather than an afterthought.

Regulations have changed how degreasing can be accomplished, making the use of solvents both undesirable and expensive.  New biodegradable, environmentally friendly aqueous cleaners can be used as a spray, in immersion or as an ultrasonic treatment.

Electrocleaners have also changed significantly.  Again, regulation has driven these products toward more environmentally friendly and safer content and use.

Pre-treatment has also been enhanced and improved with the introduction of aluminum-based cleaning and deoxidizing components. They are now safer and faster working.

Buffing compounds have, again, been impacted by regulation.  A new generation of products now simplify and are cleaner than previous processes.

For more information on pre-treatment cleaners and other finishing industry questions, please contact A Brite Company at 1-888-822-7483.

The Finishing Touch

The People Who Work Here: Fred Farkas, Technical Sales

Seeing and meeting customers face to face still works. Ask Fred Farkas.

“I know almost all of my customers from having met them personally,” Fred told us recently. A 33-year veteran of the surface finishing and process chemistry industry, Fred is A Brite Company’s Independent Representative in the Southeast U.S.

“I’ve worked with clients all over the East Coast of this country and in South America,” Fred said. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Fred spent 30 years in the finishing industry based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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

“As a former general manager and with his knowledge of chemistry, business and people, Fred is a tremendous addition to our family,” Dan Dunigan said. Dan is in charge of Technical Sales and service for A Brite. “Fred’s relationships with clients have already paid us dividends in the largest trade show of the year in Chicago.

A Brite exhibits and attends the NASF SUR/FIN trade show and conference each June. It is the center of the surface finishing world for a week each year.

And Fred and Frank have spent many years there. Frank is Frank Dunigan, CEO and founder of A Brite.

“It is because of Frank I came over to A Brite,” Fred said.

A graduate of Dyke College in Cleveland with a BS in Business, Fred has worked in sales, service, as a distributor and as a general manager in the process chemistry business.

Fred and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Robert Smalling, Chemist

A laboratory can be a lot like a concert hall and work there is as if it were a musical composition. Arrangements can be complicated.

Robert Smalling is as serious about his work at A Brite Company as he is about his creative endeavors outside of his work.

“Everything has to follow a prescribed process, a score,” Robert told us recently. “While there is room for variation, it really has to be clear where things originated and where they are going.”

Just like a musical composition or a short story.

Robert is a chemist in the R&D lab at A Brite. He is responsible for quality control and also works with the company’s chief chemist, Dr. Chalo Aoun. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“I met Chalo when I was earning my BS in chemistry from the University of Texas at Dallas, "Robert said. “After working together in the lab, she called me one day and set up an interview at A Brite. I interviewed and was hired just after I graduated.” Robert has been with A Brite since 2008.

“Chalo thought I would be a good fit for the company,” Robert said.

Interested in science, chemistry and physics since he was a child, Robert also has a creative side.

“I write music, poetry and short stories,” Robert said. “The creative process is similar to the scientific process in that it has steps and formulas but you can still have the freedom to make judgments. To me, it is the best of all worlds.”

Robert and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Renee Moore, Accounts Payable/Receivable

When she first came to A Brite, Renee Moore knew she had found a second home.

“I love numbers and I love being organized,” Renee said. “Being around chemists and scientists is a real treat for me.”

Renee is responsible for Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable at A Brite. She is the voice you hear on the other end of the line when you are looking to be paid or need to pay A Brite. Renee also backs up customer service and purchasing.

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

“We depend on Renee,” CEO Frank Dunigan said. “She plays an important role for us between our staff and our customers. She is a great manager of numbers.”

A native of Montana, Renee has spent most of her life in North Texas. Before coming to A Brite 5 years ago, she worked for Haggar Clothing for 17 years as a staff accountant. She lives in Garland with her family.

Renee and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website .

The People Who Work Here: John Geevarghese, Quality Assurance

No one takes sampling more seriously than John Geevarghese.

John is in the Quality Assurance department at A Brite Company and his work ensures that the company’s customers stay in business.

Processing over 20 samples of customer solutions each day and reporting back the results of those tests within 24 hours consumes John’s days. His analyses ensure that a customer’s lines and processes stay within specification and that their product quality stays at a high level.

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

“John’s work is critical to our success,” Dan Dunigan said. Dan is Vice President of A Brite and should know: he talks to the customers on a daily basis that John’s work impacts.

“Without the work of John and our lab team back at A Brite, few of our customers and our sales team would be able to maintain the quality of work they do,” Dan said.

With over 12 years of service to A Brite, John came to the company from Stanley Black and Decker where he spent 11 years in their labs. John specializes in nickel and chromium chemistry.

“A Brite is a great working environment for me,” John said. “I get to practice my profession and they treat me and my family very well.”

John and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Harry Hassell, National Sales Manager

You’ve never met anybody that loves people and his job as much as Harry Hassell does.

“I really enjoy calling on our customers,” Harry told us between customer meetings. “Whether it is hearing about the latest from a long-time customer or a cold call, I can’t wait to either be on the phone or sitting down with someone,” he said.

This joyful approach to life and work has certainly worked for Harry and for A Brite Company. As National Sales Manager, Harry calls on many clients himself as well as guiding the company sales team. Harry manages the sales of everything from equipment to chemistry to consulting services. And he does it by listening to his people and his customers.

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

A veteran of the steel and electronics manufacturing industries, Harry has been with A Brite for nearly 20 years. With each stop he’s learned something new to apply to the next step in his career.

“From the time I was in the US Navy through my time in the steel mills, I’ve learned that the strength of a company is in its people,” Harry said. “If you listen carefully and seek to understand, you will go a long way toward forging a relationship that will last,” he said.

“That is both inside and outside of a company,” he continued.

Harry and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Les Winkler, Chief Operating Officer

To hear Les Winkler’s story is to hear a history of the surface finishing industry. And that story takes you from Michigan to Texas.

“This industry is built on relationships,” Les said of the surface finishing industry. “At some point all of the players have either worked for or with each other.”

“In the end, though, they are all focused on the customer.”

Les should know. A 45-year veteran of the industry, Les has been with A Brite Company since 1994 and is currently its Chief Operating Officer. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“Before coming to A Brite, I worked for the competition for years,” Les said. “I’ve known Frank for most of my career and when he and I would talk, Frank would always ask ‘When are you coming to work with us?’”

“For years I kept answering ‘Why should I?’ while continuing to watch A Brite grow until one day when I actually said to Frank, ‘Why not?’”. That was the day I went to work for A Brite,” Les said.

Frank is Frank Dunigan, the CEO of A Brite.

With a BS in Chemistry from Wayne State University, Les has learned the business by doing a variety of things during his career. And he’s worked for companies that are among the leaders in the specialty chemicals industry, including Udylite and McGean and Rohco.

“I’ve been in sales, service, training, marketing, manufacturing operations and compliance,” Les said. “But it was always customer focused.”

Les is most proud of A Brite’s recent ISO 9001 certification.

“That’s just the icing on the cake.”

Les and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website.

The People Who Work Here: Dr Chalo Aoun Research Director

When the finish on your client’s products can mean the difference between booming sales and no sales, it becomes critical to make sure all runs well for them in their manufacturing processes.

“The proprietary additives our clients buy from us’ represent one to two percent of their total manufacturing cost, but can mean all the difference between a sale and no sale,” Dr. Chalo Aoun said. “If the color or brightness of a finish, for example, is poor , the end customer may choose another product based on appearance.”

“Our clients rely on us,” Dr Aoun said.

Dr. Aoun is Research Director for A Brite Company. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

Dr. Aoun is responsible for research and development of A Brite’s line of products. A Brite is customer driven and does invest in research even in old technologies. . She does everything from improving existing products to creating new proprietary additives in order to solve specific problems or to achieve a desired finishes for the end client.

A Brite makes things happen and happen better. In raw materials shortage, we find alternatives, if the client’s specifications change, we modify and adapt, if new finishes appear on the market we compete. We do not sleep on our laurels.

And breakthroughts they can be. In the time she has been at A Brite, Dr. Aoun has helped grow the nickel product line from a single product to a list of 10, the zinc processes were created and many other surface finishing processes. Customer need and requirements have driven A Brite to create new products that improve the end product or increase efficiency.

Dr. Aoun has been with A Brite for 17 years. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from University of Texas at Dallas. She also has earned a BS in Chemistry and holds two Master’s degrees in science.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work for a company that sees the whole of the process,” Dr. Aoun said. “A Brite listens to the customer and works side-by-side with them to ensure their success. This environment has enabled me to understand the science behind a process, build a fund of formulas and back them with chemistry,.”

Dr. Aoun and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website.

The People Who Work Here: Jackie Frank, Chemical Purchasing Inventory Manager

When she was a girl growing up on a ranch in North Texas, Jackie Frank learned a lesson that she hasn’t forgotten to this day.

“When we were kids, my cousin was filling a tank on my grandparents’ ranch,” Jackie recounted recently. “However, she forgot to take the hose out after she was finished and the water in the tank was siphoned out by the unattended hose. The tank had chemicals in it that were toxic and the siphoned water polluted by grandparents’ well,” Jackie recalled.

“They had to dig a new well.”

That lesson of paying attention to detail has stayed with her. In the metal surface finishing business, a missed keystroke on order can destroy a customer’s system.

Jackie is responsible for the inventory and ordering a raw materials for A Brite Company. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“We maintain a just-in-time inventory,” Jackie said. “I order raw materials based upon orders so that we can contain costs in the warehouse,” she said. Jackie also maintains stock of products of other manufacturers A Brite distributes.

And that’s not all Jackie does. “I arrange all of the prepaid and inbound freight for the company,” Jackie said.

Jackie is a veteran of the chemical and surface finishing business, having come over to A Brite in the ACI Chemicals acquisition. She has worked on the A Brite premises since 2004.

“I started as a temp and worked my way through the company,” Jackie said. “I love what I do and can’t imagine working anywhere else.”

Jackie and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Craig Hassell, Customer Service Manager

Being a visual guy in a company full of chemists can have its advantages. Or so it is with Craig Hassell.

“I produced the first ad for the company that didn’t look like it came from our industry,” Craig said. “”While I understand the industry and have worked here for 15 years, I still have an ‘outsiders’ point of view.”

By ‘outsider’ Craig means he isn’t a chemist. He has a degree in Visual Communications. But he is a veteran of the industry because of his work at A Brite Company.

Craig is the Customer Service Manager at A Brite Company. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“When I was first hired on by the company,” Craig continued, “they were looking for help designing ads and a website. I am proud to say we were the first company in the metal finishing industry with a website,” he said.

Since that time, Craig has served several roles with the company until being named Customer Service Manager in 2008.

“My knowledge of the industry and the company comes from having worked in quality control and as ad manager before taking on this assignment,” Craig said. “Thanks, to Frank, I’ve had the opportunity to build my skills and help the company.”

Frank is Frank Dunigan, the CEO of A Brite.

Craig and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

Finding the Right Environmental Solutions

In order for a system to run efficiently and correctly, a number of different types of chemicals and equipment need to be available. Look for a supplier-partner that offers chemistry and equipment for treating the effluent from your system. If they offer quality products, a knowledgeable team of experts and innovative techniques, you should be able to fulfill your waste water treatment requirements as well as run a profitable operation.

The different types of chemicals and equipment in a variety of categories that you should look for include:

• Coagulants
• Defoamers
• Control equipment
• Flocculants
• Precipitants
• Pumps
• Source water technologies
• Scrubbers
• Tanks
• Waste minimization equipment

In subsequent posts we will discuss each area individually and talk about the pros and cons of each one.

The Finishing Touch

The People Who Work Here: James Greer, Purchasing/Equipment Manager

The phone rings. It is a customer with a problem with his metal finishing process equipment. But wait, you sell process chemistry.

Hmmmm.

If James Greer is on the answering end of that call, the answer always starts with “How may I help you?”

James is the Purchasing and Equipment Manager at A Brite Company. A Brite Company is the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“After more than 20 years in the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma, I knew what a customer was asking for when they described their problem,” James told us recently. “I found I also understood when they asked for one part and the problem they were having was really needing another part.”

Being able to communicate with the customer and then meet their needs quickly is James’ stock in trade.

“Our customers are dealing with real time,” he said. “If their line goes down, it costs them money. We have to react quickly by diagnosing the problem and getting them the part.”

While A Brite sells chemistry, it also provides solutions to their clients to make sure their lines are up and running. That’s where James comes in.

“I also know when to not sell them something,” James added. “We want happy customers and honesty is a part of what we do. Sure I can sell many parts, but if that’s not their problem, then I won’t,” he said.

James and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Tom Hyman

From the posters on his office walls and his dry sense of humor, you would think Tom Hyman was a joker, a world-class kidder.

You’d only be partly right.

While Tom enjoys a good joke and his golf game, when it comes to the work he and his colleagues do at A Brite Company, they take it seriously.

“I’m the inside guy, the troubleshooter,” Tom said. In his job as Technical Services Manager, Tom oversees the portion of the lab that processes client samples.

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

“In addition to providing our clients with the right chemistry and equipment, we also help them monitor their processes and report back to them,” Tom said. “We are their external quality control.”

Tom should know: he’s been with A Brite for all but one year of its existence. A graduate of Case Western University in Ohio with a BA in Chemistry, Tom came to Dallas with ROHCO in 1981. It was there he met Frank Dunigan. Frank founded A Brite in 1982. After much back and forth and cajoling, Tom joined Frank at A Brite in 1983.

“And the rest, they say, is history,” Tom said. Tom went on to describe why he’s been at A Brite for most of his career. Thre are two reasons, he said.

“First of all, we have Frank,” he said. “There are few people in business who understand, like Frank does, that family comes first. Frank has always cared for me and the rest of the A Brite team,” Tom said. “To him, we are his family.”

That family ethic has helped keep the A Brite team together. With an average tenure in the company of around 10 years (there are some youngsters on board who have less than five years’ service who bring that number lower), working at the company is a long-term assignment.

“Secondly, we are a small, flexible company with experienced, talented people,” Tom continued. “We can respond to the customer much more easily and quickly and with the answers they need. There is less bureaucracy.”

Tom and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

The People Who Work Here: Dan Dunigan

Computer. Check. Catalogue. Check. Customer list. Check. Cowboy hat. Check? T-shirt from an Irish Festival. Check?

Wait a minute…just whose list is this?

Dan Dunigan is about as serious as the next guy in the plating and surface finishing industry. But he also knows what it takes to have fun and get things done.

“In my time at A Brite, I’ve learned that life is a balance,” Dan said. “We know our customers well and because of that, they trust us,” he said.

Dan is responsible for technical sales and service for A Brite Company, the leader in the metal finishing industry for process chemistry and equipment. A Brite is based in Garland, Texas.

“Take as an example our annual trip to the National Association of Surface Finishing (NASF) SUR/FIN trade show,” Dan said. “It is serious business to go and interact with our peers and competitors. But we also have fun and enjoy ourselves while we work.”

The trade show and conference are an annual occurrence for A Brite. Each year the company chooses a theme for its exhibit and each year it draws more people.

“We have competitors and customers alike calling and asking us about our theme before the show,” Dan said. “But even after all these years of doing the show, no one has yet to copy our idea of a themed booth,” he continued.

A graduate of Louisiana Tech University, Dan has a degree in marketing.  But his responsibilities go far beyond just marketing the company.  He is responsible for maintaining critical relationships both within and outside the company.

The industry as well as the company is built on relationships, Dan told us. “The surface finishing industry is like a family, not unlike our company. We all know and care about one another,” Dan said.

Dan and the rest of the A Brite family can be reached at 214-291-0400 or through the website at www.abrite.com.

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.

Waste Water Treatment Equipment

In addition to being innovative in metal finishing technology, A Brite Company offers a full line of equipment for the treatment of effluent.

The match of quality finishing chemistry, a knowledgeable team of experts and innovative techniques, your process form start to finish will be efficient, effective and compliant.  The list of equipment needed in most waste water applications includes:

• Control equipment
• Pumps
• Source water technologies
• Tanks
• Waste minimization equipment

 In subsequent posts, we'll talk about the components within each category and talk about their attributes.

For more information, please contact us at A Brite Company at 214-291-0400.

The Finishing Touch

Providing Answers to Your Finishing Questions: A Brite Company

A Brite Company is the leader in the process chemistry and finishing industry.  This blog has been created to provide information to you, our customers and colleagues, on a regular basis.

We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions.  Watch this space for regular articles that will help you understand our industry, improve the quality of your products and keep you informed about industry trends.

For more information, please contact Dan Dunigan at A Brite Company at 214-291-0400, or stop by our website, www.abrite.com.