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