The Best in Equipment and Supplies

A number of our customers don't realize that A Brite Company is not only their source for chemistry, we also can (and do) provide equipment and parts to keep their lines running.

"When it comes to parts, equipment and supplies, we have a full range," Dan Dunigan said.  Dan is Director of Technical Sales and Service for A Brite. "And we have one of the best trouble shooters in the industry in James Greer."

James Greer is A Brite's Purchasing and Equipment Manager.  You can read his bio here.

"When it comes to keeping our customers up and running," Dan continued," we will do just about anything from testing chemistry to changing out filters to recommending a different pump.  Whatever it takes, our team can take it on. to solve our customers' problems."

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

You can reach Dan, James and the rest of the A Brite family at 214-291-0400 or at their website.

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: 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.

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: 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.

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.