Our Commitment to Excellence

As the new editor and publisher of Metal Finishing magazine, I am very excited about the opportunity to join the leading trade publication serving our industry. Although I am a relative newcomer to this business, I gained experience covering the paint, powder, and coatings segment during my tenure as editor-in-chief of Modern Paint & Coatings magazine.

The December issue will mark the beginning of some exciting new changes planned for Metal Finishing in 2005 that will benefit you, our loyal readers. During the next few issues, we will gradually redesign the publication to make it more colorful, easy to read, and jam packed with information that will help industry professionals make informed business decisions.

Metal Finishing will continue publishing technical features from leading authorities and industry experts that focus on new technologies, equipment, techniques, and products that directly affect both captive and job shops. However, we will take a different approach to our regular and ongoing coverage of the market. Simply put, Metal Finishing will provide key decision makers with the expert analysis and business intelligence they need to sustain their competitive edge in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.

Given that metal finishing is a global business that cuts across many industries, our editorial coverage will likewise span across various end-use segments, news events, and general goings-on. You’ll see us report on a wide range of hot topics and trends, services, and successful business practices. We will speak with an equally diverse range of industry professionals to get their views about those issues. We think you’ll agree this will make our publication an even more valuable resource.

But that’s not all. Editorial plans call for creating special sections and supplements that provide important, up-to-date coverage of individual and fast-growing technologies, product categories, and business segments. Metal Finishing will participate in major industry events, conferences, conventions, and trade shows both in the U.S. and abroad. We will revamp our Web site — www.metalfinishing.com— to provide important business and technical information and services to our readers and advertisers on the Internet.
These and other editorial programs under development are indicative of our commitment to serve as the premier technology and business management resource for shops engaged in organic and/or inorganic finishing. I’m confident you’ll find Metal Finishing will deliver the kind of information you need when you need it most. That’s what quality editorial is all about.

I value your opinions on how we can enhance the editorial quality of the magazine even further. After all, you are the ones who will determine the ultimate success of our efforts. Please either e-mail your comments to me at g.valero@elsevier.com or fax them to 212-633-3140.

I look forward to hearing from you.