- 04 February 2008 -
Come Back to the Finishers’ Pavilion!

With SUR/FIN ’08 just six months away—and show floor space filling up fast—the NASF is once again reaching out to all potential exhibitors (especially finishers) to take part in the show. The participation of platers, coaters and painters at the convention—which proved to be a welcomed, refreshing addition to the 2007 event in Cleveland—can only stand to further enhance the overall SUR/FIN experience this time around.

“One of the strategies that we employed was to basically embrace the entire supply chain, which includes finishers,” said Barry Lee Cohen, chairman of SUR/FIN 2008 and global marketing manager for Enthone, Inc. “They key was to attract our fellow customer platers to the show, and we succeeded in getting four very good companies to showcase at the Finishers’ Pavilion. They represented the induction of finishers at SUR/FIN 2007, and it was very well received by those exhibitors as well as other customers.”

So well received, in fact, that some of those companies have expressed a genuine interest in returning for the 2008 event. Case in point: Jim Orsatti, sales manager for Naugatuck, Conn.–based Donham Craft, Inc., which specializes in electroless nickel, mechanical zinc, and multiple precious metal and industrial finishes. He reported having a “pretty good experience last year” and is putting the wheels in motion for a repeat appearance.

Another first-time finishing exhibitor—Milwaukee, Wis.-based Reliable Plating Works (RPW) is also coming back. This firm specializes in decorative nickel/chrome electroplating, including satin, bright, and duplex nickel, as well as decorative chrome.

And even those finishers who are still on the fence about returning to SUR/FIN this year wholeheartedly embrace the Finishers’ Pavilion concept and plan for a 2009 showing. Frantz Charles, CEO and owner of Quebec-based R.K.S Vacuum Platers, falls in that category. “We had a lot of people coming to see us in Cleveland,” he said. “We also talked about business with other platers. On that point, it was great!”

Hopefully you will be among the finishers who report positive experiences from showcasing their products and services at SUR/FIN. I know we’re still several months away from the show, but organizers tell me space is already 80% sold out. So don’t wait too long. I’d hate for you to miss the train!

(For more information on how you can take part, please e-mail Cheryl Clark, NASF’s director of events, at cclark@nasf.org, or call (202) 457-8404.)