Burlington is the second of three new Atotech GMF technical centers to be opened in 2008 (the new POP/DECO TechCenter in Berlin was inaugurated earlier this year). The Burlington facility is set up to specifically target corrosion protection applications, mainly for automotive, as well as non-automotive applications.

With the goal of providing top-notch local service to North American plating companies, Tier I, and OEMs, the new TechCenter is equipped with a zinc flake dip-spin unit as well as a comprehensive range of sample plating facilities for electrolytic corrosion protection applications, including a variety of zinc and zinc alloy processes, hexavalent chromium-free passivates, sealers, and post dips. The materials science and analytical lab perform all necessary tests from sophisticated investigations to routine analysis, including torque-tension measurements.

Demonstrating the firm’s emphasis on leading green technology, the plating facilities operate using Atotech auxiliary equipment such as ion exchange (Tricotect) and membrane technology. Tricotect is an ion exchange unit for passivates to keep the iron and zinc concentration below a critical threshold, thus, maintaining bath and coating quality. Atotech’s membrane anode technology for alkaline zinc nickel electrolytes prevents the formation of anodic breakdown products (cyanide, in particular), therefore keeping constant high plating rates and reduced wastewater treatment.

Atotech now operates nine GMF technical centers around the world. The opening of another four centers will follow by the end of this year and in 2009. All centers are generally equipped with production-scale pilot lines and/or sample plating capacities for various applications, as well as world-class materials science and analytical labs. They serve as training grounds for Atotech employees, customers, and OEMs and offer sample plating work, qualification runs, and development and testing of new processes and technologies.