Episode 44: Metal Finishing Legislative Day

On Tuesday, May 7, Products Finishing attended the Metal Finishing Association of California (MFACA) legislation day, an event coordinated by the California chapters of the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) — the Metal Finishing Association of Northern California (MFANC) and the Metal Finishing Association of Southern California (MFASC) — which provides metal finishers an opportunity to meet with state senators and representatives at the California state capitol in Sacramento.

The event is designed to facilitate communication between state government officials and finishing companies operating in California. As environmental concerns grow, finishing operations based in the state constantly face tighter regulation of their processes. These businesses are finding it increasingly challenging to operate. Many of them have already invested millions of dollars in equipment and processes to comply with ever-changing environmental legislation.

We spoke with Bryan Leiker, executive director of the MFACA and legislative advocate Jerry Desmond, who works as the legal advisor for the MFACA. Leiker is also vice president of K&L Anodizing (Burbank, California) a 75-year-old family business, and has spent his career working to educate legislators about the efforts of the metal finishing community.

PF: Tell us about MFACA’s legislation day event.

Bryan Leiker (BL): This is an annual event where we bring members of the Metal Finishing Association of California to Sacramento to meet with their assembly members and senators on issues that are important to them — issues that impact the California metal finishing businesses.

Jerry Desmond (JD): I’m really impressed that 25 members of the northern and southern associations took the time from their daily schedules to participate in over 30 meetings with state legislators on a variety of key topics.

PF: What are some of the issues for discussion for this year’s event?

BL: Of course, there are many issues that we’re here to address. One of the key issues involves fire insurance for commercial properties right now in the state of California. Many of the properties have been rezoned as fire hazards, and many of the members in Southern California are having a real issue. Renewing their follow-up fire insurance policy or, in some circumstances, having their policies canceled. Many of the California Insurance companies are not insuring companies that are built prior to 2000. I’m working with several members that have had their insurance canceled or, in some cases, their rates have tripled. That is one of the key issues we’re here for today.

Another issue is PFAS — as an industry that’s used a limited amount of PFAS. The rules and regulations with PFAS right now are having a real impact on businesses that are having to drill and test for it.

An additional issue that we’re here to address is a longtime issue that we’ve been fighting against, which is the hexavalent chromium ban in California. Many of the businesses that I represent through the association are affected by this ban, which will go into effect in 2027 for decorative applications and in 2030 for military and commercial aerospace applications. We’re here to address that ban and let them know the impact it’s having on California.

PF: What are the ramifications of these regulations on the industry?

BL: The metal finishing industry in California is shrinking. At one time, we represented over 200 members, today that’s down to 140. Right now, businesses are continuing to not only close but leave the state. If these regulations continue, and there’s no relief for small business, our industry is going to be forced to move out of the state due to the costs of operating and the costs of not being able to get proper insurance.

Recently, a member of the association that processes aircraft landing gear made the decision to move out of California as a result of what’s been happening, with the one of the contributing factors being the chrome ban. This issue has a real impact. It’s affecting the metal finishing industry and we need to let [legislators] know that there needs to be thorough thought put into the technical reviews that are going to happen in the years to come.

We’re here today to urge our representatives in the Capitol — our assembly members and state senators — to take a second look and realize that this is a good industry that has operated in California for many decades. An industry that employs thousands of people and has great jobs — lifetime jobs — for their communities.

If things continue the way they are, and we do not have representation in Sacramento that is willing to work with us on these issues, we’re going to lose thousands more jobs — and an entire industry will move out of California that will not return.

PF: Can you speak to the importance of the metal finishing industry in the state of California — the industries you serve and the services you provide?

BL: The metal finishing industry in California provides critical services to not only aerospace, defense and military but also medical, electronic and automotive. There’s a misconception by many people about exactly what we do in our shops. Many metal finishing shops are processing thousands of parts per week that support critical applications all over the world. Pretty much anyone who has stepped on an airplane benefits from some type of plating or service provided by California-based metal finishers.

We’re not just automotive and decorative [finishing]. It’s military, it’s defense. We are a crucial part of the supply chain, the last line for processing of some of these parts. The parts cannot be finished in assembly without the services that we provide.

PF: What does the MFACA hope to accomplish with these legislation day meetings?

JD: This is just one day that sets the table for actions on a variety of these issues. We anticipate developing together with other industries a coalescence of efforts to address insurance and to talk about the necessity for policies that are affordable for these businesses.

Secondly, we’re hoping to develop an understanding that when the regulators make decisions to ban certain chemicals or processes, that there is an effect on their communities. That includes the ban on hexavalent chrome plating and chromic acid anodizing that are already having an impact on jobs and on businesses’ operations. We’re letting them know these decisions need to be science based. They need to reflect the fact that there are jobs and there are existing initiatives that these companies have taken to lower their emissions to the lowest possible level and we can achieve mutual goals if there’s collaboration.

BL: The association hopes to get our representatives involved to understand the issues that we’re dealing with and how it impacts our small business industry — how it impacts our employees and what we need to survive in this state.

We are urging our representatives to work with us. We’re hoping that there’s engagement between their staff and our staff to go over the issues. We’re hoping that this is not just a one-day event. We are urging our representatives to work with us. We are dedicated to protecting the environment, to providing good jobs and to working with the community. What we’re asking today is for the representatives to take the time to come visit our shops to meet with us and to work out on some of these policies that we brought up today. Because the reality is that unless something is done, it is not sustainable.