The Year in Review

As we countdown to the new year, Products Finishing has taken some time to reflect on what 2021 held for those in the finishing industry. The year was one of constant anticipation and hope for things to get better and return to normal after a year of quarantines, working from home and social distancing. While some progress was made with the careful return of tradeshows and networking events, these events were, by necessity, of a much smaller scope than in a normal year.

The ripples felt from the COVID pandemic have touched so many aspects of business from workforce to the supply chain. The ramifications are nowhere near over, yet the world is working to adapt and move forward.

Aerospace market

One of the most glaring areas where we hang our hopes for this “return to normal” is the commercial aerospace industry. While demand for flights is on the rise, a return to pre-pandemic levels will take time. In the following article from the October 2021 issue, PF talks with aerospace finishers to hear their insights into the return of this market for finishers:

“Surface Finishing and the Aerospace Supply Chain”: https://short.pfonline.com/holdingpatterns

Supply chain challenges

2021 saw myriad pandemic-related struggles caused by more than a year of disruptions in business as usual. Supply chain issues due to workforce challenges, natural disasters and shipping disruptions have hampered the whole of manufacturing. Throughout the year, PF spoke with materials experts to hear their assessments and advice for navigating the shortages:

“Coatings Industry Navigates Supply Chain Disruption”: short.pfonline.com/powdersupplychain

Podcast: Weathering the Supply Chain Storm, Part 1 - Powder Coating: short.pfonline.com/supplypod1

Podcast: Weathering the Supply Chain Storm, Part 2 - Metal Plating: short.pfonline.com/supplypod2

Regulatory battles

Compliance with environmental regulations is a constant concern for finishers. Regulations of such substances as hexavalent chromium are becoming increasingly stringent. This past year, metal finishers in California have been in talks with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) over a proposed phase-out of hexavalent chrome use in the state for both decorative and functional finishing applications. PF covered the topic from a few different points of view in the following stories:

“The Continuing Battle Over Hex Chrome”: short.pfonline.com/hex1

Podcast: Transitioning Hexavalent Chromium to Trivalent, Part 1: short.pfonline.com/hexpod1

Podcast: Transitioning Hexavalent Chromium to Trivalent, Part 2: short.pfonline.com/tripod

Podcast: Considering Hex Chrome Alternatives: short.pfonline.com/hexalt

Workforce

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem of finding and retaining skilled workers. Already an area of concern, the workforce challenges in the manufacturing world have reached a fever pitch. Such factors as just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and succession planning have changed the employment landscape with an increasing number of companies embracing robotics and smart technologies as they plan for the future of their businesses. Through the course of the year, PF reported on how education and outreach programs are working to address workforce concerns and help new talent take advantage of career opportunities.

“Reinvigorating the Workforce”: short.pfonline.com/wrkfrc

Automation, Software, IoT Solutions

Finishing operations have been a slower adopter of IoT and automation solutions, but it seems that we have reached a tipping point where workforce challenges and increasing demand for JIT manufacturing are prompting an increasing number of finishing operations to consider investing in new technologies. Here are a couple of stories:

Podcast: Trends in Automation for Finishers: short.pfonline.com/autotrd

“Let’s Finish Closing the Quoting Gap” by Mark Albert: short.pfonline.com/ppquote

Electric Vehicles

The rise of electric vehicles has been heralded for some time. As global climate change advances, the need to minimize emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels has become critical. Electric vehicles are changing the landscape of the automotive industry. What finishing opportunities will arise from the rising popularity of EVs?

“Coatings Drive Electric Vehicles Further” by Jenny Rush: short.pfonline.com/evbat1

Looking ahead

The past two years have been plagued with so many challenges. Yet, as Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” The finishing industry has so much to gain from working to meet these challenges head on. Automation and IoT solutions can help finishers better handle increasing expectations regarding turn-around times and bridge the communications gap between manufacturers and finishers. At the same time, the changing skill sets needed to man state-of-the-art finishing facilities may help change perceptions about careers in finishing and reinvigorate the workforce. New megatrends such as EVs, autonomous vehicles and urban mobility will continue to yield a need for new coatings that can help mitigate battery overheating and provide antimicrobial protection.

There’s plenty of hard work to be done, but a brand-new day for the finishing industry seems to be on the horizon.

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Enjoyed looking back at some of PF’s best stories of 2021? Don’t miss a special retrospective episode of our On the Line podcast featuring some of the most insightful interviews from the past year: short.pfonline.com/OTL13