Top Shops

Powder Coater Leverages Its Manufacturing Mindset for Success

As a former motorcycle manufacturer, this powder coating Top Shop benefits from understanding the finishing industry from a customer’s perspective.

Lori Beckman
Executive Editor, Products Finishing

An Altruistic Growth Strategy Puts People First

Professional Plating emphasizes investing in its team and fostering a supportive environment on the shop floor.

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Texas Plating Top Shop Acquires Powder Coating Company

Gleco Plating’s acquisition of 3-D Powder Coating expands the shop’s capabilities to liquid paint and powder coat. 

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Finisher’s ‘Top Shop’ Status Attracts Business

This competitive California finisher made it a goal to become a PF Top Shop. After earning the recognition, the company experienced an immediate increase in business and a challenge to obtain certifications. 

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Products Finishing Reveals 2024 Qualifying Top Shops

PF reveals the qualifying shops in its annual Top Shops Benchmarking Survey — a program designed to offer shops insights into their overall performance in the industry. 

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PHTPlus: All-In-One Business Software for the Finishing Industry

The cutting-edge ERP software is designed to revolutionize surface finishing operations.

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Top Shop’s Journey to Building a Unique Brand

Since this new Ohio plater took over the space and assets of a former plating business, it is intentional about setting itself apart from prior ownership.

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Eliminating No-Value-Added Services Adds Value for Customers

Answering questions about how to best meet customer needs led this Products Finishing Top Shop to stop using trucks to provide value-added services and instead, start offering in-house solutions.

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Product Finishing’s 2024 Top Shops Benchmarking Survey Deadline Approaches

Taking this year’s Products Finishing’s annual Top Shops Benchmarking Survey? Respondents are urged to complete the survey by April 30, 2024 in order to be considered as a qualifying top shop.

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Top Shop Aces Outstanding Customer Service

More than a finishing shop, this anodizing, powder coating and vacuum resin impregnating business goes above and beyond for its customers by being a resource for whatever their finishing needs might demand.  

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Top Shop Savors Past 20 Years of Prosperity

This one-stop finishing shop was rescued by new management in 2004. Since then, its rejuvenation has brought substantial growth and success to the business.

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Plating Shop Leverages Ingenuity to Strive for Perfection

With unique systems in place, this zinc plating Top Shop offers several value-added services for its customers while focusing on top-notch customer service.

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Attentive Employees Support Large Customer Base

As a Products Finishing Top Shop, this company’s success with offering a variety of finishing services would not be possible without its employee dedication and the pride that’s been instilled in them to produce quality products for its long list of customers.

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Defining a Top Shop: Quality, Quickness, Communication, Community

Luke Engineering & Anodizing Co. takes an active role in its community and the industry while also focusing heavily on the quality of its work and employee treatment.

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Products Finishing Reveals 2023 Qualifying Top Shops

Each year PF conducts its Top Shops Benchmarking Survey, offering shops a tool to better understand their overall performance in the industry. The program also recognizes shops that meet a set of criteria to qualify as Top Shops. 

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Highlights from SUR/FIN 2023

Products Finishing offers a recap of some of the topics that were top of mind at the SUR/FIN 2023 finishing industry trade show. 

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Strategic Acquisitions and Versatility Set This Shop Apart

Associated Finishing continues to evolve and grow, stretching its capabilities to meet the needs of its customers.

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Top Shop Leader Focuses on Its People as Key to Success

Twin Cities job shop, Avtec, was named a Top Shop for the third time in 2022, due in no small part to its commitment not only to the work it produces but to those who produce it — its employees.

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Take the 2023 Top Shops Benchmarking Survey

Participate in the Top Shops Benchmarking Survey to find out if you qualify as a 2023 Products Finishing Top Shop.

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Metal Pretreatment Technology
Pretreatment Washer and Finishing Equipment
New Acid-Free Bright Nickel Process
OptiCenter All-in-One OC11

Top Shops Benchmarking Survey — FAQs

Products Finishing’s Top Shops Benchmarking Survey is gearing up for 2023. Jan Schafer, director of marketing research for Gardner Intelligence, offers insights for taking the survey and interpreting the results.

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How to Build a Powder Coating Brand

Maui Powder Works, a 2022 Products Finishing Top Shop, shares the story behind how it grew from an island job shop to a recognized voice in the finishing community. 

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Top Shop Provides Tailored Plating Solutions

U.S. Chrome discusses its formula for success, which includes custom fixturing and creative plating solutions for its customers in a range of industries.

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Powder Coating Top Shop Focuses on Growth, Expanding Markets

Indiana-based Winona Powder Coating has become one of the leading industrial powder coating providers for the Midwest and continues to emphasize new growth as it looks to the future.

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Consistency is Key for this Plating Top Shop

A recurring theme from Products Finishing's recent visit to Varland Plating was a commitment to continuous improvement.

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The 2022 Top Shops Benchmarking Results Have Arrived

With hundreds of finishers participating, this year’s benchmarking survey data shows that automation solutions are one of the primary makers of a Top Shop.

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Non-Cyanide Silver Plating, AMS 2411J