Looking to the Future of Finishing

At the core of any industry — of any endeavor for that matter — is people. Say what you will about robotics and artificial intelligence. I think most of us agree that you’ll never replace the need for people. The roles humans play in a project will inevitably change as new tools become available, but at the end of the day, that’s what all of these innovations are — tools. Just like everybody else in a communications role, I’ve been experimenting with the writing AI chatbot ChatGPT. I’ve found it to be a helpful research tool, however, there’s so much margin for error in what the AI aggregates and so much that is lost without a human putting the information into context. To me, ChatGPT seems more like a friendly R2-D2 droid than a Terminator trying to steal my editorial job.

I believe that to be analogous for pretty much any implementation of automation solutions.

Workforce will always matter. As we look to the future of our industry, of the whole of manufacturing, of our society, of our planet — one of the most important ways we invest in that future is by investing in people.

A recent industry news story really resonated with me and served as the inspiration for my column for this month. The story involves several competing finishing companies based in Connecticut who have joined forces in the name of forwarding the surface finishing industry through education. Coordinated with the aid of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board (NRWIB, Waterbury, Conn.), the initiative is known as “Master Electroplating Through Applied Learning” — or METAL. Besides having the most rockin’ name for any educational program pretty much anywhere, METAL is on a righteous mission to change perceptions about metal finishing as a career path within manufacturing and provide access to hands-on training.

“I think one of the things that has gotten lost over time is that finishing is critical to all industries,” says Peter Mirabello, chairman, Metal Finishing Technologies LLC (MFT). “We found with the workforce headwinds, it was it was compounded in our case, because nobody was really talking about [finishing] in the schools or teaching it.”

George A. LaCapra Jr., president, UniMetal Surface Finishing LLC, says, “It’s kind of an underground industry that we touched so many consumer parts, that people don't realize their everyday things that they use come from metal finishing. We’re trying to bring metal finishing to light — this is a $5 billion industry in this country, and it’s not going away. We service so many industries that are vital to consumers every day. This is a career; this is innovative; there’s technology here; there’s applied learning.”

Mirabello says the curriculum is partly classroom-based, but the focus is on hands-on learning. “It’s more than just finishing — it’s leadership and technology training,” he adds.

MFT and UniMetal are just a couple of the companies involved in the initiative. The program is truly a community effort combining the expertise of area finishing operations and industry suppliers. 

Connecticut’s METAL initiative is a great example of some of the efforts that the surface finishing industry is putting forth to reinvigorate the workforce and look to the future. Several stories in this issue of Products Finishing focus on workforce development and educational initiatives within the industry.

• This month’s On the Line interview sees the return of regular PF contributor Matthew Kirchner, president of manufacturing education consultancy LAB Midwest and author of PF’s “Never Finished” column. Kirchner joined us to offer his insights into current workforce trends in manufacturing, the changing perceptions about careers in finishing, educational initiatives and advice for pursuing careers in the industry. 
• Looking into training opportunities within the industry? A special installment in our Ask the Expert Clinic section offers advice for seeking out finishing industry education and ways to make the most of it. 
• The May issue also includes a preview of SUR/FIN 2023, the surface finishing industry’s premier trade show presented by the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). SUR/FIN is the place to be to learn about all of the latest finishing industry news, trends and technologies. The show includes a robust technical conference, the opportunity to attend finishing certification courses, regulatory policy updates, a variety of educational offerings and networking opportunities. 

It's an exciting time for surface finishing. There are a lot of factors shaping the landscape of the industry from succession planning to evolving material requirements in a variety of applications to increased adoption of robotics, smart solutions and AI. The finishing jobs of the future won’t necessarily look the same as they have in the past and, for those interested in growing their expertise in finishing processes and technologies, there’s no doubt that the industry has plenty to offer in terms of career opportunities.