Navigating Industry Challenges and Fostering Evolution
I recently attended the NASF Leadership Meeting (National Association of Surface Finishers) and wanted to share my takeaways.
Engagement and Evolution with the NASF
The NASF’s role is to try to help further the knowledge and growth of the metal finishing industry in North America. They work with all of the top vendors in the country as well as state and federal administrators to try to make sure that businesses and policies are aligned, understand what businesses need to be successful in the market, and what can help them grow. There is the national organization, but then also a full cadre of state-level chapters that are very active in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of regulations and industry standards, ensuring smooth operations and fostering growth.
I’ve been involved with them since around 2015 when I attended my first SurFin trade show. At first, I just attended shows they sponsored or participated in, then later I became active in state level events with local chapters to support our local customers. About three years ago, I got involved with NASF group that supports the policy work in DC, especially as it overlapped some of our government customers in the plating space, like air force bases that do plating on-site. Then about two years ago, I was nominated and put on the committee board for the Sur/Fin Trade show which is the focal point of the NASF. It’s the largest event the NASF puts on, it drives the most interaction between customers and vendors, and it provides the most educational opportunities, both technically and administratively.
Current Industry Concerns
Without question, the biggest concern for the surface finishing industry is Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) used or created in plating shops. This group of chemicals is used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFAS is a global term for a family of chemicals, some of which are harmful and some of which aren’t. The term is often generalized to mean that they’re all dangerous – they’re not – and continued education of people in the industry as well as environmental policy decision makers is critical to our future.
This is where NASF is a very strong leader. Both the national organization and all the state organizations spend a lot of time organizing information, training, discussions, and lobbying efforts all around PFAS. At both a state and federal level, businesses want to know they’re compliant because the metal finishing industry is pretty much in the spotlight for environmental regulations. The industry knows that the PFAS challenge is daunting, and they’re working hard to investigate options that will ease their environmental burdens.
Key Discussions at the Leadership Meeting
A key topic discussed at the NASF Leadership meeting, besides PFAS, was leadership – just in general, leadership in our industry. How can we do things differently? What do we need to do to adapt to the challenges we’re seeing? How do we lead our teams during uncertain times? Retention, too, was also a big topic – just like for pretty much every industrial facility. It was a good session because it was an open dialogue with the presenter on how to change the way we lead and what challenges we face as leaders in our businesses and the industry.
Managing through Challenges
The most impactful presentation for me was a look at what happened after a disaster. A customer partner in the industry had a massive fire at one of their facilities, complete loss of the manufacturing facility, and they presented on what happened – all the things they wished they’d known beforehand, and all the issues they were presented with. Luckily, no one was injured or killed in the fire, but still, the devastation was substantial. So they discussed topics like: How do you manage triage? How do you manage the insurance companies? How do you manage your people and take care of them and their families? How do you manage all of it?
One of the rather dismaying things that happened to them was that their insurance company kind of threw up their hands and said they were ill-prepared to handle the situation. Apparently, this isn’t uncommon – sometimes insurance companies write out a policy without visiting the plant, reviewing the risks, etc., so they’re not equipped to do much when disaster strikes. In this case, the company decided to hire an outside consultant that specializes in navigating these kinds of hazardous events – helping businesses align with their insurance companies. The president of the company together with the consultant and an insurance professional had an open dialogue, walked us through the timeline of what happened, outlined the things you should be thinking about being prepared for, and the resolution.
For me, part of what was really helpful was that it better equipped me to help our customers recover after an incident. Besides replacing equipment, we’re trying to figure how to support them in an expeditious manner and help them fill in gaps, and inspect because they’re fractal. But we’re also trying to arm them because a lot of times, insurance providers want to place blame on their equipment – and because our equipment lasts so long, it can seem easy to blame a 40-year old piece of electrical equipment for a fire. But if the company can prove they’ve safely maintained their equipment, it can help smooth out their insurance claims. Getting paid quickly helps them get back up and running quickly, which is what it’s all about.
To hear the customers’ perspective of what it’s like going through that process was really helpful and interesting. What I found the most edifying was that there’s enough trust and desire for shared knowledge within the professionals in the Surface Finishing industry that the company president felt comfortable being very open about what happened – even with direct competitors in the room.
Looking Ahead
Peripherally, there’s more talk about increasing operational efficiency, including energy efficiency. While it’s not center stage yet, the buzz is growing and I think there’s potential there once a couple of plants make the change. But for that kind of investment, you need to be thinking long term. Unfortunately the PFAS challenges among others are immediate and impactful, so until some of that uncertainty smooths out, I think the idea of microgrids and incorporating renewables will stay more in the background. Our After Market Services Manager, Remington Schieffer , presented on this topic at last year’s Sur/Fin. At first, I think there was some skepticism, but Remington made a strong argument for how to do it effectively, and it definitely helped kickstart the conversation.
Conclusion
Events like the NASF Leadership Conference are valuable and important. Maybe it’s a cliché, but a rising tide lifts all boats, and if we pool our collective knowledge, build relationships and foster more people personally invested in the cause, we’re more likely to thrive as an industry. The industry knows it needs to change and adapt – and I believe that with all the very smart and committed people in the surface finishing industry, we’ll find a way ahead.
