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PRODUCTS FINISHING — PFonline.com 17 THE VOICE OF FINISHING 80 YEARS nickel, re-added to the plating tank. For anion resin, the rinse water is cycled through resin to remove negatively charged ions, and the clean water is returned to rinses by pumps. When the resin is saturated with contaminants, a caustic is added to release ions into the holding tank to reclaim and add back to the bath. The EPA has recognized Valley Chrome Plating for its work in environmental protection under the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) program, a voluntary partnership between regulatory agencies and manufac- turing and plating facilities to reduce the release of certain chemicals. Valley Chrome was recognized for switching from hexavalent to trivalent chromium, and for using graphite anodes instead of those made of lead. It was honored for its ingenuous zero-discharge system as well as a water run-off catching system that collects almost 100,000 gallons of rain water each year to be cleaned and used by the plant. "This is a great example of how a company can protect its employees and the environment while growing its business and providing important local jobs," said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest at the time. "Removing thousands of pounds of lead and chromium-six from its products ensures a safer environment for Valley Chrome Plating's workers and the community." Ray Lucas continues to serve on several NASF committees, but he is also passionate about supporting the NASF 1,000, which raises funds for the group's Government Advisory Committee's war chest in the ongoing fight against onerous regulations. He urges anyone not contributing to go to nasf.org and follow the link to find out more. For now, Valley Chrome Plating has a new plating line on the drawing board that it may start building in 2017, depending on sales. Ray says they expect double-digit growth in the sale of truck bumpers as they expand their dealer affiliations and work with more OEMs on the aftermarket products. Being ISO 9001 certified has opened new doors for the firm. "We think we can double our production, and it's an opportunity we really want to go after," Ray says. Doubling Production Greg says that the goal will be to go after the OEMs as well as the aftermarket partnerships they have developed. "We've opened a lot of doors for ourselves," he says. "Plus, we've seen the offshoring trend begin to stop and reverse. All of that has created numerous opportunities for us." In hindsight, Ray says the business model change was exactly the right thing to do. "When the bankruptcy occurred, we knew it was too late for some of us to become doctors or lawyers," he says. "We like to joke that we were too dumb to quit. We just kept at it, and sometimes that is all it takes to make some- thing work." For information on Valley Chrome Plating, visit valleychrome.com. Go Inside Valley Chrome and See the Bumper Plating Line Watch Ray Lucas talk about his company's transforma- tion from a plating shop to a major automotive parts manufacturer. To watch the video, visit short.pfonline.com/Valley . BUMPER CROP FOR VALLEY CHROME Tri-Flow Dry Dust Collector The Performance of a HEPA Filter with self-cleaning technology Whirl Wet Dust Collector 99%+ efficiency, low operating costs; ideal for dusts 3+ microns America's Best Values In Emissions Control Wet Scrubber for Plating Lines maintains stack emissions to specific ppm levels for all input concentrations Call us today at (989) 723-7838 salesdpt@tri-mer.com www.tri-mer.com "Since 1960" Factory & Headquarters: Owosso, MI © Copyright 2016 Tri-Mer Corporation