Letter 35020

Question about size of the international electroplating industry [Maryland] 

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I am a graduate MBA student at the University of Baltimore and am looking for information regarding the size of the electroplating industry - both domestic and foreign. It was pretty easy to find information about the domestic (US) electroplating industry from the past census of American industry but I'm having very little luck finding data on the foreign market. Can anyone help shed light on how large the foreign market is or where to find this information?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Michelle Boardman
Student - Baltimore, Maryland, USA

I don't know where you can find that information. What I can tell you is that the plating industry in the USA is well on the way to becoming extinct as manufacturing chases low wages and minimal environmental regulation to China, India and other third world countries.

It's about time to post the notice: "WILL THE LAST PLATER TO LEAVE THE USA PLEASE TURN OUT THE LIGHTS"

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF - Spartanburg, SC, USA

You might want to contact the Metal Finishing Supplier's Association; there's a link to their website through finishing.com. To contact by mail, though, their new address is 3660 Maguire Blvd., Ste. 250, Orlando, FL 32803-3075 (BTB, Ted, this address change also holds true for AESF and NAMF).

James Totter, CEF - Tallahassee, FL

Dear Jeffery

I dont agree with you when you say that India has minimal environmental regulations. I dont know about China and until I go there and experience it myself, I won't say anything about them as well.

Please before making these statment about 3rd world countries you must experience their work enviorment. I have years of plating experience in India, then in Canada and now from last 4 years I am in USA and my only work experience is in plating industries throughout my career. I dont see much difference between India, Canada or USA and I am saying this because I have work experience in all of these countries.

And I dont know who has come up with this term as 3rd world countries. India as well as China are booming economies. They may outshine USA one day if they contiune with the current pace of growth rate.

Again, they can not compete globally if they are not going to meet international environmental laws.

I am sorry if I am getting away from the subject. But we should avoid making these statements on this wonderful site of plating.

Thanks

Hemant Kumar
- Florida, USA

It's always nice to experience something for ourself as a check against being fooled by what we hear, Hemant. And I agree that many Americans underestimate the environmental laws that apply in other countries. But if we insist on waiting until we experience something for ourself before there is anything to say about it, we may as well close the libraries and burn the books to warm our caves.

While India and China clearly have some world-class plating facilities, letters like 7131 describe how some countries are not necessarily homogeneous. I've been to neither, but I have been to Mexico and a couple of pacific rim areas, and I have seen for myself that you can have advanced industry and fine plating facilities in one area and yet not have uniformly applied "categorical standards" across a country. In fact, across a city.

Letters like Jeffrey's are understandable and are intended not to criticize any other country but to try to wake up our own citizenry against the imminent threat posed by the anti-small business mentality currently advanced by our politicians, public sector employees, media, teachers, and Fortune 500.

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ

I want to answer or follow-up on this subject publicly (in non-commercial fashion).

 

My company is a supporting advertiser at finishing.com and we want the contact information to reach the inquirer privately.

 

I want to post a new question or inquiry of my own on a different subject.