Welcome to Techlines: November 1999

Northrup Grumman

We have been advised that Northrup has been using our Cermakrome for a number of years with a great deal of success as a tooling coating.

Northrup produces parts out of a composite material (AFR700). This material requires curing at 700f. When the material cures it produces vapors that were damaging to the steel fixtures holding the composite material. Iron was absorbed by the composite causing a degradation of the composite qualities.

By coating with MCX they not only had a very nice looking piece of tooling, but they eliminated the problem.

MCX has been used successfully in several different applications, at Northrup, however they have only passed on details of this particular use for public dissemination.

Hot Rod Magazine

The January issue of Hot Rod carries an excellent article on engine coatings and cryogenics. This was written by our friend Ray Bohaz, who has written several other articles, and always gives TECH LINE COATINGS, INC. favorable mention. In this issue it includes a small side bar referencing that while we sell coatings we also will refer to a shop in the local area. We have already received a number of calls and have been sending them to the closest TECH LINE applicator.

Tech Line CD

We are working on producing a CD with our catalog and all data sheets, MSDS and any other bit of information we can load onto it. Writing the program and finishing the CD is taking a little longer than we expected. Hopefully it will be available in January.

Until then we are making a CD available that contains most of the information. However it is not built around its own program. Consequently you would need to open it in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word or Works for Windows or Word Pad. Any program that will read an RTF format should allow you to access the data. Simply e:mail your request for this interim CD.

Teflon Coatings

We have continued to work on developing a low temperature cure, Teflon coating. We are still not at the point of marketing such a coating, but are making good progress. Initial tests of a new formulation are very promising. The new coating should cure in the 300 to 350f range. The most promising formula is a solvent born system, though we are also working on a water born system as well.

PRI Show

We don't know how many of you attended the PRI show in Indy, but it as always was a great success.

One observation that we made at the show had to do with the focus of many of the attendees. Rather than closely examining what was in every booth, they were looking for new items being displayed. The best way to have gotten attention was with a "New" sign prominently displayed. This could also be a good idea for those shops that have a walk in area that allows a display. Display a changing variety of coated parts. Something new could catch the attention of even an old customer, who simply may not be aware of all the possible applications. Give the customer something new to think about. If you do an advertising flyer, add a "New" coating or coated item each time you print it and high light it. The same applies to Ads.

Approved Applicator Program

We will mail out the appropriate forms in about 10 days to all the shops interested in the program.

Contingency Program

We need your help in developing a contingency program. If there is a popular race program or series in your area, please get us information on it. We will try to start this program sometime during the course of 2000 and need to have all the information possible. Of course we are aware of the major sanctioning bodies, but many times a smaller race circuit can be a good source of exposure as well. As funds become available we hope to step up to the level of the major sanctioning body requirements, such as NHRA etc. This request applies to shops located outside of the USA as well. We will consider programs in foreign markets.

Market Condition

Based on the volume of sales we are seeing, the market is extremely healthy. We expect to see next year grow at an even greater rate than this year.

We have added several more manufacturers to our list of clients and hope to post an up dated list shortly. This includes not only Race oriented manufacturers but also O.E.M.'s. In some instances we are under confidentiality and cannot reveal who the customers are.

Send questions or comments to the author: Leonard Warren

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