Trion Coatings is partnering with KCH Services for the deployment of its Safe Chrome, an environmentally friendly chrome plating technology, according to Products Finishing. Nucor Fastener owns a minority equity position in Trion.

“KCH will act as Trion’s exclusive engineering, procurement and construction provider for the plating technology,” reports Products Finishing.

Trion Coatings utilizes a patent pending process using Cr(3) salts and a proprietary ionic liquid solution. The process allows for greater electroplating speeds, improved wear resistance and overall higher performance while offering health and safety benefits.

“KCH has demonstrated themselves to be an entrepreneurial company that has an ethic of being on the forefront of technology innovation and environmental stewardship,” stated Trion president Doug Morrison.

Forest City, NC-based KCH has more than 80,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, as well as extensive in-house capabilities and machinery to manufacture wet process lines and ventilation systems for various applications. Its core business strategy is spread across aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, agriculture, and construction markets that utilize electroplating and metal finishing processes. Web: KCHservices.com

Last year, Nucor Corp. purchased a minority equity position in the parent of Trion Coatings, LLC. As part of its investment, Nucor is working with Trion Coatings to commercialize the technology and will be constructing a pilot facility at Nucor Fastener in St. Joe, IN. Nucor also holds an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the technology as applied to long steel products. Web: Nucor-Fastener.com

Trion Coatings developed the “alternative to prevailing hexavalent chromium (Cr6) to help affected manufacturers and metal surface finishers manage the September 2017 sunset date established by REACH,” according to its website. REACH is the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals process established by the European Union in 2006.

Middleburg Capital Development is the majority equity holder of Trion Coatings, with another minority equity stake held by the University of Notre Dame, where design of the product “incubated.” Web: TrionCoatings.com