South Bend, IN—Imagineering Finishing Technologies (IFT), the worldwide KnowledgeSource™ for engineers and manufacturers requiring finishing or testing of metal substrate components, hosted a Technical Session for the South Bend Chapter 30 of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) on November 18, 2003 at the IFT manufacturing headquarters at 1302 Sample Street in South Bend, Indiana. The Technical session was attended by engineers, manufactures, distributors and consultants from ten area firms including: Honeywell, Bosch Braking Systems, Amerisearch Group, Your Solutions, United Conveyer, SS Supply, Smidley Machine, South Bend Lathe, and staff from Imagineering Finishing Technologies.

Imagineering’s Ten-point Plant Tour Ranks High with SME Chapter Members in Attendance
“The feedback for the SME and IFT joint event was overwhelmingly positive. We were very proud to host the SME event,” stated VP of Sales and Sr. Applications Consultant, Daniel L. Englebert. “One SME member made the comment during dinner that he thought it was the best and most well planned tour he had experienced since becoming a member of SME."

Imagineering Finishing Technologies showcased TQM systems along with a wide spectrum of finishing technologies and testing capabilities. SME members were both entertained and educated throughout the ten short presentations provided that evening. Brian Worns, a manufacturing engineer for Honeywell, and current president of SME South Bend Chapter 30, said, “Imagineering really stepped up to the plate. It was a perfect example of how a company can showcase its talents and capabilities at these SME Chapter Tech Sessions.” Worns presented IFT with an SME certificate of appreciation.

The tour began with a brief presentation in the conference room addressing IFT's past, present, and future. Groups led by Englebert and Kevin Cencelewski, regional sales manager and sr. applications consultant. The first station on the tour was presented by Mike Kolo, director of plant operations, who discussed IFT's operational practices at the E-3™ (Everyteam, Everyshift, Everyday™) plant-wide communications board, followed by Scott Singer, quality manager, who discussed IFT's quality and environmental-management systems and lab facilities. John Sowers, customer service manager, then discussed the customer service function and demonstrated IFT’s job traveler and 100% order certification system to the group.

The processing portion of the tour included demonstrations by IFT Process Engineers and KnowledgeSource™ team members Jeff Naragon (Non Destructive Testing), Kurt Drufke (Mechanical Cleaning), Ron Brenneman (Dry Film Lubricants), Bart Young (Phosphate and Passivation), and Adam Lagodney (Electroless Nickel Plating). Each of the departments had representative parts displayed, and the interest level from the tour was very high. The ten-point tour ended back in the reception area, where each visitor was given a literature package and an IFT shirt as a thank-you for attending. The evening concluded with dinner at the Silver Tower restaurant.

Imagineering Finishing Technologies is an emerging company with an expansive growth market strategy. IFT performs traditional metal finishing jobs for customers as well as developing specialized techniques to process complex applications. IFT's competency in designing its operational strengths around the customer's requirements and adherence to customer specifications has resulted in diverse opportunities such as consulting NASA on a coating process employed for the new Space Station and plating micro-chip assembly trays for Intel.

IFT's mission is to be the metal finishing expert of choice by providing “ultra-high” customer service in the most cost-effective manner while exceeding customer requirements with highly controlled processes; the first time and every time thereafter.

IFT performs traditional coating, plating and testing operations, and process application consulting, for a wide range of substrates in industries such as aerospace, computer, medical, heavy equipment, agriculture, military and automotive. IFT is one of the few metal finishing companies worldwide to achieve QS-9000, ISO 9001 and AS 9100 quality program certifications, in addition to attaining ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certification and Nadcap Chem Processing and NDT (PT/MT) accreditation.

For more information about the new Imagineering Finishing Technologies (IFT), write: Imagineering Finishing Technologies, Sales and Public Relations, 1302 W. Sample St., South Bend, IN 46619; Phone 1-800-207-2516, Fax 574-287-2970; E-mail info@iftworldwide.com, or check out IFT on the web at www.iftworldwide.com.

For more information on the Society of Manufacturing Engineers South Bend Chapter 30, and how you can become a member and attend the next scheduled Technical Session and dinner, visit the Chapter’s website at: www.chapters.sme.org/030/homepage.html

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