POWDER COATINGA Second Career in
Powder Coating
Cousins join forces toown a manufacturing,finishing company.
EDITED BY HANNAH COOMBS ASSISTANT EDITORABOVE: Terence Reid and Walker Knox say they are working
to continue the company’s reputation for quality andcustomer service excellence built over two decades.
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80 YEARS THE VOICE OF FINISHING

Since purchasing their fabrication and finishing shop in
September 2015, two cousins who grew up on the same dirt
road in Rock Hill, South Carolina, are taking a successful
business to a new level of excellence.
As a job shop manufacturer of precision sheet metal components, Mid-Atlantic Fabrication and Finishing (MAF) in
Knightdale, North Carolina, specializes in computer-assisted
manufacturing for custom parts in large or small quantities, and is focused on quality and prompt services to meet its
customer needs.
The company serves a broad range of industries by fabricating metal parts and structures, and the finishing work
involves priming and painting.
Since buying the company, cousins Terence Reid and Walker
Knox say they are working to continue the company’s reputation for quality and customer service built over two decades

DECEMBER 2016 — PFonline.com

A SECOND CAREER

One finishing improvement
implemented earlier this year wasa conversion to zirconium-based
powder coating technology forcleaning and pre-treating metal
before powder coating.

The company serves a range ofindustries by fabricating metalparts and structures, andthe finishing work involves
priming and painting.

with quick turnaround times on all projects, from custom prototypes to fullproduction-run quantities.
Reid and Knox say they established a goal for MAF to be the top supplierof choice, a goal they say is now set in motion by improvements in customer
service, process flow and working conditions, coupled with reductions in turnaround times and product costs.
“During the past year, we have been experiencing growth in customers andrevenues now averaging more than 30 percent each month,” Knox says.

New Pretreatment
One finishing improvement implemented earlier this year was a conversion
to zirconium-based powder coating technology for cleaning and pretreating
metal before powder coating. MAF converted from an iron phosphate
system that is still used by most of the metal fabrication and finishingindustry, but which produces a byproduct of liquid waste regulated by theEPA because of environment risks.
“The new process does not pose environmental risks and is more effective for customers, providing better protection against rust and corrosion,” says Reid, who added that there are no additional costs passed
to customers; instead, the investment was made to demonstrate MAF’s
commitment to quality.
The facility has a self-contained spray booth with a Gema powder
coating system with hoppers and an 800,000-BTU oven for curing. Thecompany also offers vibratory finishing and screen printing for parts
after coating to help speed up the process for its customers.

Former Marine
Reid leaves no doubt that he knows how to motivate a team. Whileserving as the assistant commandant and senior instructor for theMarine Leadership Academy in Chicago, he was invited to speak ata ceremony honoring the 240th anniversary of the Marines Corps,
where he shared his Top 10 list of lessons he learned in 30 years ofservice, culminating in an admiration for honesty and integrity.
PRODUCTS FINISHING — PFonline.com

80 YEARS THE VOICE OF FINISHING

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POWDER COATING

Mid-Atlantic Fabrication and Finishingin Knightdale, North Carolina, is focusedon quality and prompt service first.

“With the Marines, there is no middle ground or gray area;
there are only missions and objectives,” Reid says. “Marines
are steadfast and consistent in everything they do, and being aMarine means men and women know that to lead is to serve.”
Reid retired as a colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps inJanuary 2015 after 30 years of honorable service. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a business
management degree before embarking on his military career.
His progressive leadership and management positions
included aviation logistics, providing supply
Lean Six Sigma is aand maintenancesupport for hundreds ofprocess about everyone
aircrafts; supply chain
understanding their
management of bothrole and how the teamground and aviation
logistics; manufacaccomplishes objectives.
turing repair andoverhaul of all groundequipment in the Marine Corps inventory; and strategic andoperational planning in all aspects of logistics planning andexecution.
Reid served as the U.S. Marine Corps liaison officer to theU.S. Transportation Command for surge operation deployments and troop and equipment recovery during Operation
Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Previously he served ascommander of the maintenance center in Albany, Georgia,
a billion-dollar maintenance, repair and overhaul facility
2280 YEARS THE VOICE OF FINISHING

supporting all ground support equipment in the Marine Corps
inventory. This assignment included leading more than 2,000
civilian personnel and the implementation of Lean Six Sigmaprocesses, decreasing turnaround time and increasing safetymeasures that reduced workplace injuries.
Reid’s leadership was credited with increasing the readiness of worldwide U.S. Department of Defense operations andsaving the Marine Corps millions of dollars in repair costs.
The maintenance center was recognized as Manufacturerof the Year, earning Excellence in Innovation, the USMCAward for Continuous Process Improvement Excellence, andAchievement in Safety Awards.
In his last position before MAF, he served as the assistantcommandant and senior Marine instructor for the Marine
Leadership Academy, a public high school in Chicago training
leaders for success in school and a life of service. His personaldecorations include the Legion of Merit with two gold stars,
Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Navy andMarine Corps Commendation Medal with a gold star, theNavy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Presidential
Service Badge, and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

Valspar VeteranKnox was an experienced technical sales professional with
25 years of business development leadership before buying
MAF. He started his career as a chemist after graduating fromNorth Carolina State University and working as a lab manager
at Raychem before pursuing roles as a product engineer andDECEMBER 2016 — PFonline.com

A SECOND CAREER

As a job shop manufacturer of precision sheet metalcomponents, the company specializes in computerassisted manufacturing for large or small quantities.

business development and sales manager.
Prior to purchasing MAF, Knox was project manager for
the Kenton Group, offering research design and developmentof telecommunications products. He was sales manager forTechnomark, a developer and manufacturer of products forthe human machine interface including membrane switches,
electroluminescent lighting, touchscreens and keypads. Hewas also a sales manager for Tyco Electronics and worldwide
business manager for Valspar, the fourth largest global manufacturer and distributor of paints and coatings.
Since acquiring the business, Reid says the goal has been
to build a business on the culture and processes that provide
excellent services to customers and contribute positively tothe lives of the people who work there.
“The quality of their work and service lets me and my teamknow that we can depend on it,” says Catherine Cordell, supply
chain manager at TUTCO-Farnam Custom Products. “If wewant an order to be delivered a specific day, it will be there on or
before then. The reason I call them a five-star supplier is that I
know I can count on that delivery and the quality of their work.”
MAF has adopted a continuous process improvement
program, an ongoing effort to improve products, services andprocesses. The result is both incremental and breakthroughimprovements that constantly evaluate customer processes.
MAF is working toward ISO, Lean Six Sigma and other certifications to sharpen business operations for future growth.
“Lean Six Sigma is a process about everyone understanding their role and how the team accomplishesobjectives,” Reid says, adding that the processes improvebusiness performance by eliminating unnecessary steps that
do not add value to the customer.
“Terry’s background in the Marines fits our business,” says
Eric Reeves, director of enterprise resources for INI Power
Systems. “He keeps his employees and business running likeyou would expect from a former military leader.”Reeves says MAF is quick about replying with quotes whenrequest for proposals are sent.
“They even brought some parts over recently, wanting tomake sure the company was meeting our expectations andunderstood the consequences of how we asked him to makethe parts,” Reeves says. “They offered an alternative thatprovided a better solution for us and our customer. I like that
attention to detail and personal service.”
For information on Mid-Atlantic Fabrication and Finishing,call 919-217-6080 or visit mid-atlanticfab.com.

Reducing Powder Coating Waste
Coating application is often overlooked as a potential
money saver, but recognizing opportunities within thisarea is crucial to an efficient operation.
short.pfonline.com/reduce

PRODUCTS FINISHING — PFonline.com

80 YEARS THE VOICE OF FINISHING23