Why ‘Easier to Run’ Pretreatment Actually Matters on the Line
The Quiet Difference Between Keeping Up and Falling Behind Everyone talks about performance. Corrosion resistance. Paint adhesion. OEM approvals. Nobody talks about the hours it takes to clean out a tank that’s packed with sludge. Or the parts that get reworked because the washer didn’t hold steady. That’s what “hard to run” actually looks like. […]
ISSUE NO. 4 The Flux You Trust Might Be The One Sabotaging Your Joints.
Paint flux. Dip flux. Outsourced or In-House. Everyone’s got a favorite. Everyone’s got a reason. And hey, loyalty’s fine. But in automotive heat exchanger production—especially when you’re brazing aluminum coils or e-powertrain cooling plates—format isn’t what holds the joint. Fit is. And that fit has to hold across tighter specs and leaner lines. OEMs are […]
Regulations Are Changing in 2025. Here’s What Agricultural Suppliers Need to Rethink.
Unlock faster approvals and keep 2025 launch dates on track with a pretreatment chemistry your OEM already trusts. OEM expectations are shifting. Regional compliance rules are tightening. And phosphate chemistry is getting harder to defend. When procurement teams review your quote for new implement components or sprayer booms, they’re not just looking at cost per […]
Why Pretreatment Feels Complicated (And How Leading Agricultural Suppliers Keep It Simple)
Top agricultural suppliers aren’t winning by adding complexity. They’re winning by eliminating it—intentionally. Quote delays. Internal pushback. Chemistry debates that go nowhere. Pretreatment complexity isn’t new, but if you’re quoting to major OEMs, it’s harder to ignore. Too many pretreatment systems look the same on paper, yet not enough align with what OEMs are actually […]
ISSUE NO. 2 Iron Phosphate’s Dirty Secret (and What It’s Costing You)
The only thing consistent about iron phosphate (Fe Phos)? The sludge. The cleanouts. The look your operators give when they hear “we need to flush the tank.” It’s pitched as the low-cost, low-hassle option. But in reality? It’s a mess. And Fe Phos systems seem deceptively simple. Tank. Heat. Additive. Run. Until it’s… Dump. Rinse. Scrub. […]
The Benefits of Streamlined Pretreatment for Ag OEM Suppliers
Pretreatment can be a source of friction… or a fast track. When you’re quoting new business or preparing to support a new tractor model, combine platform, or sprayer assembly, three things determine how fast you can move: The number of stages in your pretreatment system How consistently the chemistry holds spec Whether the OEM has […]
Rethinking Specialty Chemicals Sourcing in a Volatile Trade Environment
Tariffs. Shipping delays. Regulatory hangups. Supply chain volatility isn’t new — but if you’re sourcing specialty chemical products it’s getting harder to ignore. And here’s the thing most people miss: it’s not just about where the product is made. It’s about how easily it gets to you, how quickly it clears customs, and how much […]
Agricultural Equipment Suppliers Are Making the Switch to Steelcote™ Zirconium — And It’s Easier Than You Think
The pretreatment industry is changing. And fast. Agricultural equipment suppliers everywhere are feeling the pressure. Regulations are tightening, customers are demanding more, and the old ways of doing things just aren’t cutting it anymore. For years, zinc and iron phosphate systems were the go-to choice. They worked. They still work. But they come with baggage. […]
FabTech Wrap Up
It’s been a busy couple of weeks since FabTech and it was great to see many of you in Chicago this year! We rely on this event as a chance to get a pulse on what’s happening in our industry, especially around challenges and opportunities. Morgan Fraga and I finally had time to sit down […]
Introducing Paint Line University
We’re avid learners and teachers here at CPI, so we’ve been thinking for a long time about gaps in traditional pretreatment training. On-the-job training, industry associations, corporate learning and even Youtube videos, all serve a purpose in upskilling paint line teams. But in our Solution Squad’s work with clients, most of which is in the […]