Advanced Surface Technologies

Advanced Surface Technologies, Inc. (AST) and its predecessor companies Front Range Plating and Swiss Lenox, have been providing metal finishing services to the Front Range of Colorado and to customers throughout the country since 1967. AST is a high quality metal finishing company that specializes in electroless nickel plating, gold plating, silver plating, plating on magnesium, tin plating, electrolytic nickel plating, passivation and chemical conversion coatings. A large percentage of AST`s customers are OEM`s and high end machine shops that have stringent quality requirements.

We are the largest electroless nickel plater in Colorado with eight dedicated lines to accommodate various substrates and sizes. We are also the largest precious metal plater in the region specializing in gold, silver and platinum.

We recognize that the only reason that AST is in business is because our customers continue to choose us as their metal finishing provider. We understand that our customers have choices when they entrust us with their work. It is our objective to meet or exceed their requirements and expectations by providing them with a quality part when they need it. We also work with our customers assisting with the design of their parts to optimize the quality and productivity.

AST operates eight electroless nickel lines that are specific to the substrate and size of the parts that we process. We run mid-phosphorous and high-phosphorous electroless nickel and have the capability to plate on most substrates including magnesium. We also offer electroless nickel with either co-deposited or infused PTFE. AST is the largest electroless nickel plater in Colorado and one of the largest in a multi-state region.

The company is also the largest gold plater in Colorado. We provide gold plating services for customers throughout the United States and pride ourselves in meeting the requirements of many customers with specialized needs and difficult quality requirements.

Background

• Established 1967
• Closely-held corporation
• Purchased by existing ownership in 1997
• Relocated to our current facility in 2000
• Name changed to Advanced Surface Technologies in 2000 following the merger of Front Range Plating and Swiss Lenox

Advanced Surface Technologies, Inc. can meet most requirements for Electroless Nickel (including plating on magnesium), E-Nickel with PTFE, Gold Plating, Silver Plating, Tin Plating, Electrolytic Nickel Plating, Chromate Conversion Coatings on Magnesium or Aluminum, Passivation and REM® Tumble Burnishing. Our 58,000 square foot facility is designed to accommodate finishing requirements from small, metalized ceramic chips used in the computer industry, to large mining and oil exploration industry parts weighing several thousand pounds. In every instance AST is ready to perform with the highest level of quality and with responsive turnaround times. We provide surface finishing services to a broad range of industries including aerospace, electronics, computer, automotive, medical and recreational products.

The Continuous Improvement Philosophy

AST is dedicated to company-wide continuous improvement. The continuous improvement philosophy encompasses Management, Quality, Cost, Delivery, and Technology.  At AST, customer satisfaction is our number one objective.  We understand the highly competitive market of today and realize that what is satisfactory quality and service today may not meet the needs of tomorrow. To facilitate this philosophy, AST has implemented the following programs.

Quality Control

AST is an ISO 9001-2008 registered company. While the systems and processes are critical, the most important element is a skilled and well-trained work force. We are committed to providing our personnel with the necessary training to ensure a productive, reliable, quality program. Each person in our organization understands that they play a key role in the overall quality of the services we provide.

Improved Technology

AST stays abreast of new technology through its association with such organizations as the National Association of Surface Finishers, technical literature, suppliers, and educational seminars. We have earned a reputation for technical expertise in our field, and have worked with many of our customers on process development for their products.

Vendor Alliances

Our vendors are a very important part of our success. We work hard to maintain strong alliances with key vendors. While we always strive for competitively priced products, we also consider the cost of quality as a critical part of the overall economics with a vendor. Critical vendors often collaborate with our technical personnel in troubleshooting problems and/or developing customized processes. Our vendors have also worked with us in presenting technical information to our customers resulting in a three way partnership between the customer, our vendor and AST.

Waste Management

AST operates a ceramic microfiltration waste treatment system that is designed to meet the demanding regulatory requirements that companies in the metal finishing industry are required to maintain. The ability and willingness of metal platers to invest in environmental technology is becoming increasingly important as regulatory standards become more stringent. AST made a significant upgrade to this system in 2008 ensuring not only regulatory compliance but also significant additional capacity to accommodate expanded operations.

On-Time Delivery

As a job-shop, we are acutely aware of the need for “on-time” delivery. Our scheduling department works closely with your company to determine your needs and meet your schedule. Scheduling provides the key to consistent delivery. We measure our on-time performance on a monthly basis which is consistent with our philosophy of continuous improvement. On-time delivery is one of our corporate goals that we measure for ISO 9001.

Cost Containment and Productivity Improvement

AST understands the need to remain price competitive while continuing to meet your quality and service requirements. Our philosophy of employee participation creates an environment that encourages employees to suggest ways of controlling costs, improving productivity and improving safety conditions. We welcome the opportunity to work with our customers in designing or redesigning products to provide increased efficiency and improved quality for the processing of their products.