SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: AUGUST 2, 2018 – TRION COATING, LLC (TRION) announced today that it has developed a new and environmentally friendly trivalent chrome (Cr3) plating technology.
Trion Coatings, LLC, which incubated at Notre Dame’s IDEA Center, was formed for the purpose of developing an environmentally friendly alternative to hexavalent chromium for surface finishing applications. Developing a safe alternative to hexavalent chromium presents advantages in the market as the global regulatory environment becomes more stringent.
Trion Coatings’ patent-pending process uses trivalent chromium and a proprietary ionic liquid solution that offers faster electroplating speeds, improved wear resistance and overall higher performance results than traditional hexavalent chrome, while offering an excellent health and safety profile.
“This technology will fundamentally change the surface finishing industry by allowing chrome-plated steel to be produced in a way that is energy efficient, environmentally friendly and safe for workers,” said Doug Morrison, president and Co-Founder of Trion Coatings. The industry has worked carefully and responsibly over the years with hexavalent chrome, but the core carcinogenic characteristics of this process has been a concern for chrome platers and safety regulators for decades. Trion’s Trivalent (Cr3) process is a welcome game changer that aligns with the safety vision of regulatory agencies across the globe, while also maintaining the strength and performance of the coating for its products.”
Dr. Mauricio Quiroz-Guzman, Co-Founder and former postdoctoral researcher at Notre Dame and now chief scientist at Trion Coatings and Prof. Patrick Benaben, a noted international electrochemistry expert served as the core technical team for developing the technology for commercial viability.
Middleburg Capital Development is a family office that manages the Sutherland family trusts, and is the majority owner of ILS-Trion, LLC, the parent company of Trion. ILS-Trion has also sold a minority equity position in ILS-Trion to Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE). As part of its investment, Nucor will work with Trion Coatings to commercialize the technology by building the first commercial facility for the plating process at Nucor Fastener in St. Joe, Indiana. As part of the agreement, Nucor will hold exclusive worldwide license agreement rights for the technology as applied to long steel products. Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada. Products produced include: carbon and alloy steel — in bars, beams, sheet and plate; hollow structural section tubing; electrical conduit; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; steel fasteners; metal building systems; steel grating; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor, through The David J. Joseph Company, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and HBI/DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. Nucor is North America’s largest recycler.