About Us
Our Story
Our company has been a family affair since 1931, spanning three generations and totaling over 90 years of service. We are still a family-owned, small business, and are proud to be a part of the American manufacturing community.
1931
Platers Supply Company was founded by George Benhard Svenson Sr., in Cleveland, Ohio. He bought various chemicals, acids and cyanides from distributor and sold them to local plating shops in Cleveland.
1933
George Benhard Svenson Jr., graduated from high school and worked for his father handling the shipping and warehouse duties for Platers Supply Company.
1937
Platers Supply Company moved into their first building closer to downtown Cleveland. The building was 4,590 square feet to hold inventory and manage their growing customer base.
1938
The first partnership agreement was signed in 1938 between George Sr. and George Jr.
1942
The expansion was added to the building. This provided the company with two truck docks to help fill the high customer demand.
1945-1958
The company saw significant growth and profits due virtual monopoly on plating chemicals and equipment in Cleveland and Northern Ohio. Their local truck was shipping 40,000 pounds truckloads of chemicals almost on a daily basis and now sold abrasives, polishing supplies, solvents, metal anodes, stop-off materials tumbling media and a complete line of plating equipment.
1958
George Benhard Svenson Sr., founder/first-generation Platers Supply Company worked side-by-side with George Jr., until he passed in 1959. Leaving ownership to George Jr.
1962
The third-generation Eric Charles Svenson Sr., son of George Jr., started with the company.
1970
The first in-house laboratory was built by Eric Sr., in a small area of the plant.
1972
DuraChrome Special Chemical Line was developed. The full-line of 97 specialty chemicals were created which included; plating bath brighteners, alkaline cleaners, acid activators, chromate conversion coatings among others.
1973
The trademark consisting of the word “Platers” inside of an oval was being used for many years, presumably since around 1950. However, it was registered with the patent with the trademark office.
1974
Platers Supply Company was the first in the industry to start charging for in-house bath analysis.
1976
Platers Supply Company purchased their first computer that was an IBM 5110 machine that was purchased to provide better control for inventory and accounting purposes.
1983
Fourth-generation Eric Svenson Jr., came to work for Platers Supply Company.
1984
Platers Supply Company developed Zero Discharge Recovery and installed two hard chrome plating system in the Twinsburg plant for research and development of a square wave pulse plating hard chrome process.
1985
Working up till the end of his life on December 10, 1985 at the age of 70, second-generation owner of Platers Supply, George Benhard Svenson, Jr., passed away leaving Eric Sr. third-generation as owner.
1987
Plater Supply sold both in-house plating systems, which were refurbished, installed and trained operators for full production.
1990
Platers Supply Inc., name change to Plating Resources, Inc., and was incorporated in Ohio on 7/23/1990 by Eric Sr., which best describe the company’s full capabilities. Being your full “Plating Resource!”
1991
Micro Tuff™ was developed by Eric Sr., and being manufactured in-house.
2001
Plating Resources, Inc., moved the company to 2845 West King Street in Cocoa, Florida by third-generation Eric, Sr.
2002
Plating Resources, Inc., was officially incorporated in the state of Florida. Eric Sr., continued to supply special chemicals for chrome plating, consulting, laboratory services, turn-key designed plating systems and manufacturing of Micro Tuff™.
2004
Eric Sr., hired Miss Darlene Martin whom later married and became Darlene Williamson as the Operations Manager. She can do it all and has helped the continued growth of the Plating Resources, Inc., in Florida. With over 22 years of experience in the Plating Industry not to mention her top-notch computer skills she can do it all and is a major asset to the company still today.
2021
Eric Sr., hired back daughter-in-law, Vicky Salsbury as the National Sales Manager for Plating Resources, Inc. She worked for the Plating Resources, Inc., back from 1995 till 1997 at the Twinsburg, Ohio facility but made the move to Florida also. Her company knowledge and sales management experiences are beneficial to companies continued future growth.