ABOUT PLATERS

Platers

The industry-standard solutions to control the quality of your surface finishing and plating operations.

Learn about Carter Machinery’s hydraulic shop in Mechanicsville, VA and their new hard chrome operation. Plating Resources Inc, designed and installed this system. We worked closely with Carter’s architect to design the building addition and the lined containment pit for their 12.5′ deep tanks. Plating Resources, Inc, also provided the detailed training for Carter’s operators using our “Hard Chrome University Program” as none of their employees had any prior plating experience. The Carter facility uses the High-Efficiency Dura bath (hexavalent Cr) and was designed to use the new Zero Discharge Technology. All chemicals are recycled for reuse which lowered both the procurement and operational costs. The Carter plating facility doesn’t have any sewer connections or waste treatment operations.

Our Story

Plating Resources, Inc. has been a family affair since 1931 with four generations totaling over 90 years of service! Plating Resources, Inc. is still a Family Owned, Small Business & Operated Business. We are proud to be a part of the American Manufacturing community!

Our History

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.

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George Benhard Svenson Sr

1933
George Benhard Svenson Jr., graduated from high school and worked for his father handling the shipping and warehouse duties for Platers Supply Company.

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George Benhard Svenson Jr

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 18 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.

2019
Eric Jr., the companies Technical Director moved to Cocoa, Florida full-time to focus on the growth of the family business. Were he and Eric Sr., worked side-by-side from start to finish on the Turn-Key Plating Systems. His design, engineering, consulting, training, hands-on experience and plating knowledge is un-replaceable. Eric Jr., is a key ingredient to the growth of Plating Resources, Inc., and future successes.

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.

2021–The Celebration of 90 Years in Business
Special thanks to the Plating Industry through-out the entire world for allowing our family business of four-generations to celebrate an amazing accomplishment. First Generation, George Benhard Svenson Sr., delivered chemicals and plating equipment to platers that he bought from distributors out of his own car. Second Generation, George Benhard Svenson Jr., had a vision of bigger and ship more. This evolved the company to the next level and allowed the company to expand allowing the company to supply truckloads of chemicals daily and suppling plating line equipment. Which leads us to our Third- Generation, Eric Charles Svenson, Sr., created the in-house laboratory that generated all the specialty chemical capabilities, countless turn-key plating systems, infinite numbers of on-sight consulting, all of our laboratory services and founded MicroTuff™. This took the company to completely different level and is the back-bone of our company today. Eric Sr., is our walking/talking “Plating Encyclopedia!” Which leads us to the Fourth-Generation, Eric Charles Svenson, Jr., whom together with Eric Sr., engineered, designed and installed the largest plating system in the company’s history!