Why Choose Columbia Chemical

World leader in developing surface finishing additives

Surface finishing companies, electroplaters and specialty chemical distributors have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a plating chemistry supplier. So why do our customers choose Columbia Chemical?

It’s our approach to working with our customers as a partner rather than just as their supplier. We strive to provide added value in every aspect of our customer’s experience with us going well beyond the products that we provide. Here is a closer look at some of the areas that set us apart from other plating chemistry providers and make us Your Global Plating Partner.


High Quality Products

As an ISO 9001 registered company, we manufacture high quality specialty chemicals for plating that meet our demanding internal quality control requirements.

Our customers know that they are getting a product that will give them dependable and consistent performance every time that it gets added to a plating line. If a concern about our product quality ever arises then we have the ability to analyze retained samples of every product that we manufacture that is still within its recommended shelf life. If quality plating chemistry goes in the plating line, then quality plated parts come out of the plating line!

Full In House Production Capacity

Our customers directly benefit because our extensive internal production capabilities afford us additional controls other chemistry suppliers may not have.
In addition to our technical expertise and dedication to service, our production capabilities make a significant difference in the competitive landscape. Unrivaled in the industry, our extensive in-house production capabilities allow manufacturing of product from raw material all the way to completed chemistry. This capability is what allows us to be able to sell and ship products all over the world and still maintain a lower cost threshold and deliver superior quality – a direct benefit for our partners and their customers.

Exceptional Customer Service

Every aspect of doing business with us should be a convenient and pleasant experience. Our Customer Service team includes Customer Service, Sales, Shipping and Technical Service personnel all working together to help provide what our customers need when they need it.

Columbia Customer Service Representatives have dedicated account responsibility so they are knowledgeable on the product type, packaging preference and freight considerations for every customer that we work with. Commitment to customer service doesn’t stop when the order leaves our dock. Whether it’s a need for a certificate of analysis, safety data sheet or just a product usage question, we are here to provide assistance and support our customers every step of the way.


Technical Expertise & Analytical Capabilities

Columbia Technical Account Managers and other salespeople are the personnel in the field that work to understand the needs of every customer that uses or may use our products.

By understanding what the specific needs are for a particular customer we can identify the right product or combination of products to help them grow their business. Some plating requirements can be difficult to satisfy so we leverage the expertise and experience of our people to find the right solution. Internally, we have the ability to analyze plated and un-plated parts for our customers and their product solutions to verify that they are in compliance and producing optimum results. Our analytical laboratory can evaluate samples with common wet lab titration, hull cell testing and higher level instrumentation based analysis such as X-Ray fluorescence, Ion Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography and IR Spectroscopy. Certified neutral salt spray testing is also available to verify corrosion performance of the plated coating. Our customers don’t ever have to wonder if everything is optimum in their plating solutions and related chemistries, with a small sample we can tell them everything that they need to know.


Responsiveness

In the fast-paced world of surface finishing, time is money. We understand that if our customers have a product, service or information need from us then it is our job to respond as quickly as possible.

This responsiveness is demonstrated in areas across the entire company. When an order is placed with us it is immediately entered into our ERP system and becomes visible to Customer Service, Production, and Shipping & Receiving. They work together so that U.S. orders typically ship in less than 3 business days from receipt and in emergency cases U.S. orders can ship in as little as a few hours. Our U.S. customers don’t have to wait a week or two weeks to get their product from us. This allows them to have better inventory control and avoid product shortages that could lead to loss in throughput. We work very closely with our international partners to coordinate shipments that are economical with the shortest possible transit times. When a sample reaches our service laboratory for analysis, it is processed and a full report with recommendations can typically be provided back to the customer in less than 2 business days or in many cases less than one business day depending on the nature and scope of the analysis needed. Timely analysis means adjustments to plating chemistry can be made sooner to keep the bath chemistries at their optimum levels. On-site or in person support is available to our U.S. and international partners when needed because we understand that there are some things in business that just can’t be done through e-mail or a phone call.