Celebrating 50 Years of Innovation and Leadership in Surface Finishing

Columbia Chemical is proud to mark 50 years of success, innovation, and commitment to its core purpose: Simplifying Surface Finishing®. What began as a small partnership between two chemists in 1975 has grown into a global leader in the surface finishing industry.

The company was founded by Bill Rosenberg Sr. and Herb Geduld, who rented space in a former textile mill in Cleveland, Ohio. Initially focused on manufacturing specialty products for the metal finishing market, Columbia quickly expanded beyond private labeling to establish its own trusted brand. As the industry began shifting toward alkaline cyanide-free zinc plating, Columbia led the charge with its groundbreaking COLZINC® ACF-II Process. The company continued to build its reputation for reliable performance with widely used products like PICKLE PAL®, LAC-CHRO-SEAL, and Zinc-Chro-SHIELD®.

In 1986, Bill Rosenberg Jr. began working alongside his father (and eventually purchased the company) to apply his talents and vision to help propel Columbia from its roots as a small family business to a world leader in the plating industry. In 1992, Columbia moved its headquarters to Brunswick, Ohio to support its growing customer base and expanded product offerings, including cleaners, chromates and passivates, sealers, and topcoats. International distribution and licensee partnerships further propelled the company’s growth. Facility expansions followed in 1997 to accommodate increasing demand for R&D, sales, office, and warehouse space. Columbia’s development of the SpectraMATE® thick film trivalent passivate and its COLDIP® line of trivalent passivates solidified its position as a trusted supplier to the global automotive market.

A major milestone came in 2008 with the construction of a 44,000-square-foot headquarters that brought R&D, manufacturing, technical service, and customer support under one roof. In 2011, Columbia became 100% employee-owned, reinforcing its culture of shared success and accountability.

The company marked its 40th anniversary in 2015 by expanding into the decorative plating market, introducing the NiCOL® line of bright and semi-bright nickel plating processes and TriCOL® trivalent chromium plating systems. These additions further showcased Columbia’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the surface finishing industry.

Innovation has remained at the heart of Columbia’s success. In recent years, the company has developed advanced solutions for zinc-nickel applications, high-performance trivalent passivates, and cutting-edge decorative plating technologies. The company’s world-renowned in-house expertise in trivalent chromium plating has driven growth across domestic and international markets.

Over the past five years, Columbia has rapidly expanded its product portfolio, introducing modern solutions for Torque Tension Modifiers, Electroless Nickel, and Aluminum Anodizing. A strategic partnership with Alufinish GmbH & Co. KG has broadened the company’s capabilities in aluminum surface treatment, allowing it to serve a wider range of industries and customers. Today, Columbia holds approvals from more than 25 OEMs, covering over 100 specifications and 50 qualified processes.

Reflecting on the company’s journey and future direction, President Brett Larick shared, “Innovation is truly what spurred our growth in the past, and it will continue to drive our success in the future. Our global presence and product availability allow us to be a trusted supplier to automotive and other OEMs around the world.”

Director of Technical Service Matt Schario added, “The knowledge and expertise within our team are unmatched in the industry. Our R&D department includes Master’s and Ph.D.-level chemists, our field team has more than 75 years of combined troubleshooting experience, and our executive team brings over 115 years of leadership in surface finishing.”

As Columbia Chemical celebrates 50 years, its focus remains clear: to deliver industry-leading products, provide expert support, and continue advancing the science of surface finishing worldwide.