On the Line

Hosted by Products Finishing

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Jun 2026

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About the show

On the Line is the official podcast of Products Finishing. We present stories from the world of coating and finishing in the voices of those who are in the trenches doing the work. If you're into powder coating, ecoating, anodizing, electroplating, industrial painting or any other surface finishing topic, this is the podcast for you.

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60 recent

June 9, 202622 min

Episode 69: An Interview With Remington Schieffer, American CRS Equipment

In this installment of Products Finishing's (PF) On the Line, PF editor-in-chief Scott Francis catches up with Remington Schieffer, vice president of American CRS Equipment, revisiting a conversation the two began in a previous episode. Schieffer discusses the latest technology and trends in the rectifier space, the evolving landscape of safety compliance and his passion for education initiatives that are helping metal finishers across the country keep their lines — and their workers — safer.

May 6, 202625 min

Episode 68: An Interview With Kevin Biller, ChemQuest

Kevin Biller has been a leader in the powder coating industry for nearly five decades as director of ChemQuest Powder Coating Research (Columbus, Ohio), the author of the "Ask Joe Powder" advice column and host of its corresponding podcast and a technical editor with Powder Coated Tough, among other numerous roles throughout his career. Last year, the Powder Coating Institute inducted Biller into its Hall of Fame. We recently caught up with him to hear about his experiences and his insights into where the industry is headed.

April 17, 202624 min

Episode 67: Celebrating 5 Years of On the Line

Products Finishing recently surpassed the milestone of our 65th installment of our On the Line podcast. It seems like as good a time as any to take a moment to look back on the podcast, which launched in January 2021 and celebrate 5 years of interviews from finishing industry professionals. In this episode, we share a couple of excerpts from an older episode and one more recent touching on important trends in the finishing industry.

April 9, 202629 min

Episode 66: An Interview With Matthew Kirchner, LAB Midwest

In this latest installment of On the Line, Products Finishing revisits the perennial topic of workforce trends. With so much evolution in the ways we work, from new automation technologies to rapid improvements in AI and machine learning, the opportunities, as well as the challenges for workers are constantly changing. We recently caught up with PF columnist Matthew Kirchner, the president of the industry education consultancy LAB Midwest, and host of the TechEd Podcast to hear his take on workforce trends in manufacturing and industry education.

February 2, 202618 min

Episode 65: An Interview With Sheila LaMothe

Industry education events represent key opportunities for attracting and retaining new talent. In the most recent installment of Products Finishing's On the Line, we talk with Sheila LaMothe, vice president of strategic initiatives for the Chemical Coater's Association International (CCAI, Independence, Ky.). In her role, LaMothe has worked to found several industry education initiatives for CCAI, including its Finishing Education Foundation, for which she serves as the executive director, as well as the Women in Finishing Forum, which will take place May 4-6 in Perrysburg, Ohio.

December 18, 202521 min

Episode 64: An Interview With Brandon Acker, Titan Abrasive Systems

Kicking off 2026, PF explores some of the latest trends in media blasting and surface prep. Brandon Acker, president of Titan Abrasive Systems (Ivy, Pennsylvania), a manufacturer of media blasting equipment and custom engineered blast rooms, took some time to sit down with us and talk through the latest.

December 4, 202524 min

Episode 63: An Interview With Brad Durkin, Electroless Nickel Conference

In this installment of Products Finishing's On the Line, we explore trends in electroless nickel (EN) plating, including hybrid applications in an interview with Brad Durkin, conference director for the Electroless Nickel Conference (ENC), which was recently held in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the third year for the event since its revival after a decade-long hiatus. ENC's growing success underscores the growing relevance of EN plating in today's advanced manufacturing landscape. In this interview, Durkin discusses trends and topics at the forefront of this year's ENC, as well as his take on the role of EN technology in manufacturing today.

November 17, 202536 min

Episode 62: On the Line 2025 Year in Review

2025 was a challenging year for all of manufacturing, including the surface finishing industry. With economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs, shifts in the regulatory landscape, and the increasing influence of automation solutions, the industry continues to face uncharted territory. In this episode of On the Line, Products Finishing looks back at some of its interviews from the year, along with insights from PF brand vice president Todd Luciano. The episode includes excerpts from interviews with the following: John Jenkins, Precision Spray and Coatings Jeff Halonen, Steelhead Technologies Tim Gotsick, MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions

September 25, 202515 min

Episode 61: An Interview With Timothy Gotsick, MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions

In this installment of On the Line, Products Finishing features a recent interview from the SUR/FIN 2026 surface finishing industry tradeshow where we spoke with Timothy Gotsick, VP of Technology and Innovation for McDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions (Waterbury, Connecticut), about the impact of current regulations and trade policies on the manufacturing industry. Gotsick discusses the shift away from EV manufacturing in the U.S., challenges posed by changing regulations for PFAS and hexavalent chromium, the increasing use of automation and AI in manufacturing, and ongoing challenges in the industry.

September 22, 202527 min

Episode 60: An Interview With Robin Peffer and Jonathan Love, PPG

In this installment of On the Line, PF explores use of electrocoat (ecoat) technology for aerospace applications. Two experts from PPG (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) — Robin Peffer, global director of product launch and customer support for aerospace and Jonathan Love, Aerocron commercial support team leader — discuss the use of ecoat technology within the aerospace sector, offer an update on applications where ecoat is currently being used in the market and explain its potential for future aerospace programs and applications.