Surfaces on Aluminum

The Story Starts with the Finish was the title of our presentation at the IDSA Midwest District Conference this past weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The presentation was part of the IDSA Materials and Processes Section's efforts to share information on materials and processes used in product design.  The title was a tie in to the fact that everything Northern Engraving manufactures, from nameplates and badges to appliance and automotive trim, begins with the printing of the finish.  We will feature aspects of the presentation in an upcoming webinar and in articles on the Surfaces on Aluminum Blog.  This short video highlights the finishes featured in the portion of the presentation where we shared the story behind the development of aluminum finishes featured in our trend presentation.

The conference featured a great line up of presenters including:  Ziba Design; HP Design Director, Sam Lucente; Laga Brand Image VP, Mark Dziersk; Fiskars; Radio Flyer; Milwaukee Tool; Harley-Davidson; and Chuck Pelly, founder of Designworks.  Enthusiasm and energy were high as the event took place across multiple locations including: MIAD, the Eisner Museum and the Harley-Davidson Museum.  The Harley-Davidson closing event was fantastic as expected, complete with loud music and motorcycles.

IDSA has two more district conferences in the next two weeks: this Friday-Sunday in Denver, and next Friday-Sunday in Grand Rapids, MI.  Both conferences provide valuable opportunities for dialogue with fellow design colleagues.