1930’s: THE EARLY YEARS IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND In the early 1930's, the National Can Retinning Co. was started as a small hot-dip tin coating company. It was located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. Their main service was the hot-dip tin coating of milk cans, ice cream cans, and other steel, cast iron, and copper parts that belonged to dairies, industry, and individuals. With our own trucks and trailers, we had scheduled routes to pickup “rusty” cans from local dairy farms and redeliver their freshly “retinned” cans from the prior pickup. The dairy business was very good, but competition, poor roads, and longer distances to travel for more customers were constant problems to solve. To insure customer satisfaction, the company developed a novel system of tagging each can with an identifying, numbered metal seal. This insured each customer that they would receive back their own property. It was a new idea that no other coater used then, and a system we continue to use to this day. The use of only pure grade “A”, virgin tin, was also an unusual high standard. Very few coaters of that era could boast of that standard, and to this day it’s a standard to which we still proudly adhere. 1940’s: THE WAR YEARS and GROWTH The dairy business was growing fast, but when World War II began, the extra business received from the Navy Dept. propelled the company to become a very stable business. After WWII, with the surging population growth of the late 40's, and the expanding dairy business available to the west, relocating was the best opportunity for continued growth. The company wanted to be in the “hub” of the dairy business, not on the “outside edge”. Better roadways to the west were not yet completed, so the need to relocate to the mid-west was best solution to keep transportation cost low, and survive among its growing competitors. 1950’s: “GO WEST” TO LIMA, OHIO The National Can Retinning Co. sold its property in Baltimore, and moved to Lima, Ohio in 1949. Early in 1950, a special division was formed to perform "virgin" tin coatings for new milk cans and food preparation equipment parts. The name of that little division was "The Metal Coating Co."! It had 4 employees and a very small production area. With National Can’s new state of the art coating facility now in the center of the dairy industry, plant production was quickly at full capacity. Solution...buy out other competitors and start other production facilities in Winnoa, Minnesota and Dyersburg, Tennessee. A few years later, when a fire destroyed the Dyersburg plant, the Tennessee Can Co. and Springfield Can Co. were bought for their production facilities. It had production plants in Fayetteville, Tenn. and Springfield, Missouri. The Springfield plant didn't prove to be profitable and was closed within a few years. Fires destroyed all of the various plants over the years, with all being rebuilt except the Dyersburg, Tenn. plant. The early 1950's were times of extreme growth and prosperity, like the rest of the country. But by 1958, many dairy farms had begun to follow the new technology of glass lined and stainless steel bulk tank systems now in almost universal use today. As fast as the dairy business had propelled the business to growth, the new technology of bulk milk storage systems and stainless steel tank milk trucks would end it almost as quickly. Bulk systems began the end of milk cans the need for their retinning. With milk can retinning ending, what now? 1960’s: HOW TO SURVIVE By the early 1960's, business volume had dropped so much that the owners decided to begin dividing up the business. Aircraft Dynamics, a new Division of National started in the 1959, was sold to one of the owners. The Metal Coating Co., another Division of National started in early 1950’s, was sold to the other owner. In 1966, with the dairy coating business in major decline, the National Can Retinning Co. owners decided to totally separate. The Tennessee plant was sold. One owner retained the Minnesota facility and the National Can Retinning Co. The remaining property and business in Lima, was “spun-off” to the other owner. It was called National Retinning, Inc. By now, the only real volume of tin coating business available was done by The Metal Coating Co. in Lima. With the last remaining milk can manufacturer in the U.S. and a large Amish population close by, the dairy ware and cheese mold coating business was stable. Also nearby were manufacturers of food preparation equipment that used steel and cast iron components, which needed "virgin" 100% pure hot-dip tin coatings. That small company, The Metal Coating Co., now owned as a Division of The MoHawk Co., an Ohio corporation, took over all the Lima coating operations of National Retinning, Inc. That business now included “Virgin tinning”, “Retinning”, and “Hand-Wipe tinning of copper cookware. 1970’s: THE BUSINESS CHANGED IN 70’S At the start of the 70's, a major reinvestment in plant buildings, equipment and technology was made. The coating business had begun to grow once more. This time it was centered more upon the needs of the meat industry. Lead in paints drove all manufacturers to find an acceptable finish for their parts, and PURE HOT-DIP TIN COATINGS was their answer. Grit and Glass bead blasting were new services offered. Food preparation equipment manufactures, including fabricated steel & cast iron components, had now become our main customers. The old milk can business was all but gone. 1980’s & 1990’s: EVEN MORE CHANGES Over the next 20 years, The Metal Coating Company did what it always did best, provide the highest quality 100% pure grade "A" tin coatings for bakery, dairy, food, meat & industrial customers. Our trucks were now only used to pickup and deliver food equipment parts, with UPS and commercial carriers now being used to handle the delivery of small orders throughout the country. In the mid 1980’s, we began our latest change in marketing. Our customer base was changing once again. It was adapting what originally worked so well in the “Dairy Industry”, and applying it to the "Food Equipment" industry. . Our customer base had already changed twice, so changing with the "times" was nothing too new or difficult. It was simple, either changed to meet the needs of our customer's, or go out of business!! The new name was “Re-Cycling”…but it was what we had been doing for the past 50+ years. We received your old rusty item, reconditioned it, retined it with pure Grade A virgin tin, and then returned it to you in like new condition. Recycling….saves money, energy, and the environment!! Because we were the O.E.M. tin coating supplier for most of the established food equipment manufactures (Biro, Berkel, Hobart, etc.), we began to promote our coating services to retail customers, established food equipment dealers, and Internet customers. Our “O.E.M Direct Discount Program” offered low prices and fast service. Also at this time we began to distribute specialized items for the food mixer Industry. New and used mixing bowls, bowl dolly’s, wire whips, etc. were now available a low prices and were made in the U.S.A. too! We continued to offer chemical and blast cleaning services. Add to that a repair & reconditioning service that astounds our customers for getting obsolete parts back into usable and resalable condition. We offer rewiring of your old mixer wire whips with stainless or carbon wire. It’s a great way recycle them and keep your cost of operation low. 2000: A NEW CENTURY BEGINS Our newest service, “Custom Powder Coating”, was started in late 1999. With a large facility to house the new large “batch” type production equipment, we had the capability to clean, coat, and cure almost any size item. This new service has expanded our customer base to include industry, farms, and individuals. And for our existing food preparation equipment customers, we offer "FDA" approved powder coatings. It's the perfect coating for those steel and cast iron parts that need a tough and long lasting coating for those harsh working conditions and unfriendly environments. (Tables, meat saw & meat grinder stands, freezer & refrigerator racks, etc.) As in the past, the offering of highest quality coatings at a fair and competitive price with service customized to our customers needs confounds our competitors and delights our customers. We offer "custom color" powder coating to individuals, business, and industry without requiring large quantities to get a low price. If you want it cleaned and or coated, let us become your source. LOOKING BACK We have had many great individuals work for the Metal Coating Co. Sadly, many are gone, but at least to a far better place. My grandfather (Russell Glover), the founder of National Can Retinning, and both of my parents (Marie and Hal Glover) have all passed away. We have lost many long-time employees that I grew up with and still miss to this day. Phil Stanley, Eddie Davis, Howard Shaw, Bob Fitzgerald, Norm Younger, and Betty Scheithe are just a few of the many dedicated past employees that are now gone, but not forgotten. Dick Hussey is our treasure from the Tennessee plant that transferred to Lima in 1960. He was a key person who oversaw over 40 years of change and found ways to help our company adapt and be successful. He also put up with me for all those years, which required a lot of patience and probably some prayers! He retired 10 years ago as our General Manager and is still involved with the company on a weekly basis. We are lucky to still have his wise consultation. LOOKING FORWARD I hope that our Company, with over 70 years of experience can be of service to you in the future. We have always attempted to treat you as we expect to be treated...with respect and given the best possible service at reasonable prices. It is our job to provide the products and services you need. So, if there are products and/or services you would like us to offer, please just drop a line or call our Customer Service Representative. You never know, your request could be the idea that spawns a whole new business change and challenge for us! OUR SERVICE BEGINS WITH A SMILE….(Even on the phone!) Gary Clay is our General Manager with Howie Glover our Production Manager. Sandi Young is our Office Manager. She also takes care of “Customer Care” and almost all other problems. Andy Glover is the Maintenance Manager. Their many years of experience are ready to serve you and your needs. IN CLOSING I am almost embarrassed to say how fortunate Metal Coating and myself are to have such sincere friends that have offered such positive assistance and continued encouragement. It has been said that you can buy anything but friendship, for it is priceless. A more true statement has yet to be written. Thank you and best wishes for your future, as it's been our pleasure serving you, Thank you all for being our friends. Howell D. (Hank) Glover, Jr. , President And all the employee’s of The Metal Coating Co. OF SPECIAL NOTE In September of 2005, we discovered a major embezzlement that began in 1993 and continued through August of 2005. That individual was charged and eventually pleaded guilty to her theft. Her theft included many years of employee payroll tax deductions and much more. She is now in prison, serving a 4-year sentence that began in April of 2006. It was a very dark time of my life and a huge financial burden to solve. I do thank God for being able to survive this ordeal. We were forced to sell our powder coating operation to help payoff debts incurred from the theft. Fortunately, we have been able to resolve our financial problems and rebound from those difficult days to return to financial stability, almost the same as in our past. We are now in the process of repurchasing the necessary equipment and inventory to return to the powder coating business. We apologize to those powder-coating customers who were forced to seek other sources. We hope to more than make it up to you as soon as possible. HOW TO SAY THANK YOU? I must personally thank each and every trusted employee, loyal customer, and patient vendor that has helped us through that difficult time. It is my honor to count you all as our friends and valuable business partners. A most special thank you must be given to the Biro Manufacturing Co. for their outstanding assistance during our time of greatest need. To Dick and Mike and their families, our sincere thank you seems so small for all that you have done to help us survive and succeed. Thank you…friend...we will never forget your acts of support and kindness.