Nucor Corporation announced that it has purchased a minority equity position in the parent of Trion Coatings, LLC, which is developing an environmentally friendly chrome plating technology.
As part of its investment, Nucor is working with Trion Coatings to commercialize the technology and will be constructing a pilot facility at Nucor Fastener in St. Joe, Indiana. Nucor also holds an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the technology as applied to long steel products.
"We are very excited to invest in this cutting-edge technology, working together with Trion Coatings and the University of Notre Dame to create a much safer work environment, and advancing this technology to the commercial level," said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO & President of Nucor Corporation. "As the nation's largest recycler, we are constantly looking for ways to increase the sustainability of our business and reduce the impact on our environment."
Trion Coatings, which incubated at Notre Dame's IDEA Center, was formed for the purpose of developing an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional chrome plating process. Developing a safer alternative to Cr(VI) presents advantages in the market as the global regulatory environment becomes more stringent.
Trion Coatings utilizes a patent pending process using Cr(III) salts and a proprietary ionic liquid solution. The process allows for greater electroplating speeds, improved wear resistance and overall higher performance than the traditional chrome plating process, while offering an excellent health and safety profile.