Road Salt Corrosion in Metro Detroit: What a Hard Winter Means for Metal Parts
Last winter was a heavy one for road salt corrosion in metro Detroit. MDOT crews in the Metro region spread more than 111,000 tons of salt last winter, about 35...Continue reading→
The Cost of Corrosion: Why the Finish Is a Budget Line for Michigan Manufacturers
A congressionally mandated study put the direct cost of corrosion to metals in the United States at $276 billion a year, roughly 3.1 percent of GDP. CC Technologies Laboratories carried...Continue reading→
Powder Coating vs Liquid Paint: What EPA Coating Data Tells Metal Parts Buyers
The powder coating vs liquid paint decision has a regulatory backstory. Until the 1970s, most metal parts coated in American plants carried solvent-heavy liquid paint. Stricter state and federal rules...Continue reading→
Secondary Operations After Laser Cutting: Where Cheap Cuts Get Expensive
The cutting quote is the smallest number in the job. Buyers who compare vendors on that number alone are optimizing the wrong line. NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership makes the underlying...Continue reading→
Laser Cutting vs Waterjet Cutting: How Michigan Buyers Decide in 2026
Michigan’s factory payrolls are not all moving the same direction, and the exception is worth a look. Michigan State University’s Center for Economic Analysis puts state manufacturing employment at 593,740...Continue reading→
The Heat-Affected Zone: When Laser Cutting Is the Wrong Call
A laser cut looks clean. The metal under the edge tells a different story. Research published in January 2026 in the journal Materials put numbers on it. Working across three...Continue reading→
New Welding Technology: What Michigan Manufacturers Need to Know
New welding technology is moving faster than most Michigan manufacturers can keep up with. Robotic cells that run 24 hours, AI systems that catch defects before the arc even moves...Continue reading→
Powder Coating Is Winning the Automotive Aftermarket – Here’s Why Detroit Suppliers Are Taking Notice
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan The numbers are hard to argue with. U.S. consumers spent $52.65 billion accessorizing and modifying their vehicles in 2024, according to the Specialty...Continue reading→
How EV Production Is Reshaping Automotive Aftermarket Powder Coating Demand
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan General Motors announced in August 2024 that it was retooling three U.S. plants to incorporate powder-coated battery enclosures and subframes. Ford’s Oakville assembly...Continue reading→
Corrosion Protection and Finish Quality: What Automotive Aftermarket Parts Suppliers Need to Know in 2026
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan Here is a problem that costs Detroit-area aftermarket suppliers money every year, and most of them are underestimating it: finish failure. Not dramatic,...Continue reading→