PTMS Parts Cleaning Expo

A Look at the 2017 Parts Cleaning Expo in Cleveland, Ohio

PTMS Parts Cleaning Expo

Source: PTMS

With a speaker lineup that featured the “Who’s Who” in the products finishing world, valuable industry training, and a well-organized expo of supplier booths, it’s no wonder one of Seacole’s business development managers Paula Anderson wishes the Parts Cleaning Expo had been around when she started in the manufacturing industry. Paula was recently featured in an article on the expo in Products Finishing magazine.

“The classes were the right blend of general information and specific topics tailored to the different groups of people in attendance, such as equipment OEMs, end users of that equipment and vendors to the industry,” Paula says. “It was some of the best trade show-related seminars I’ve attended.”

Valuable Industry Training

Industry training at the Parts Cleaning Expo included two-day technical sessions that dug deep into industrial cleaning processes. These sessions approached industrial cleaning from all perspectives and gave attendees the chance to share their challenges and use the knowledge of the group to uncover new solutions.

Other training focused on new regulations and requirements for industrial cleaning and inspection processes. Training sessions served both the aqueous and solvent cleaning markets, which separates the Parts Cleaning Expo from other similar events.

Innovative Parts Cleaning Pavilion

Paula and other expo attendees were impressed with the range of innovative technologies on display at the expo, especially at the Parts Cleaning Pavilion. Suppliers of cleaning equipment, chemicals, machine tool builders, and software vendors were all present to answer attendee questions, no matter how specific.

The Parts Cleaning Expo is part of the Precision Machining Technology Show (PTMS) that takes place every two years in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s the only show in North America that serves the precision machining industry. It’s our chance to get the latest updates for the industry, meet vendors and suppliers, and hear from industry leaders.

Mark your own calendars for the next PTMS and Parts Cleaning Expo, April 2–4, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio. We’re excited to see you there! In the meantime, contact Seacole with your industrial cleaning needs and read all about the expo on the Products Finishing website.


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Meet Wayne “Andy” Anderberg, Seacole Inside Sales Manager

We had a chance this month to catch up with inside sales manager Wayne “Andy” Anderberg. Andy helps our customers find greener solutions to their industrial cleaning challenges. Take a moment to get to know Andy!

What is your role at Seacole?

I guess you would say that I am the senior (literally) member of the Seacole inside sales team. I provide technical information on many of our products and product training to new members of our sales staff. I am also deeply involved with private labeling and contract blending projects as well as maintaining business with many accounts that I had when I was in outside sales at Seacole.

What industrial cleaning industry trends are you seeing this year?

During my 11 years with Seacole, I have continued to see the industry move steadily toward the production and use of greener formulations for our customers. There has been a move away from the old days of degreasing with solvents and moving to safer and less expensive water-based degreasers, which in many cases are biodegradable.

What advice would you give people in your field?

Don’t be complacent. Competitors are always looking for an opportunity to acquire the business you have with your clients. Remember to stay in touch and be visible with your customers, listen to their issues, and respond in a timely manner. Too many sales people are enthusiastic and sometimes spend so much time talking that they forget to listen. Also, stay positive: not every sales call turns into a sale.

What is your favorite Seacole product?

My favorite product would be our Spraydet 14EX powdered detergent, which is used in aqueous spray cabinet washers, for cleaning parts. Spraydet 14EX can be used in production cleaning of new manufactured parts, as well as in engine and transmission rebuilding. This is one of our top products, and I have worked with this since I started with the company, back in the C&H Chemical days. In my opinion, this is the finest product of its kind in our industry.

What might someone be surprised to know about Seacole?

Many people have mentioned that our name “Seacole” has something to do with the sea and being into green products. Actually, the company is named after owner Gregg Elliott’s two children. It is a combination of both of their first names. I’ve always like that.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?

Check my emails and phone messages, go over my notes, and check my calendar. Then probably eat my yogurt and granola bar.

Do you have a secret for staying productive?

Be organized and keep good records and notes, then make a plan and execute that plan. It’s great to multi-task, but make sure you are taking your existing projects all the way to completion and not just performing a juggling act. Always be open to new products and ideas.

Before starting your career, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

When I was 16 years old, my first real job was working as an usher at the old Metropolitan Stadium and Met Sports Center. I would take tickets and seat people for the Vikings, Twins and North Stars games. I gained a lot of confidence, being able to inform adults that they were sitting in the wrong seats and would have to move. I also ushered for concerts including Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and Frank Sinatra.

What is something you can’t live without?

My wife, my children and my friends. And I guess, air, water, and food.

Andy’s Motto:

“Shower the people, you love with love, show them the way that you feel.” James Taylor

Is that too sappy? 🙂


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Degreasing heavy equipment

August Is the Perfect Time to Give Your Heavy Equipment a Little Extra Attention

Degreasing heavy equipmentIt’s sunny, warm, and your chore list is already fairly long. Why not put off the maintenance on your heavy farm equipment? Unfortunately, ignoring routine maintenance and care of your heavy equipment—especially those hard-to-clean places—can lead to a much bigger problem down the road.

Neglecting Maintenance Can Lead to a Frozen Nightmare

Anything that requires lubrication attracts contaminants. Greasy attachment plates, component joints, and engine bays are magnets for dirt and other soils. Many of these areas are in hard-to-clean places on your equipment. Instead of taking the time to remove excess grease before relubricating these areas, some equipment owners just add more grease on top of the contaminants to keep their equipment working.

But in colder climates, you’re taking a risk with this bad habit. The grease and contaminants you allow to build up on your equipment will eventually harden and freeze once temperatures drop. Frozen grease and contaminants are nearly impossible to remove, as degreasers do not work in freezing conditions. This puts your machinery out of work until the weather heats up, and even then, you’ll have to clean the equipment off to use it.

A Little Regular Maintenance Goes a Long Way

You can avoid this frozen nightmare by investing in a little maintenance throughout the summer months. By August, the attachment plates on your tractor-trailer and the grease Zerks on your heavy equipment need a little TLC. Stripping these and other hard-to-reach areas now will keep your equipment in good working order through the fall and winter months.

Degreasers and coating removers are excellent chemistries for grease and contaminant removal on heavy equipment. The most versatile products can be brushed or sprayed on with a pressure washer and left to soak to break down contaminants.

Seacole recommends 956 Plus, a coating remover that is environmentally safe so it won’t affect the pH of your waste water, which is good news for farm and other outdoor applications. Spray, brush, or soak 956 Plus onto the parts you’re cleaning, including steel, copper, brass, aluminum, plastics, rubber, and painted surfaces. Soak, spray, brush, and rinse your parts for a squeaky-clean surface free from residue.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to degrease your heavy equipment. Contact the industrial cleaning experts at Seacole to find a solution that will work for you.


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