Mission:

The International Thermal Spray Association is a professional trade organization dedicated to expanding the use of thermal spray technologies for the benefit of industry and society.

History – Early Beginnings

The International Thermal Spray Association is closely interwoven with the history of thermal spray development in this hemisphere. Founded in 1948, and once known as Metallizing Service Contractors and has been closely tied to almost all major advances in technology, equipment and materials, industry events, education, standards and market development in North and South America.

In a move which reflects an expanded global mission, as well as one which reflects the present scope of thermal spray technology, Metallizing Service Contractors voted to become International Thermal Spray Association in 1991.

Under this new charter, the association built on a history of active industry involvement to promote thermal spray technology worldwide.

The metal spraying industry had its beginnings early in the 20th century when Dr. M.U. Schoop of Zurich, Switzerland, developed the first process for spraying metal and, subsequently, the first equipment to spray metal in wire form.

The early commercial applications for the Schoop Process or Metallizing took place in Germany, and later in France.

Schoop subsequently sold his rights to a German firm known as Metallizator. It was this firm that made and sold spray units in Europe, England and the United States beginning in the early 1920s. Among the early United States companies to adopt the technology were Metal Coatings Company and Metalweld of Philadelphia and Metallizing Company of Los Angeles.

Applications for industrial plants accelerated during the “Great Depression,” and during this decade the greatest push for what was then known as “flame spraying” occurred.

Early applications included the coating of railroad tank cars, United States Navy ship tanks, coal barges and the spraying of the Panama Canal emergency gates.

Four entrepreneurs – Larry Kunkler, Rea Axline, Charles Boyden, Sr. and Charles Stipp from the Metallizing Company of America – were largely responsible for pushing metallizing into the American industrial scene.

In 1932, Rea Axline (later a founder of Metco) exhibited his company’s ‘Three-in-one Metallizing Unit” at a meeting of the Galvanizer’s Institute at the Hotel Statier in St. Louis. Sixteen years later, the American Metallizing Contractors Association, the predecessor of International Thermal Spray Association, was founded in the same hotel. The meeting was arranged by Walter B. Meyer of St. Louis Metallizing Company and William H. Fatka of Metallizing, Inc. of Chicago. Soon they were publishing a newsletter, AMCA News, to share new thermal spray technology information and identify new market opportunities for members.

By the end of the 1940s, “metallizing” was firmly established as a major industrial process. Applications included large elevated water tanks, tuna fishing boats, chemical industry tanks and tank cars, capacitor castings and pipe.

In response to an increasingly sophisticated market, the association drew up industry specifications for the application of corrosion-resistant coatings and spelled out the methods of inspecting them. These were distributed to engineering firms, designers, and educational institutions throughout the world and resulted in increased business opportunities for the entire metallizing industry.

The advent of fusible alloys, flame spraying of ceramics and plasma spraying were soon to follow.

In 1976, the association co-sponsored, with the American Welding Society (AWS), the first international National Thermal Spray Conference held in the United States. The event took place in September of 1976 in Miami Beach, Florida. Contemporary accounts described the event (which drew 515 people from 28 countries) “as the most successful international conference to date”.

Eight members of MSC presented technical papers at the event, including Jack Ritchie of Bender Machine in California, F.W. Gartner Jr. of F.W. Gartner Thermal Spraying Company in Houston, Jon H. Watson of Hardface Welding and Machine in Buffalo, A.E. Kuhar of Kuhar Metallizing Company in Kansas City, Larry LaBossier of Machinist, Inc. of Seattle and Robert E. Mahood of St. Louis Metallizing Company in St. Louis.

The association presenters received international recognition for “their contribution to the world body of technical knowledge.” This event paved the way for ITSA sponsorship of the National Thermal Spray Conference which evolved to the United Thermal Spray Conference in 1997 and now is the International Thermal Spray Conference (ITSC). ITSA remains active in this annual event which provides a valuable compendium of scientific advancements and commercial developments for attendees from all over the world. MSC members were also important contributing authors and researchers for the AWS manual, Thermal Spraying – Practice and Theory Application. Published in 1985, this was the first definitive work on thermal spray produced in the United States.

• 1947 St. Louis, MO: First Organization Meeting of AMCA, 18 attendees, 20 members accepted.
• 1948 Tulsa, OK: Officers elected – Harry Moore of Alloy Welding & Manufacturing, Chairman; Peter Dennison of Metal Spraying Corporation, Vice Chairman and President; Walter Meyer, Secretary/Treasurer; Knowles Smith, Vice President. Distribution of Metal Spraying and Sprayed Metals, by Ballard, published in England. William Reid’s report on England’s metal spray industry.
• 1950 Detroit, MI: Rea Axline proposed a program for promoting a series of sprayed metal and sprayed metal plus plastic coatings and a series of engineering specifications for specific environmental conditions, to be promoted by advertising. Agenda included proposal to open membership to equipment builders and suppliers of consumables.
• 1950 New York, NY: Last meeting of AMCA.
• 1950 Philadelphia, PA: Metco Systems Contractors meeting. Decide to draw up industry specifications. 1960, name changed to Metallizing Service Contractors.
• 1991 Las Vegas, NV: Name changed to International Thermal Spray Association, membership expanded to include international thermal spray shops, equipment builders and consumables suppliers, universities and research organizations.
• 1998 Newbury, OH: Headquarters office created, renting space from ASM International.
• 2004 Fairport Harbor, OH: New expanded headquarters established.

The Role of ITSA Today

Today, as an organization, the International Thermal Spray Association is working to raise the awareness level of general industry and government on the advanced capabilities of thermal spray technology and the vitally important problems it can solve in terms of keeping its member nations competitive, safe and forward-moving. Thermal spray applications have moved from a traditional base in aviation to encompass ground-based turbines, automotive, biomedical, electronics, highway infrastructure and virtually every other industry.

ITSA’s mission is to return real value to its membership in terms of prestige and business opportunities and to make contributions to the industry as a whole. The association charter calls for the active support of TQM (total quality management) and the quality of thermal spray growth through the ITSA scholarship program, through the support of responsible environmental studies, by working cooperatively with the industry in the writing of universal standards and specifications, through the development and exchange of technical information, through advertising and industry participation and by promoting a code of business ethics which imbues confidence and satisfaction among consumers of thermal spray coatings.

A company-member trade association, ITSA invites all interested companies to talk with our officers, committee members, and company representatives to better understand member benefits.

ITSA Headquarters
International Thermal Spray Association
208 Third Street Fairport Harbor
Ohio 44077 USA
Tel: 440-357-5400 / Fax: 440-357-5430
Corporate Secretary: Kathy Dusa, ITSA Headquarters
Email : itsa@thermalspray.org
Website: www.thermalspray.org

ITSA Scholarship Opportunities

The International Thermal Spray Association offers annual Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarships. Since 1992, the ITSA scholarship program has contributed to the growth of the thermal spray community, especially in the development of new technologists and engineers. ITSA is very proud of this education partnership and encourages all eligible participants to apply. Please visit www.thermalspray.org for criteria information and a printable application form.

ITSA Thermal Spray Historical Collection

In April 2000, the International Thermal Spray Association announced the establishment of a Thermal Spray Historical Collection which is now on display at their headquarters office in Fairport Harbor, Ohio USA. Growing in size and value, there are now over 30 different spray guns and miscellaneous equipment, a variety of spray gun manuals, hundreds of photographs, and several thermal spray publications and reference books. This is a worldwide industry collection and we welcome donations from the entire thermal spray community.

ITSA SPRAYTIME® Newsletter

Since 1992, the International Thermal Spray Association has been publishing the SPRAYTIME newsletter for the thermal spray industry. The mission is to be the flagship thermal spray industry newsletter providing company, event, people, product, research, and membership news of interest to industrial leaders, engineers, researchers, scholars, policymakers, and the public thermal spray community.

For a free SPRAYTIME^®newsletter subscription (in print form in the US and Canada), and in digital format elsewhere visit www.spraytime.org and complete the short questionnaire or by send us your address and contact information via email to: spraytime@thermalspray.org