“Every man owes part of his time and money to the business or industry to which he is engaged. No man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within his sphere.”  ~Theodore Roosevelt

The Aluminum Anodizers Council is a progressive and influential industry force . . . a reputation proudly earned through more than a 20 years of dedication, commitment and involvement by its members.

Mission

Who we serve: AAC promotes the common interest of its members -- firms engaged in aluminum anodizing, suppliers of products and services used in the anodizing of aluminum products, or purchasers of anodized finishes.

Our goal: It is the mission of the Aluminum Anodizers Council to support its members—and users of anodized aluminum—through education, advocacy, and promotion.

Member Benefits

Education – Members enjoy preferred pricing for all Council events.

• The Annual International Anodizing Conference and Exposition: Explore the latest industry developments through the featured Keynote presentations, numerous Focus Sessions, and facility tours. Benefit from the opportunity to learn about local and global trends, technological advances, environmental & regulatory affairs, and product development ideas. Learn from and interact with some of the industry's most prominent individuals who are available for questions, discussions and inspiration.
• Anodizing Essentials Workshop: Developed by anodizing industry professionals for anodizing industry professionals, this workshop is designed to increase the knowledge and ability of anyone involved in operating an anodizing line. With an emphasis on quality, the program takes the learner though the entire process—beginning with the metallurgical properties of aluminum alloys commonly anodized, and going right through to the final rinse and sealing processes.

Publications – Some Council publications are made available exclusively to Council members at no cost; others at discounted prices. 

• Anodizing Newsline: Keep informed by reading Anodizing Newsline, a bi-monthly newsletter containing news of industry events, member activities, marketing tips, technical information and more.
• Wage & Fringe Benefit Survey: periodic
• Business Trends Survey: monthly
• AAC Technical Bulletins: Stay apprised of specialized information through AAC Technical Bulletins, handy reference documents that detail various technical subjects.
• Environmental Guidebook: Exhaustively researched, the Environmental Guidebook is essential material for any U.S. anodizer. It explains regulations and compliance strategies covering water and air, as well as solid and hazardous wastes.
• Industry Standards: AAC publishes color standards for six electrolytic colors used in architectural applications; automotive standard; hardcoat anodizing standard.
• Marketing Tools: Fact Sheets, Reference Guides, Web Reports, and other invaluable marketing support tools help you maintain your competitive edge.

Services – The power of association is the gathering of peers to address shared interests; members together accomplish more.

• Environmental Issues: Because of AAC's long-standing dialogue with U.S. EPA, anodizing is now generally recognized as an industry distinct from electroplating and other metal-finishing operations. The legal representation required to get to this point would have been too expensive for any one company to afford. Because of those efforts, we are now recognized as having a finish that is uniquely compatible with today's environmental concerns.
• Website: This website is structured to highlight current and critical information, including the Web Forum, a threaded discussion forum used to facilitate the exchange of information pertaining to the industry in a timely fashion. 
• Publicity and Promotional Efforts: Receive benefits resulting from the Council's ongoing media relations program.
• Membership Directory: Be included in our on-line listing of member complete with a capabilities search function. Gain easy access to industry peers, associates and suppliers through the AAC Membership Directory.
• Affiliation: Associate with the industry's most active and influential leaders.
• Government Representation: Make your voice heard in the halls of government; AAC represents the interests of aluminum anodizers in light of often confusing regulatory compliance requirements.
• Another AAC Success Story
  During the last decade, the Council successfully won recognition for the anodizing industry as being distinctly unlike electroplating subsequent to the US EPA's attempts to revise wastewater effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards in ways that would have increased costs substantially for the anodizing industry and, in all likelihood, driven many smaller anodizers out of business. Because of the Council's success, anodized aluminum is recognized as a finish that is uniquely compatible with today's environmental concerns. The technical and legal representation organized by and through the Council was more comprehensive and effective than would likely have been achievable by most any single company alone. Once again, the combined and unified voice of the anodizing community was focused through the efforts of its Council.

Organization

AAC is organized to represent the collective interests of its members. Each member company has an official representative with whom the Council interacts, but membership benefits and AAC access are available to all employees of each member company. The Council is guided by a ten-member Board of Directors, comprising the Executive Committee, four Firm Directors, two Supplier Directors and one Professional-Member Director.

AAC thrives because of the participation of its members. Several committees, made up of representatives from member firms, determine the direction of Council projects and activities. The committees are:

Advocacy Committee: Environmental topics and regulatory compliance are at the heart of this committee's activities.
  > Communicates the environmental advantages of anodizing
  > Determines protocol for alerts
  > Monitors governmental actions and regulatory requirements to assist member companies who anodize in achieving compliance
  > Serves as the collective voice of the anodizing industry before regulatory bodies.

Education Committee: Bringing a diverse assemblage of volunteers' skills and expertise to the table, this committee's programs include the Anodizing Conference, technical publications, and networking events.
  > Provides training for the industry
  > Develops educational program content
  > Organizes events on behalf of the anodizing industry
  > Delivers technical communications.

Membership Committee: The value proposition offered by the Council to its members—and to prospective members—is essential to AAC's success.
  > Evaluates member benefits and recommends program initiatives
  > Builds a strong membership
  > Encourages member involvement
  > Serves as liaison between committees.

Promotion Committee: The support of members' efforts to market anodized aluminum has long been at the core of the Council's activities. The Promotion Committee continues that work while also being involved in other activities including:
  > Communicates benefits of anodizing and the diverse applications for anodized
  > Develops programs to promote anodizing and delivers to key audience, including relevant associations and the academic community
  > Raises visibility of key products and applications
  > Promotes a brand image of anodizing in the marketplace and supports members' marketing efforts.

How to Join AAC

Merging many individual voices into a single greater voice, AAC can accomplish things that individual companies could never dream of.

For more information, please contact the Aluminum Anodizers Council by any of the following means: