We are pleased to welcome our new Coatings Chemist, Jake Hemberger, to the team! After a careful search to fill a niche position, Cortec^® has selected Jake as the right man for the job of bringing Cortec^® Coatings to the next generation. Jake’s friendly demeanor combined with chemistry knowledge and formulation experience serves as a strong foundation on which to improve and expand Cortec’s line of corrosion inhibiting paints for metal while providing critical technical support to customers.

Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Coatings

Prior to joining our team on June 12th, Jake Hemberger (B.Sc., Chemical Engineering) spent more than a decade in laboratory and manufacturing work, with six of those years as a formulation chemist at Valspar/ Sherwin Williams. Coming from a background in solvent borne and powder coating systems, Jake is intrigued by the challenge of turning his focus to a deeper technical understanding of water-based and ecofriendly coatings at Cortec^®.

Streamlining the R&D Process

Jake’s day-to-day work will include plenty of benchtop experimentation as well as close interaction with the production team to ensure smooth scale-ups and high quality results. Jake will also be developing relationships with raw material suppliers and end users and participating in customer attended line trials. His clear “bird’s eye” view of the coatings workflow from benchtop to customer will play a critical role in smoothing the path from coatings conception to application.

Vision for the Next Generation of Cortec® Coatings

Jake is eager to move deeper into “green” coatings technology and expressed admiration for how far Cortec^® has already come. “Since starting here at Cortec^®, I’ve been especially excited by the advancement and high level of performance that our . . . water-based coating technology offers,” he commented. We are similarly excited to have Jake on the team and look forward to seeing him create a new generation of Cortec^® Coatings that can be carried to the next generation of Cortec^® customers!

Keywords: Cortec coatings, corrosion inhibitors, paint for metal, Cortec technical support, water-based coatings, Cortec R&D, green coatings technology, water-based coating performance, coating raw material suppliers

For a PDF version please click here.

Cortec® Laboratories is pleased to welcome Colin Gardner to the team as our new Product Development Chemist! Colin joined Cortec® March 7th to support us in the maintenance of current chemistry formulations and the development of new technologies, particularly in our line of Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors (MCI®) for concrete.

After receiving a B.S. in Chemistry and spending seven years in the fields of heterogenous catalysis and metal finishing/electrodeposition, Colin comes with expert knowledge in the chemistry of how surface interactions work. This ties directly into the awareness of corrosion inhibitor and corrosion mechanisms. “After all,” Colin reminds us, “corrosion starts at the surface.” A New Chapter Opens for Cortec® Corrosion Inhibitor Development!

He finds his biggest enjoyment in understanding the underlying chemistry of the corrosion problems we face and developing new technologies to combat them.

Colin hopes to be instrumental in driving the industry to create a new generation of sustainable corrosion inhibitors to minimize the deterioration of materials and the impact of corrosion on society. He understands that ultimately, corrosion translates into major costs economically and socially as it degrades roadways, bridges, and other structures. His words underscore the bottom line of corrosion protection: “By reducing corrosion in reinforced concrete we reduce environmental impact, make more efficient use of scarce resources, and save money for our clients.”

In adding Colin to the team, we look forward to improving laboratory support for existing products and customers and to seeing new corrosion inhibiting technologies unfold in the future! Contact us for more products, sales, and technical support here: https://www.cortecvci.com/contact-us/

Keywords: Cortec, Cortec Laboratories, Cortec products, Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, social and economic impact of corrosion, corrosion protection, reduce environmental impact, save money, sustainable corrosion inhibitors

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We are pleased to introduce the newest addition to our product technical support staff! Luke Stone joined the Cortec® Technical Service team in November, bringing with him a technical background and an eagerness to help people.

Luke received a B.Sc. in Science Education from UWStout with majors in Education and Chemistry and a minor in Environmental Science. He has worked in the fields of education, transportation, and construction. Now turning his focus to the corrosion control sector, Luke says, “I’m most interested in helping to create a more sustainable future. Less corrosion means less need for replacement and repair, benefiting both our clients and the environment they live in.”

Luke is determined to learn as much as he can to become a strong communication link and use creativity and levelheaded problem-solving to help Cortec® clients arrive at the best solution for their needs. His focus areas will be Cortec® Water Treatment, Coatings, and MCI®. Join us in welcoming him to the team!

Luke Stone, Technical Service Engineer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-429-1100 Ext. 1189

Keywords: Cortec, Cortec Technical Service, sustainable future, corrosion protection, corrosion control, corrosion problem solving, Cortec Water
Treatment, Cortec Coatings, Cortec MCI

For a PDF version please click here.