"Surface finishing" is a generic term applied to a variety of processes for the purpose of enhancing one or more properties of the surface of a metal. It is also applied to a number of processes that involve the application of a metallic coating to a non-metallic surface such as plastic, ceramic, epoxy, and even baby shoes.

The art of creating an altered surface on a metallic substrate dates back several centuries. Methods of surface finishing such as polishing, grinding, and painting were performed in the same era, along with non-surface finishing processes such as heat treating and tempering of metals.

The modern surface finishing era, however, began with the invention of the galvanic cell in the early 1800s. By the middle of the 19th century, silver, gold, copper, and brass plating were commercially performed. In addition to electroplating, numerous competitive methods of altering the surface of metals and non-conductors have been added to the common definition of surface finishing since the 19th century.

Early surface finishing processes were focused on decorative endeavors, such as jewelry and decorative items, such as lamps and hardware. Some massive parts were manufactured utilizing an electroplating method called "electroforming," including the street lamp standards for the streets of Paris.

The surface finishing industry received a big boost from the advent of the Industrial Age, and the development of electricity generators in the late 1 800s. Metal machine components, hardware, and automotive parts required protection from corrosion-enhanced wear properties, and enhanced appearance.

World Wars I and II and the aircraft industry further developed and refined the industry by adding such processes as anodizing, conversion coating, chromium plating, bronze alloy plating, nickel plating, chemical milling and phosphating, along with numerous other plating processes. Plating equipment evolved from manually operated wooden process tanks to automated equipment, capable of processing thousands of pounds per hour of parts.

The modern era of surface finishing arrived following World War II. Processes such as electro-painting, electroless plating, electropolishing, vacuum metallizing, mechanical plating, electrostatic painting, electrolytic painting (Ecoat), and powder coating were commerciatized in the last 50 years.

Until 1972, the surface finishing industry was environmentally unregulated (except for selected areas such as Chicago, where a local ordinance by the Metropolitan Sanitary District was passed in 1969) and discharges of concentrated chemicals from finishing processes to sewer systems and surface waters was common. In 1972, Congress gave the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) the authority to create regulations for industrial dischargers to the surface waters of the USA, under the Water Pollution Control Act (Public Law 92-500). In 1977, Congress gave EPA additional powers to regulate discharges to sewers under the Clean Water Act (Public Law 95-217). Under this mandate from Congress, EPA developed a system of "categorizing" all industries that discharged pollutants to the surface waters and sewers of the USA. EPA then passed regulations limiting the concentrations and amounts of pollutants that could be in the discharges of process water from those categorical industries. EPA also studied and provided technical information on what technologies could be employed to comply with its regulations.

Because of the Clean Water Act, metal finishing facilities have installed and operate pretreatment systems for the removal of heavy metals and other toxins such as cyanide, prior to discharge. Because these pretreatment systems are sized and priced based on flow rates, the industry employs water conservation and recycle/recovery methods.

The Clean Air Act required the surface finishing industry to remove certain air pollutants from its exhaust to the atmosphere.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) required the industry to treat and dispose of wastes generated from surface finishing operations and pretreatment systems in an environmentally sound manner. The industry responded by developing alternate processes that generated less waste or waste that was less toxic or non-hazardous.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act 1 980/Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (CERCLNSARA) caused companies in the industry to become much more cautious about where and whom to send their wastes for disposal.