Hi all,

I'm looking to retire shortly and need advice on whether to start new
business

I want to form a metal Polishing/ChormePlating company in the UK. My main
interest of work will be Classic Cars/ Bikes . I have the capital,
enthusiasm, and drive to make a go of it. Any body out there can offer ANY
advice greatly appreciated.

I understand the UK is about to be hit by loads of new Regs concerning
chemicals etc. Can anyone throw any light on this ?

Lastly, any pit-falls I should expect!! (YEP, I BET THERE'S LOADS) but I
really want do this.

Cheers !!


PAUL

phv wrote:
Hi all,

I'm looking to retire shortly and need advice on whether to start new

business

I want to form a metal Polishing/ChormePlating company in the UK. My
main
interest of work will be Classic Cars/ Bikes . I have the capital,
enthusiasm, and drive to make a go of it. Any body out there can
offer ANY
advice greatly appreciated.

I understand the UK is about to be hit by loads of new Regs
concerning
chemicals etc. Can anyone throw any light on this ?

Lastly, any pit-falls I should expect!! (YEP, I BET THERE'S LOADS)
but I
really want do this.

Cheers !!


PAUL

Paul,my plater was talking the other week about a new load of regs due
in 2006.
The best people to ask are the EPA/SEPA in England/Scotland.
I know there is a demand for this type of work in Scotland but the
thought of all the regs that would apply is enough to put me off.I
would think that if you asked around the small finishing companies in
your area,you would probably find some would be for sale.IMHO buying a
ready made company would be preferable as you would have an income
while spending money meeting the regs.
Effluent disposal,chemical storage and handling,dust extraction and all
the licences (=A3`s) will be the major problems/cost.Big fines nowadays
for flouting the law.I think if I was to do it I would do the polishing
and sub the plating.
regards,Mark.

phv wrote:

Hi all,

I'm looking to retire shortly and need advice on whether to start new
business

I want to form a metal Polishing/ChormePlating company in the UK. My main
interest of work will be Classic Cars/ Bikes . I have the capital,
enthusiasm, and drive to make a go of it. Any body out there can offer ANY
advice greatly appreciated.

I understand the UK is about to be hit by loads of new Regs concerning
chemicals etc. Can anyone throw any light on this ?

Lastly, any pit-falls I should expect!! (YEP, I BET THERE'S LOADS) but I
really want do this.

Cheers !!

PAUL

Only advice I can offer is to run screaming in the other direction fron
any idea of doing the plating. Aside from the issues, in the new state
of stupid paranoia regarding chemicals that may have use in making
weapons of any sort, there is also the ever increasing restrictions and
liability to do with the possible release of heavy metals into the
environment. I have a slight knowledge of what the laws are like here in
Canada, and cannot beleive the nanny state of Britain could possibly be
easier to deal with. Get advice from, among others, your local health
and welfare office, and a good lawyer that knows environmental law in
your area.

Will you still be liable for site cleanup if chrome residue is detected
on the worksite 20 years after the shop shuts down?

Polishing.
If you are the one planning on doing the actual work, build a shower
into the shop plans, and expect to get filthy when working. A couple
polishing stations in separate rooms to contain the filth is also a good
idea. Then wear full coveralls and a respirator when working.

If you are planning to have employees, you really need to assess the
H&S aspects of operating a buisness to ensure that you do not end up on
the wrong end of a summons.

I worked polishing bike parts in a bike shop for a couple years part
time. We sent out all the plating. One of the shops we used said that
they would have quit years ago except that it would cost them too much
to clean up the site for sale... Dunno if they are still open or not,
that was almost 20 years back. Environmental laws have gotten more
stringent all the time.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

What the others said....

Here in NYC, the mecca of well, everything except agriculture, plating/heat
treating has really taken a hit. Mebbe a couple left. The rest are in NJ.

Also seems that people who work for regulatory agencies are culled partially
for their character-disordered-ness, partially for their stupidity. But,
they don't miss much, dat's f'sure.

But, this all could just as well spell opportunity iffin you can handle it.
Seems like the remaining platers are busy. Specially w/ American Chopper
and the apparent genetic craving for custom bikes...

Oh, I was wrong about NYC. Now it is just the mecca of, well, yuppy
stockbrokers/daytraders/loiyers, and the housing thereof. Oh, and U-haul
storage lockers, preumably for the lesser yupsters.
We use NJ for pollution purposes.
----------------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"phv" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm looking to retire shortly and need advice on whether to start new
business

I want to form a metal Polishing/ChormePlating company in the UK. My main
interest of work will be Classic Cars/ Bikes . I have the capital,
enthusiasm, and drive to make a go of it. Any body out there can offer
ANY advice greatly appreciated.

I understand the UK is about to be hit by loads of new Regs concerning
chemicals etc. Can anyone throw any light on this ?

Lastly, any pit-falls I should expect!! (YEP, I BET THERE'S LOADS) but I
really want do this.

Cheers !!


PAUL