Mission Statement

“To provide a focus for Surface Engineering and Finishing activities worldwide through the fulfilment of the technical, educational and professional needs at all levels for both the individuals and companies involved in the coatings industry.” 

Objectives

To be an internationally recognised ‘partner’ within the surface engineering and finishing industry

  • To promote and provide for the attainment of vocational, academic and professional qualifications appropriate to the needs of industry
  • To provide regular U.K. and International publications for research and development, legislative and practical matters.
  • Continue to represent the professional interests and exceed the expectations of its members.
  • To be the first point of contact for all surface finishing enquiries and facilitate technical and professional networking.
  • To enhance the Institute’s reputation for excellence in professional conduct.
  • To provide a trusted independent conduit for knowledge transfer throughout the supply chain of the surface engineering and finishing industry.
  • To attract industry and academic professionals to join and further increase the knowledge base.
  • To work in co-operation with other institutes/bodies.
  • To promote the application of research and development within industry.
  • To influence legislative bodies’ decision making, as this relates to industry standards and regulations.
  • To provide effective channels of communication through regular events and the Institute’s web site

Organisation

MANAGEMENT BOARD

D Neal – President
P Holder – Vice President
 K Ryder – Immediate Past President
B Gay – Executive Past President
G Armstrong – Secretary General
J Oliver – Treasurer
P Lansdell – Membership representative
P Bodycote – Membership representative
D Chaplin – Ireland Chair
J G Torr – Sheffield & NE Chair
C Arnold – Southern Chair
B Peters – Organic Group Chair
M Smith – Education & Training Chair
W Chilton – E&QB Chair
 G Wilcox – Publications Chair
K Ryder – Science Chair
J Bick – Membership & Marketing Chair

STANDING COMMITTEES

Examination & Qualifications Board
W Chilton – Chair

Education & Training
M Smith – Chair

Publications
G Wilcox – Chair

Membership & Marketing
J Bick – Chair

Science
 K Ryder

BRANCH COMMITTEES

Southern
C Arnold – Chair

Irish
D Chaplin – Chair

Sheffield & NE
J Torr – Chair


SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Organic Group
B Peters – Chair

HEAD OFFICE STAFF

Office Manager
H Wood

Education & Membership Manager 
K Yates

Administrator, Membership and Education
M Tennyson


Organic Group

The Organic Finishing Group is dedicated to supporting and promoting the interests of the paint and powder coating sector for metal finishing. We meet regularly to discuss topics of importance and relevance, from coating manufacture through application onto final testing and specification.

Branches

Irish Branch

Committee 2020
Chair – Don Chaplin
Secretary – Prof Denis Dowling
Treasurer – Neil Cremin
Training – Dr Ann Hopper
Membership – Greg Payne
Committee Members
Douglas Jalovicar
Maurice McCrum
Bulent Tepe
Sam Briggs

Sheffield & North East Branch

John Torr – Chairman
Paul Cromwell
John Williams

Southern Branch

The Southern Branch of the IMF meet monthly to arrange and discuss upcoming seminars, organise future seminars and any general business that relate to the IMF. We meet at The Fox Inn at Ellisfield, Basingstoke usually on a Tuesday evening.
Committee:
Clive Arnold – Chairman
Philip Alexander – Vice Chairman
Nick Sawyer – Secretary
Colin Low – Treasurer
John Burgess – Publicity

Committees

Education & Training

We are responsible for the provision of Education and Training materials for surface finishing technologies. This can take the form of Distance Learning modules and Tutored courses from Foundation to Technician and onto the Advanced Technician Certificate. All material is regularly updated to remain relevant and has been extended during 2009 and 2010. Tailored course can be created, specific to the needs of an individual company. All modules subject to students passing an examination, lead to receipt of certification. If you want to improve your surface finishing skills and knowledge, contact Karen Yates on the above number.

Knowledge and Training Division
Improving and developing the skills and knowledge within the surface finishing aspect of your business is a crucial element to ensuring that you maintain your competitive edge in your specific market sector.
The IMF have a division that is dedicated to supporting your company with employee training and wide ranging qualification packages that comprise of:

• Tutored classes
• Distance learning modules 
• Start up level through to advanced technician certificates.

All our material is fully certified and respected by the worlds largest manufacturing companies and will lead to industry acknowledged certification.

Science

The role of this committee is to promote both technical and scientific innovation in surface engineering. It also supports the Institute’s membership by encouraging research and development in the surface engineering industry.
Surface engineering is one of the most important industrial activities in UK and it directly underpins 50% of the UK total manufacturing estimated to be worth about£14bn, but it adds value to products worth about £175bn.
We help the Institute’s membership seek funding, support and prospective partners
The role of this committee is to promote both technical and scientific innovation in surface engineering. It also supports the for R&D projects. In recent times we have:
• advised our members in developing new surface coating methods;
• matched members to obtain research grants for the development of advanced coatings and membranes;
• assisted our membership pursue and commercialise new processes;
• become a member of an advisory board for an EU funded project;
• assisted our members in developing new surface treatments for their products, so they can explore new market opportunities.
The Committee also represents the Institute’s interests at Governmental level, where we are an affiliate member of the Parliamentary Science Committee; we help advise Government on the impact of surface engineering on the UK’s manufacturing sector, as well as recommending areas of possible interest for discussion and knowledge transfer.

Publications

We are responsible for overseeing one of the major aims of the Institute, the dissemination of technical information on all aspects of surface treatment. Through print media we deliver this commitment with our international journal ‘Transactions’, published six times a year and our member newsletter ‘IMFormation’.

Marketing & Membership

The M&M committee are responsible for Marketing new public relation activities in accordance with the policy of the Management Board and for the recruitment of new Members to the Institute. The committee meet usually every 4 weeks to discuss new innovations for the IMF and look at any upcoming events that the IMF may find to be of interest to its members. We also aid in the publication of the member’s newsletter “IMFormation”

Medal Winners

Gold Medal

This award, the highest accolade given by the Institute, is presented from time to time for outstanding personal, scientific or technical achievement relevant to the objectives of the Institute.

1947 – Field ARCS
1950 – A W Hothersall MSc(Tech), FIM
1951 – S Wernick OBE, PhD, MSc, FRIC, FIM, FIMF
1956 – G E Gardam PhD, ARCS, FRIC, FIM
1961 – U R Evans DSc, FRS
1969 – A A B Harvey MSc, FRIC, Barrister-at-Law
1989 – D J Arrowsmith FIMF
1991 – P G L Vivian FIMF
1993 – J Edwards PhD, BSc, FIM, FIMF
1995 – T E Such FIMF
2000 – I R Christie MSc, CChem, FRSC, FIMF
2002 – D R Gabe BSc, PhD, FIM, FIMF, FICorr, CEng
2008 – R R Read FIMF
2010 – J P G Farr BSc, PhD, FIMF
2013 – D Dowling BSC, PhD, FIMF
2014 – C Barnes
2016 – B Gay
2016 – A Koch
2017 – A Chapman
2018 – F Walsh

Samual Field Silver Medal

The award should be made to any member of the IMF who is deemed to have given extraordinary voluntary service to the IMF.

2008 – C Barnes FIMF
2009 – A Chapman FIMF
2010 – A Koch FIMF
2011 – C Larson MIMF
2012 – T Crichton BSc, MSc, PhD, MRSC, CChem, MICorr, FIMF
2014 – A Turner
2015 – G Wilcox
2016 – N Sawyer
2017 – P Farr

Hothersall Memorial Award

This award, usually made every two years, is given to an individual in recognition of their outstanding service to the metal finishing industry. The recipient of this award presents the Hothersall Memorial Lecture either at the AGM or at a Conference.

1952 – G E Gardam PhD, ARCS, FRIC, FIM
1954 – W Blum BSc, PhD, DSc
1956 – W A Wesley MSc, PhD
1957 – U R Evans DSc, FRS
1959 – R S Hutton DSc, MA
1960 – J W Cuthbertson DSc, FIM, AMIEE, FIMF
1961 – A Brenner FIMF
1962 – T P Hoar MA, BSc, ScD, PhD(Cantab), FRIC, FIM
1966 – S Wernick OBE, PhD, MSc, FRIC, FIM, FIMF
1967 – C L Fauzt
1969 – H Silman BSc, FRIC, MIChemE, FIMF
1973 – G Isserlis BSc(Eng), FICorr, FIMF
1975 – R H Pinner BSc, FIMF
1977 – G Dubpernell FIMF
1983 – J Edwards PhD, BSc, FIM, FIMF
1985 – D J Arrowsmith FIMF
1987 – T E Such FIMF
1989 – G C Wood FIMF
1993 – C H J Raub FIMF
1995 – A W Brace FIMF
1997 – S A Watson FIMF
1999 – J K Dennis BSc, PhD, DSc, FIMF
2002 – C Bishop FIMF
2004 – J P G Farr BSc, PhD, FIMF
2006 – I Onate PhD, FIMF
2007 – H J Lewerenz
2008 – P L Cavallotti
2012 – G Armstrong FIMF
2014 – D Gabe

Johnson Matthey Silver Medal  (sponsored by Johnson Matthey plc)

Awarded to individuals of academic, public and industrial organisations for high quality research in the field of precious metal coating. It is for a most original and progressive contribution towards the creation, development, or understanding of precious metal coatings, for use in any significant industrial, medical or environmental process, whether recently evolved or well established and published in Transactions.

1955 – G E Gardam FIM and N E Tidswell
1957 – F H Reid FIMF
1960 – R H Atkinson
1962 – F H Reid FIMF and J C Blake
1963 – H C Angus
1966 – C J Tyrrel
1967 – J Hill and N H Hopkin
1969 – J M Stevens
1970 – G S Reddy and P Taimsalu
1971 – J D Underwood
1972 – R A Lynn
1973 – G C Wilson FIMF
1975 – M Clarke FIMF
1978 – G P Ray MIMF
1980 – J R House FIMF and W A FAirweather FIMF
1981 – R H Hill FIMF
1983 – D J Arrowsmith FIMF and G Brown
1985 – K J Whitlaw MIMF
1986 – R DeDoncker and J Vanhumbeeck
1987 – D J Arrowsmith FIMF and K J Lodge
1988 – C C Bocking FIMF
1994 – C C Bocking FIMF and C Dineen
1998 – Fang-Zu Yang, Shu-Kai Xu, Ling Hang, Xue-Ying Zhang and Shao-Min Zhou
1999 – J A Abys, E J Kudrak and C Fan
2000 – B Bozzini and P L Cavallotti
2003 – G Koziaol and J Bielinski
2005 – M Gladstein and H Guterman
2006 – F C Walsh FIMF, D V Bavykin, L Torrente-Murciano, A A Lapkin and BA Cressey
2007 – O N Vrublevskaya, T N Vorobyova, H K Lee and S B Koo
2011 – B Bozzini, L D’urzo, C Mele, B Busson and A Tadjeddine
2012 – P L Cavallotti, P Cojocaru,and L Magagnin

Jim Kape (Sponsored by the IMF)

This is presented from time to time for a paper of significance in the field of aluminium or other light metal finishing and published in Transactions.

1988 – E P Short MIMF and A Morita
1989 – D R Cowieson MIMF, N C Davies MIMF, R C Furneaux MIMF and W R Rigby
1990 – R T Hitchcock MIMF
1991 – M R Kalantary MIMF, D H Ross MIMF, D R Gabe FIMF
1992 – M R Kalantary MIMF, D H Ross MIMF, D R Gabe FIMF
1994 – A J Dowell MIMF, J Barker, K P Eng, D R Gabe FIMF, D H Ross MIMF
1995 – D R Ellard and D R Cowieson MIMF
1996 – P Laevers, A Nubin, H Terryn and J Verreecken
1997 – G Bokmark, G Holmborn, L Gianlund, D Persson and J Siden
1998 – F Sertcelik, A F Cakir, M Urgen, D H Ross MIMF and D R Gabe FIMF
1999 – A W Brace FIMF
2000 – J Pires, L Quintino, C M Rangel, G E Thompson, P Skeldon and X Zhou
2001 – S J M Pinson, J Collins, G E Thompson, M R Alexander
2003 – A  Jagminas and J Reklaitis
2005 – I S Molchan, N V Gaponenko, G E Thompson FIMF, P Skeldon, D A Tsyrkunov, G K Malyarevich and A P Stupak
2006 – A M Cree, S V Hainsworth and G W Weidmann
2007 – C Suarez, E Chavez, J A Diez, H Grande and R Guixa
2008 – Z C Guo, R M Wang and Y F Wang
2010 – A M Cree FIMF, M Devlin, G Critchlow FIMF and T Hirst
2011 – C T J Low, M de la Toba Corral and F C Walsh
2012 – M Curionio, A A Zuleta, E Correa, X Pan, A Baron-Wiechec, P Skeldon, J G Castano, F Echeverria & G E Thompson
2015 – R A Andreeva, E A Stoyanova, A S Tsaev, PK Stefanov, and D S Stoychev
2016 – G S E Antipas
2017 – U Donatus, G E Thompson , S Morsch and I L Tsai
2018 – G Bikulcius, M Valius, A Rucinskiene, S Jankauskas and S J Asadauskas

Canning Bi-Centenary Medal (Sponsored by MacDermid plc)

This award is for the best practical paper published in the Bulletin section of Transactions.

1985 – G A Wells
1986 – S Hamilton
1987 – S A Harris
1988 – P G Sheasby FIMF
1989 – J S Moore
1990 – R T Hitchcock MIMF
1991 – J Biggin
1994 – R Mountford
1997 – M Baumgartner, Ch J Raub FIMF and D R Gabe FIMF
1999 – I Burke, N Davies (Joint)
2000 – J D Fisk and J D Boyle
2001 – D R Gabe FIMF
2002 – S Grimsley MIMF
2003 – S Menard and J Wurm
2004 – P A W Lansdell FIMF
2006 – P I Hope MIMF
2007 – P Hope FIMF
2008 – U Konig and B Sessler
2009 – G W Critchlow FIMF, R Litchfield, C Curtis and M Owen
2010 – S J Hemsley FIMFand W Zhou
2011 – Z Makama, I Doble, D Nicholson, M E Webb, I B Beech, S A Campbell and J R Smith
2012 – K S Ryder, A P Abbott, N Dsouza and P Withey
2014 – T Gough
2015 – S Kirihara, Y Umeda, K Tashiro H Honma and O Takai
2016 – C M Whittington, WY Lo, MY Yau
2017 – T Matsuda, K Tsuchimoto A Matsuzaki, K Croes and V J Gellingu
2018 – H Riechmann, M Muller & A Meyerovich

The Westinghouse Prize (Sponsored by Riley Industries Ltd)

This award is for the best paper published in Transactions, that has shown the most valuable development in the science and practice of electrochemistry in general and electro deposition in particular.

1952 – W A Marshall
1953 – A E Davies, R M Angles FIMF and J W Cuthbertson FIMF
1954 – H Leidheiser Jr
1955 – H Fry
1957 – F H Reid FIMF
1958 – J Edwards FIMF and S A Watson FIMF
1959 – H J Pick FIMF and J Wilcock FIMF
1960 – S C Britton FIMF and M Clarke FIMF
1961 – G N Flint FIMF and S H Melbourne
1962 – S A Watson FIMF
1963 – J Edwards FIMF
1964 – A E Jackson
1965 – J K Prall and L L Shreir OBE FIMF
1966 – G T Rogers and K J Taylor
1967 – J M West FIMF and W M Cleghorn
1968 – P Bayens FIMF and G Krijl
1969 – T Broughton
1970 – H Brown
1971 – A Rantell MIMF
1972 – J B Ward MIMF and I R Christie FIMF
1972 – E Survila FIMF
1973 – W H Safranek and C H Layer
1975 – R W Thomas MIMF
1977 – R W Thomas MIMF
1978 – C White and J Foster MIMF
1979 – E Survila FIMF and D P Andrews MIMF
1980 – P G Sheasby FIMF, J Patrie, M Badia and G Cheetham MIMF
1981 – C Barnes FIMF, J J B Ward MIMF and V E Carter FIMF
1983 – G C Wood FIMF and R C Furneaux MIMF
1984 – M Sadeghi, P D Longfield and C F Beer FIMF
1985 – J A Muaddi, J K Dennis FIMF, J F Bell and M Izzard MIMF
1986 – J M Kape
1987 – J J Mason and Y Zaka
1988 – M McCormick and S J Dobson
1989 – C U Chisholm, M R el – Sharif, A Watson MIMF
1990 – D M Turley and B A Wilson FIMF
1991 – C C Bocking FIMF
1992 – D J Gawne FIMF and I R Christie FIMF
1993 – K E Watkins, P J Carpenter and P G Hatherley FIMF
1994 – K R Baldwin, M J Robinson and C J E Smith
1995 – M El – Sharif, S Ma and C U Chisholm
1996 – A F Averill FIMF
1997 – M Baumgartner, C H J Raub FIMF and D R Gabe FIMF
1998 – G W Reade, C Kerr MIMF, B D Barker and F C Walsh FIMF
1999 – A F Averill FIMF, J M Ingram and P F Nolan
2000 – P W Haberecht and R W Hinton
2001 – A P Abbott, G Capper, D L Davies, R K Rasheed, V Tambyrajah
2002 – C C Bocking FIMF, D M Jacobson, A E W Rennie, G Bennett
2003 – L Huang, F Z Yang, S K Xu and S M Zhou
2004 – D R Gabe FIMF, G D Wilcox FIMF amd M E Bahrololoom
2005 – E Gomez, E Pellicer and E Valles
2006 – N Tantavichet and M D Pritzker
2007 – N Atanassov, M Manolova, R Rashkov and A Zielonka MIMF
2008 – F C Walsh FIMF and C T J Low
2009 – P Leisner and I Belov
2010 – R C Tangirala, C T J Low, C Ponce – de – Leon, S A Campbell and F C Walsh
2011 – N Galvanauskaite, A Sulcius, E Griskonis and P Diaz – Arista
2012 – B Bozzini, E Tondo, P Raffa and M Boniardi
2014 – S Tebbakh
2015 – A Sulcius, E Griskonis, R Balciunas and P Diaz – Arista
2016 – V Caramia and B Bozzini
2017 – A P Abott, A I Alhaji, K S Ryder M Horne and T Rodopoulos
2018 – E P Georgiou, T Van der Donck and J P Celis

Connie Sieff Memorial Award (Sponsored by the IMF)

This award is for meritorious service to the surface finishing industry internationally.

1979 – R Allen MIMF
1980 – D P Andrews MIMF
1981 – R N Gibbons
1983 – J P Biddolph MIMF
1984 – D I Haynes MIMF
1985 – D I Haynes MIMF
1986 – T Quinn MIMF
1987 – D I Haynes MIMF
1988 – R Allen MIMF
1989 – E D Williams MIMF
1991 – J S Oliver MIMF
1992 – C C Bocking FIMF
1993 – J S Oliver MIMF
1995 – V Watkins and K Cosslett FIMF
1997 – C Addison
1998 – J K Dennis FIMF
1999 – R R Read FIMF
2000 – R R Read FIMF
2001 – C Larson MIMF
2002 – R R Read FIMF
2003 – J D C Hemsley FIMF
2005 – A C Hart FIMF
2006 – P Quinn MIMF
2007 – P Wynn FIMF
2008 – J Timms FIMF
2010 – D Elliott FIMF
2011 – L Dalla Torre
2012 – H de Mann
2014 – P Nieto Aliseda
2015 – F Andrews
2016 – T van der Spuy
2018 – S Gupta

Eddie Marlow Memorial Medal

(Sponsored by PMD (UK) Ltd). This award is for an outstanding contribution to the education and training of people working in surface engineering.

2002 – M Cowley FIMF
2003 – G R Davies FIMF
2004 – J Sturch
2005 – R R Read FIMF
2006 – K Roe
2007 – B Perry FIMF & A Turner FIMF
2008 – D Meacham
2009 – C Barnes
2010 – A Chapman FIMF
2011 – J Oliver FIMF  
2012 – J K Dennis FIMF  
2013 – M Griffiths  
2014 – I Shuker  
2015 – G Ridgway  
2018 – South West Metal Finishing  

Examination High Achievement Prizes

Foundation Certificate
2011 – N Dinsdale
2011 – A L Fieldhouse
2012 – E Cotton
2013 – T Griffiths
2014 – M Swiers
2015 – J Sealey
2016 – H J Ross
2017 – N Veale
2018 – S Harrison

Technician Certificate
2011 – N Hughes
2012 – A Gryglowska
2013 – E Cotton
2014 – B Bateson
2015 – L Saunders
2016 – W Chilton
2017 – R Dario Camacho Burgos
2018 – M Sharp

Recognition of Outstanding Results
2015 – E Cotton

IMF History

The Institute of Materials Finishing was founded in 1925, its title then being the Electroplaters and Depositors Technical Society. Its main purpose was to disseminate technical information on electrodeposition by means of technical publications, meetings and conferences. 

The area of interest broadened into all aspects of surface finishing on metal when it assumed the title of the Institute of Metal Finishing in 1951. 

In 2013 the name was changed to the Institute of Materials Finishing to embrace all technologies of surface finishing on a much wider variety of materials. Such processes embrace electro-plating, organic (paint) finishing, anodising, printed circuitry and ancillary methods of surface treatment.

More recently, the IMF has further broadened its interest to cover other aspects of surface engineering.

Privacy

Privacy Notice

Your privacy and the security of all information that you give us are of vital importance. Your personal information will be held on our Membership / Student Database in accordance with GDPR regulations.

We will not sell or pass on your information for marketing purposes.

 We will pass details of your name and address to our contracted magazine publication company to enable publications to be mailed to your address.

Annual General Meeting

Details of AGM 2024 are available by clicking on the links below: