Decades of Surface
Finishing Experience

Robert Burnson was not just a service provider – he was an inventor. In 1966, he was awarded patent for a breakthrough in zinc electroplating, which was subsequently a core reference for research in both the US and abroad.

But perhaps his most important contribution came in what he chose to move away from. Anticipating the increasing attention around the impact of cyanide-based plating and hexavalent chrome, Robert pioneered a process for cyanide-free zinc plating and a trivalent-chrome passivate – a considerable achievement at a time when the industry had few alternatives and little appetite for change.

When new environmental regulations arrived in the 1960s, tightening what manufacturers could discharge, Accurate Engineering was already ahead. The analytical work that had always been central to the business became even more critical – helping platers not just perform, but comply. Robert hadn’t just built a chemistry company. He had built one that understood where the industry needed to go.

In 1985, Accurate Engineering was acquired by Rin Chemical, a chemical distributor aiming to build a more comprehensive on-stop platform for metal finishing.

Under Rin’s ownership, the business expanded significantly through a series of strategic acquisitions – bringing in Isocor, Patclin, and Kobra Products – each adding depth to an already strong chemistry portfolio.

By the time the dust settled, the combined entity covered nearly every major category in surface finishing chemistry. Additionally, the company’s reach extended well beyond its Midwestern roots – serving manufacturers who needed the same thing Chicago platers always relied on: a partner who understood the process as well as they did.

What had started as a two-man lab operation in postwar Chicago had grown into one of the most complete portfolios in the industry – built not through shortcuts, but through decades of accumulated formulation knowledge and real-world process experience.

In 2001, the surface finishing business was spun off from Rin and relaunched as Acculabs – a name that reflected both its engineering roots and forward-looking ambitions.

The transition marked a new chapter of innovation. The most significant came in electroless nickel – a category that barely registered in 2001, but would grow to become the company’s largest. Through years of formulation development, Acculabs earned U.S. Patent 9,103,027 for an electroless nickel system that set a new standard for deposit quality, stability, and process control. Strengthened tin and precious metals offerings, new zinc formulations, and high-corrosion chromates rounded out a portfolio that could now address virtually any finishing requirement a manufacturer might face.

Growth wasn’t just technical – it was geographic. For the first time, Acculabs achieved true nationwide coverage. The ambition didn’t stop there, extending the company’s reach into Mexico and Asia.

The name had changed. The ethos hadn’t.

In 2024, Acculabs was acquired by a new ownership group with a clear mandate: preserve what makes the company exceptional, and build on it deliberately.

The technical team is expanding, attracting engineers who share the belief that chemistry without support is just a product. Processes are being digitized, giving customers greater visibility and control over their finishing operations. The brand has been reimagined – not to depart from the company’s roots, but to present them with the clarity they deserve.

The innovation pipeline is pointed squarely at where the industry is heading: more demanding deposit performance, greater process stability, and chemistry designed with the next generation of regulations already in mind.

Robert Burnson started Acculabs by showing up every morning with a slide rule and a willingness to solve hard problems. Seventy-five years later, that’s still the job.