Commissioners recognize Minden company

On Thursday, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners honored Metalast International of Minden for their breakthrough products.

"We congratulate Metalast for their world-changing technologies and commitment to science," the proclamation read.

It also spelled out the company's history in Carson Valley.

In 1994, Metalast organized to be a business-to-business provider of products and services to the $18 billion North American metal finishing industry, and constructed a multi-million dollar, 17,000-square-foot technical center in Minden.

The company is now a leading provider of metal finishing and fire retardant products and services, and has provided research and development services in metal finishing to many Fortune 500 companies.

It employs a team of scientists, engineers, and industry experts who designed, engineered, and manufactured the first industrial process control computer system for aluminum anodizing.

In 2004, the company was licensed by the Department of Defense, Naval Air Warfare Center, to manufacturer, sell, and distribute an environmentally-friendly and green replacement for the cancer-causing and known carcinogen, hexavalent chromium, used in the plating process.

The company's trivalent chromium process emits less mist into the air, requires a lower concentration of chromium in the water, uses less energy, and lessens the potential harmful exposure for the worker.

Douglas County was not alone in recognizing Metalast. The company also received a proclamation from the State of Nevada, along with honors from U.S. Sen. John Ensign and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki.

"The community should be extremely aware and thankful that we have so many high-performing national and world-wide firms located right here," said Renea Louie, executive director of the Business Council of Douglas County. "Metalast is an example of good business and fully deserves the accolades they are receiving locally and nationally."