Titanium alloy is an important metal for the bicycle industry. If you aren’t riding a frame made from it, you probably have some titanium bits somewhere on your bicycle. But there are few companies who can survive producing titanium parts for the cycling industry alone. Luckily, there are a number of other industries – aerospace and medical among them – that use titanium components, so with a diversified clientele, titanium finishing becomes a profitable industry.
Melinda Cunningham is Vice President of Titanium Finishing Company, who apply finishes to titanium components for a number of industries. The company was started in 1970 by her grandfather, Melvin Faul, and is located in East Greenville, Penn., just south of Allentown. As an avid cyclist, she joined the family business with her husband, Eddie, also a cyclist, who works as a Senior Metal Finisher at the 15-employee company. So, it was only natural that custom bicycle parts and finishes would be added to Titanium Finishing’s list of specialties.
Melinda explains: “Titanium Finishing Company specializes in anodizing titanium, hard anodize of aluminum, and application of Cerakote products. With a combination of these finishes, or even on their own, they’re great for customizing bike frames and components. TFC also offers in house graphic design services, so the options for customization are almost limitless within the capabilities of coatings we offer.”
Before officially joining the family business after a stint at Penn State, Melinda grew up around titanium finishing, so she knew the ins and outs of the process. But husband Eddie came to the business from a different background. For over ten years he was a tattoo artist. The couple’s penchant for creativity finds an outlet at TFC.
“Both of us enjoy exercising our creative side, especially on bike themed projects because it gives us a chance to mix business with our passion for riding! We love having the chance to interact with like-minded individuals who want to customize their frames and components,” says Melinda.
While for some, the raw beauty of unfinished or lightly brushed titanium, resistant to rust and corrosion, is desirable, Titanium Finishing Company allows bike fans to get creative and even wild with their finish concepts (think of intricate tattoo designs). The in-house graphics team and Eddie on the production side of things will turn your dreams into bespoke beauty!
