It was with some shock that IMF members heard earlier this year of the sudden death of Institute stalwart Tony Hart, just a few months after it was announced at the 2021 Institute AGM in November that he had been awarded the IMF’s prestigious Hothersall Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding service to the materials finishing industry.
After his early education at Wolverhampton Municipal Grammar School, he started work in 1957 as a Laboratory Assistant in Manders Paint Company in Wolverhampton, an immediate immersion in the surface finishing field which he was to serve all his working life.
After studying for A-levels in chemistry, physics and maths at Wolverhampton Technical College, as it was then before reaching its eventual university status, he progressed to a degree in Applied Chemistry, at what is now Aston University, whilst employed at Joseph Lucas Electrical Ltd. as a trainee chemist.
A research position at The International Nickel Research Laboratory led to some of the innovative developments that Tony became best known for, including the INCO chromic-sulphuric acid electrocolouring technique for stainless steel, and important advances in nickel electroforming.
In January 1981 he set up Hart Coating Technology in Brierley Hill, and April 2008 saw a re-branding to Hart Materials Ltd., Wombourne, which he ran until his retirement in 2021, selling the company to PI-KEM Ltd.
As well as becoming a recognised technology centre in its fields, the company supplied raw materials – principally metals and chemicals – to a wide range of manufacturing industries including conductive paint manufacture, conductive silicone gasket manufacture, solid oxide fuel cells, nickel-based batteries, powder metallurgy, metal injection moulding electroforming in nickel. The materials supply activity was supported by a strong technical experience of the relevant technologies accumulated over the many years in business.
Much of the company's business was related to nickel metal and nickel-based products, essential materials used in many diverse applications, and an obvious link to his earlier background at INCO. From cell phones to cars, batteries to paint, these products are used for a vast range of items that are indispensable in the twenty-first century.
In recent years, other types of material were added to the product portfolio and, in line with demand, Hart Materials also developed a number of modified products specifically tailored to the individual needs of its customers.
One of the recognisable features of Tony’s professional life, whether in marketing products or in advice and consultancy, was his way of making often quite complex knowledge easily understandable, and being able to operate with a quite unique combination of technological expertise and commercial understanding.
Tony was awarded a Doctor of Technology by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) in recognition of original contributions to a range of technological processes (including, amongst others, in electroforming, and for his major part in the development of the INCO chromic-sulphuric acid process for colouring of stainless steelCitation1) over the period 1966–1991. This work led to 6 patents and around 50 technical and scientific publications, including a number in Transactions. He was involved in more recent years with Peter Crouch, an old International Nickel Research Laboratory colleague, and David Gabe (Loughborough University), in a basic chemistry research project comprising a study of the structure of nickel ions in solutions typical of those used in electrodeposition. Initial results were published in 2013Citation2 and a follow-up paper the next year.Citation3
He was elected a Fellow of both the Institute of Materials Finishing and the Royal Society of Chemistry, and he was a strong supporter of the Surface Engineering Association.
In his non-professional life, he had a strong faith, attending All Saints’ Church, Sedgley, and a considerable fondness for many types of music, a particular favourite being 1930s and 1940s swing and jazz. He sang well, and this writer won’t be the only IMF member to recall being treated to a short music hall interlude from him, ably accompanied by David Gabe on the piano, at an IMF AGM some years ago.
Tony Hart will be greatly missed by his colleagues and friends, and we send our sincere condolences to his family.
References
- T. E. Evans, A. C. Hart and A. N. Skedgell: Trans. IMF, 1973, 51(1), 108–112.
- J. Wang, D. R. Gabe, A. C. Hart and P. C. Crouch: Trans. IMF, 2013, 91(1), 4–10.
- M. Dong, D. R. Gabe, A. C. Hart and P. C. Crouch: Trans. IMF, 2014, 92(2), 71–73.