About Finishing Technologies, Inc.

Our History

It all started in 1935, when Ken Humke began selling automotive paint and supplies from his basement and out of the trunk of his car. From 1940 through 1965 Ken R. Humke Company distributed Sherwin Williams automotive paints throughout Oregon, southern Washington, and Idaho.  During World War II, Mr. Humke expanded his inventory and became a major supplier of railroad car quantities of bolts and nuts to Henry Kaiser’s local shipyards.  The business was moved to NW 14th and Davis where industrial supplies were added to the inventory.  In the mid 1960’s the business was moved to its current location, a 60,000 square foot warehouse in NW Portland.  Truck body hardware and specialty rubber products were stocked to complement the inventory.  Ken Humke died in 1973 and the business was run by his widow, Elna, for the next ten years. Diane Humke, one of Ken’s three children, served as President of the Company.  In 1998 an interest in the business was sold to a long time employee and Vice President of the Systems Division, Todd Elmer. 

The Company Today In March, 2007, Diane Humke and her siblings completed a buy-out transaction under which they have sold their entire interest in the company.  Todd Elmer, the only non-family shareholder of the company, is now the sole shareholder of the company.  Todd has worked for the company for 30 years and has most recently been Vice President of the company’s Finishing Technologies Division.  Diane Humke, who has been CEO of the company, and her siblings, will no longer participate in the management of the business.   Mr. Elmer will change the name of the company to Finishing Technologies, Inc.

The automotive paint is gone, but the equipment to apply it has remained.  Finishing Technologies, Inc. is one of the largest paint equipment distributors west of Texas and has continued offering only the finest products available on the market today.  In our Equipment Division customers select from Graco, DeVilbiss, Binks, Ransburg, and Gema along with other popular brands of paint equipment.  We are a full service, stocking distributor and we provide warranty repair for the products we sell.  From spray booths to filters to electrostatic guns and more, Finishing Technologies has the technical expertise to assist customers with their application needs. Whether you need to paint airliners, an ocean going vessel, a semi truck, or some cabinets, Finishing Technologies can help you safely and cost effectively address your needs.  Electrostatic applications, both powder and liquid, are a specialty.  Environmentally friendly paint equipment such as Gema powder coating equipment, and Graco and Ransburg electrostatic guns have become a fast growing part of our business because of regulations for solvent emissions and hazardous waste.  Customers have found the efficiency of the equipment and the durability of the finish it provides, along with the improved corrosion resistance achieved with today’s coatings to be a boom to their production efficiency and quality.

Our Systems Division was created to fill the needs of our equipment customers. We found that selling the paint and fluid-handling equipment was not enough.  Automation, robotics, plural components, and integrated systems were needed to lower production costs.  Finishing Technologies is a Jervis Webb conveyor distributor and can provide industrial washers, custom spray booths, industrial ovens and chillers, along with in house design to integrate your system. Todd Elmer, the new owner, has been a very active participant with our vendor boards, and along with our size, this has helped our company build strong partnering relationships to act as an advocate for our customers.  We have installed paint production systems around the United States and in Mexico.

Our Industrial Division, a foundation of our business, continues to provide a variety of industrial supplies, hardware, and truck-body hardware to a wide variety of customers.  Truck plants, aerospace, metal fabricators, steel mills, ship yards, cabinet manufacturers, a variety of equipment manufacturers, and truck repair centers, all are our customers. From production tools to abrasives, adhesives, tapes, and specialty rubber products, we can fill your product needs.  Our many years in this business, our experienced, knowledgeable employees and great vendor relationships, mean that we can provide your company with an efficient cost effective solution.