Celebrating 125 Years!

The Association traces its beginnings back to 1887 when the Platers' and Gilders' Trade Section of the Birmingham Jewellers' and Silversmiths' Association was founded to bring together numerous small specialised plating companies who, in the main, serviced the Birmingham jewellers and silversmiths.

During the First World War member companies, in general, diversified their activities and were involved in providing more generalised plating finishes for the engineering industries. This diversification was retained after the cessation of hostilities and followed lengthy discussions, the decision was made in 1934 that the Platers' And Gilders' Trade Section be re-organised to become the Metal Finishing Association (MFA). This enabled provision to be made to meet the specialised needs of companies operating as trade finishers and manufacturing companies who were operating in-house metal finishing plants.

This new organisation was strengthened in 1939 when the London Electro-Platers' and Enmellers' Association became affiliated to the Birmingham Jewellers' and Silversmiths' Association, enabling London and Birmingham interest in metal finishing to combine and thus enhance the scope of the MFA. In 1944 the organisation was reorganised to take account of all the problems in the industry.

With the great expansion in finishing techniques during World War II and the knowledge accumulated by the MFA, together with that provided by the research facilities of member firms, the Association published, in 1946, the first series of booklets entitled 'Electro Plating and Metal Finishing Standards', the forerunner of many British standards and of the current Kite Mark scheme. Over subsequent years close association with BSI was developed culminating in the joint Quality Assurance scheme operating today under BS5750.

Administrative services and accommodation links have been maintained with the former parent body which became the British Jewellery and Giftware Federation in 1970. The SEA began to take shape in 1997 when the Metal Finishing Association (MFA) joined forces with the British Surface Treatment Suppliers Association (BSTSA), and they were joined in 1998 by the Paint & Powder Finishing Association (PPFA), which had originally been a special interest group within the MFA. In 2000, the Contract Heat Treatment Association (CHTA) joined the SEA and at the start of 2005, the Wolfson Heat Treatment Centre (WHTC) became an integral part of the SEA.

The SEA is based in Federation House, Jewellery Quarter as part of the British Jewellery, Giftware and Finishing Federation. This changed its name from British Jewellery and Giftware Federation in 2004. In 2005 the SEA moved offices from the ground floor of Federation House to the second floor, a move which saw them now accommodated in brand new office space.