Systems Consultation

Professional Expertise

Turnkey Web Design

Oak Hill Associates, is an Internet distributor for products and services including systems consultation for the metal working and metal finishing industries. With over 30 years of experience in the metal working and metal finishing industries, we are knowledgeable about coatings, chemistry, abrasives, parts washing, as well as planning, design, start-up and training of complete turn-key industrial metal finishing systems.

For industrial cleaning applications the Sioux Phosphatizing Steam Cleaning Machine combined with one of our specialty chemicals will get your surface prepared for finishing. Sioux Phosphatizing Steam Cleaning Machine is designed to clean and phosphatize large parts such as tractor cabs, large industrial and commercial chillers or any large part requiring a clean and phosphatized surface prior to liquid or powder coating applications.

OHA distributes Chemicals for all types of industrial parts washing machinery including low-foam cleaners for spray wash applications, powerful surfactant packages for agitating tank or dip tank cleaning machines and cleaners specially adapted for ultrasonic equipment. We specialize in all tumbling and finishing compounds for all metals, particularly aircraft aluminum and non-ferrous red metals. We make all metal safe cleaners for general purpose use most of which can be recycled through filtration equipment returning the soap to the cleaning machine for extended soap solution bath life

Oak Hill Associates: a Family Owned Business
Since 1992

Majesty Media is a design studio that spun off from our family owned business, Oak Hill Associates. Oak Hill Associates was founded in 1992 by my father, Richard Bachand. Originally a consulting firm for the Metal Working Industry, the first dilema we had was creating simple standard business documents. I was in Colllege at the time studying art history and mythology and had access to the University computer lab. By the end of the semester I had made the decision to change my major to digital design and layout. I fell in love with creating print publications like letterhead, logos, business cards and brochures.

Over the years the focus Oak Hill Associates has shifted from consulting to a distributorship of industrial metal finishing systems, agriculture and my company, Majesty Media, a full service digital design studio for electronic communication.

Keeping the busines together has had its challenges and in 2001 we adopted a family business management success model consisting of four distinct family business dynamics:

• Family and Interpersonal
• Management and Operations
• Wealth and Ownership
• Balance

Family and Interpersonal

The base of the family business triangle is the business family system, interpersonal relations between family members, and interpersonal relations between members of the business family team. While many people think of businesses as machines that crank out products or services, the fact is that they are populated not by machines but by people. Those people must communicate, lead, follow, be motivated, and handle victory, defeat, daily challenges, and family business management effectively. Dealing with the "soft" issues of family and interpersonal relations is usually the most delicate and overlooked area of need in a closely held business. 

Management and Operations

The second side of the triangle is the day-to-day family business management and operations of the enterprise. Family business management and operations consist of the chain of authority, well-defined roles and responsibilities, the administrative functions of the business, delivery of business products and services, marketing and sales, customer service, information technologies, etc.

Wealth and Ownership

The third side of the family business triangle is the wealth and ownership dimension. This closely held business dynamic deals with money and power. In founding generations, the owner and manager are generally the same person; however, in subsequent generations family business management may consist of one group of people while ownership consists of a different group. Just as managers have defined roles and responsibilities, owners do too, but because closely held enterprises generally fail to make a clear distinction between ownership responsibilities and family business management responsibilities, conflict and confusion are the results.

Balance

The fourth dimension of the family business triangle is BALANCE. Because the family enterprise has such a strong gravitational pull for the families who populate it, they often find their lives out of balance. The business or customers demand 80-hour work weeks, and family communication, health, spirituality, and other areas suffer because of the requirements of the enterprise. In fact, it’s the rule rather than the exception that at some point in the lifespan of the family company, the business gradually drains the life out of the family rather than adding to and enhancing the quality of their lives.