working in a engineering business and also restoring/ repairing bikes I like to be prepared. been talking with the plating shops we use, mainly for anodizing, they tell me that chrome is being phased out by the EU by 2014. platers that have supplies can still use them until 2014, no more supplies will be made.
this will rule out decorative chrome (the thin version), normal deep chrome (bars, levers etc) , Anodizing with di-chromate passivating, and possibly alochrom. dont know yet if Zinc or tin plating will be affected but the best, deep chrome will be missing.
Anyone with S&T or Doug Taylor contacts or even Philpott (pitted forks) have a solution to future needs.