Applied Process, Inc.
Applied Process, Inc. operates a multi-facility U.S. heat-treat and metal-treatment business within Aalberts Surface Technologies, delivering HIP, brazing, and specialized heat-treatment services — including its proprietary NitroSteel® process — to aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersLivonia, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Applied Process, Inc. does
Applied Process, Inc. operates as part of Aalberts Surface Technologies' U.S. heat-treat and metal-treatment business, headquartered at 12202 Newburgh Rd, Livonia, Michigan. The company delivers specialized thermal processing, surface treatment, and material coating services through a multi-facility U.S. network positioned as the second-largest heat treater in the United States. Its service portfolio spans three core technology categories — Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), brazing, and heat treatment — with the heat-treatment line further broken into aluminum heat treating, austempering, nitriding, NitroSteel®, steel heat treating, and vacuum heat treatment. NitroSteel® is a proprietary ferritic nitrocarburizing process and a key branded differentiator, marketed as a more durable and sustainable alternative to chrome-plated bar in engine cylinder applications.
The customer base is concentrated in safety-critical, certification-gated end markets. Aerospace and defense is the primary vertical, with named relationships at Rolls-Royce, Safran, Raytheon Technologies, Boeing, Honeywell, and Pratt & Whitney; additional exposure spans automotive and heavy truck, heavy equipment and industrial manufacturing, medical, and energy. Entry into these customers is gated by NADCAP heat-treating and QMS accreditations alongside AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, and IATF 16949:2016 certifications. The go-to-market is enterprise B2B: a formal Request-for-Quote process through the corporate website, a stated 48-hour quote turnaround, custom project-based pricing, and multi-year contract billing. The company also differentiates through on-staff metallurgists and technical advisors who produce white papers (e.g., Bainitic Bearings, 2024) and provide direct customer engineering support.
The operating entity is structured as a U.S. subsidiary of Aalberts, a Dutch diversified industrial group, within Aalberts Surface Technologies. Revenue, headcount trends, and capital structure are not disclosed in the source data; the firmographic footprint lists 101–250 employees. No funding rounds, mergers or acquisitions, leadership changes, or restructuring actions beyond Aalberts Surface Technologies' February 15, 2024 announcement of changes to its U.S. portfolio are reported.
Applied Process, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied Process, Inc.
- Legal name
- Aalberts Surface Technologies
- Website
- https://appliedprocess.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Applied Process, Inc. operates a multi-facility U.S. heat-treat and metal-treatment business within Aalberts Surface Technologies, delivering HIP, brazing, and specialized heat-treatment services — including its proprietary NitroSteel® process — to aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied Process, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Heat Treating Services
- NAICS
- Metal Heat Treating (332811)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Steel Heat Treatment & Metallurgical Processing (Annealing, Quenching/Tempering, Normalizing) (IMAKABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)
Keywords
Where Applied Process, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Livonia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Applied Process, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Metal Treatment and Heat Treating Services: Provides specialized thermal processing, surface treatment, and material coating solutions as a B2B industrial services company. Revenue is generated through service fees for heat treatment, brazing, HIP, and other metal processing services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Applied Process, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Applied Process, Inc. provides specialized thermal processing, surface treatment, and material coating services for metal components, including heat treating, brazing, hot isostatic pressing, austempering, nitriding, vacuum heat treatment, and the proprietary NitroSteel® ferritic nitrocarburizing process. The company serves industrial customers across aerospace & defense, automotive, heavy equipment, medical, and energy sectors with NADCAP-certified, safety-critical heat treatment services.
Product overview
Aalberts Surface Technologies offers a unified portfolio of metal treatment and thermal processing services, serving as the second largest heat treater in the United States. The core offerings center around three main technology categories: Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), Brazing Services, and Heat Treatment. The Heat Treatment service encompasses multiple specialized modules including Aluminum Heat Treating, Austempering, Nitriding, Steel Heat Treating, and Vacuum Heat Treatment. A notable proprietary product is NitroSteel®, a ferritic nitrocarburized steel hardening process that serves as an alternative to chrome plating. The company positions its multi-facility operations as enabling optimal supply base management for customers requiring comprehensive heat-treating solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NitroSteel®: A proprietary ferritic nitrocarburized product – a steel hardening process that delivers sustainability, durability, corrosion resistance, and other characteristics, making it a longer-lasting and vastly superior alternative to chrome plated bar in engine cylinder applications.
Products and services
- Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) A thermal processing service that applies high pressure and temperature to improve material density, eliminate internal defects, and enhance mechanical performance of metal components for industrial customers.
- Brazing Services Metal joining service that uses heat and filler metal to create strong, leak-proof joints between dissimilar metals without melting the base materials.
- Heat Treatment Comprehensive thermal processing services that alter the physical and mechanical properties of metals, including hardness, strength, and ductility, across multiple specialized process modules.
- Aluminum Heat Treating Specialized heat treatment processes for aluminum alloys that achieve targeted strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance properties.
- Austempering Isothermal heat treatment service that produces a bainitic microstructure in ferrous materials, providing improved ductility and stress resistance compared to conventional quenching.
- Nitriding Surface hardening service that diffuses nitrogen into the surface of steel to create a hard, wear-resistant layer while maintaining core toughness.
- NitroSteel® Proprietary ferritic nitrocarburized steel hardening product that delivers sustainability, durability, and corrosion resistance, marketed as a longer-lasting superior alternative to chrome plated bar in engine cylinder applications.
- Steel Heat Treating Services Thermal processing services specifically designed for steel alloys to achieve targeted mechanical properties and performance characteristics across multiple grades and applications.
- Vacuum Heat Treatment Heat treatment performed in a controlled vacuum environment to prevent oxidation, achieve precise temperature control, and produce clean, contamination-free metal surfaces.
Quantifiable outcome
- NitroSteel® provides longer-lasting performance compared to chrome plating in engine cylinder applications
Companies that use Applied Process, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Applied Process, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Applied Process, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Applied Process, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bodycote: World's largest commercial heat treatment and thermal processing services provider, offering HIP, brazing, austempering, nitriding, and vacuum heat treating to aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers — directly competing with Applied Process across the same process portfolio and end-markets, with Bodycote holding the #1 US position and Applied Process the #2.
- Advanced Heat Treat Corp: US-based commercial heat treater specializing in nitriding, ferritic nitrocarburizing, induction hardening, and through-hardening for aerospace, automotive, and industrial OEMs. Directly competes with Applied Process on NitroSteel-equivalent nitrocarburizing technology and aerospace NADCAP-certified work.
- Paulo Thermal Processing: Mid-to-large US commercial heat treater providing thermal processing services (annealing, tempering, nitriding, brazing) to industrial and aerospace customers. Operates a multi-facility US footprint with overlapping aerospace/automotive customer base to Applied Process.
- Solar Atmospheres: US commercial vacuum heat treating provider serving aerospace, defense, medical, and power generation customers. Competes directly with Applied Process' vacuum heat treatment service line and shares NADCAP-certified aerospace exposure.
- Bluewater Thermal Solutions: Multi-facility US commercial heat treating provider offering austempering, nitriding, induction hardening, and brazing to automotive, heavy truck, and industrial OEMs. Directly comparable mid-scale US competitor with similar service mix and customer verticals.
- Metex Heat Treating: US commercial heat treating provider offering nitriding, austempering, and specialty heat treatment services to aerospace, automotive, and industrial OEMs. Mid-scale direct competitor with overlapping customer verticals.
Emerging players
- Nitrion (Nitrex): Specialty provider of nitriding and nitrocarburizing turnkey systems and contract services, with technology overlap to Applied Process' NitroSteel/nitriding portfolio. Smaller and more focused than Applied Process, but directly competes on ferritic nitrocarburizing process capability.
Broad incumbents
- HEF Group: French-based global surface treatment and coatings specialist offering nitriding, nitrocarburizing, DLC coatings, and tribological surface engineering to automotive and industrial OEMs. Competes on surface treatment technology (including ferritic nitrocarburizing analogous to NitroSteel) and is a broader incumbent diversifying from its French/European base.
- Bodycote HIP division: Bodycote's dedicated Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) service line is the largest global competitor to Applied Process' HIP offering for aerospace casting densification, medical implants, and power-generation components.
Regional players
- Hauck Heat Treatment: European-based commercial heat treater (part of Aalberts historically) serving automotive and industrial customers with vacuum, plasma, and gas nitriding. Comparable process portfolio but primarily European geographic focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Applied Process, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceApplied Process, Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Applied Process, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied Process, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Applied Process, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applied Process, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applied Process, Inc.
What does Applied Process, Inc. do?
Applied Process, Inc. provides specialized thermal processing, surface treatment, and material coating services for metal components, including heat treating, brazing, hot isostatic pressing, austempering, nitriding, vacuum heat treatment, and the proprietary NitroSteel® ferritic nitrocarburizing process. The company serves industrial customers across aerospace & defense, automotive, heavy equipment, medical, and energy sectors with NADCAP-certified, safety-critical heat treatment services.
Is Applied Process, Inc. a public or private company?
Applied Process, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Applied Process, Inc. founded?
Applied Process, Inc. was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Applied Process, Inc. based?
Applied Process, Inc. is headquartered in Livonia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Applied Process, Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: metal Treatment and Heat Treating Services.
Who are Applied Process, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bodycote, Advanced Heat Treat Corp, Paulo Thermal Processing, Solar Atmospheres, Bluewater Thermal Solutions and Metex Heat Treating. Nitrion (Nitrex) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are HEF Group and Bodycote HIP division. Hauck Heat Treatment is listed as a regional player.
Does Applied Process, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applied Process, Inc..
What industry is Applied Process, Inc. in?
Applied Process, Inc.'s product category is Metal Heat Treating Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKABAK, Steel Heat Treatment & Metallurgical Processing (Annealing, Quenching/Tempering, Normalizing), with a secondary code of IMAEAGAL, Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep). Its NAICS code is 332811 and its SIC code is 3470.