Co-Operative Plating
Co-Operative Plating is a fourth-generation, family-owned metal finishing services company founded in 1923 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, offering 100+ Nadcap-certified plating processes to enterprise customers in aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial manufacturing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1923
- HeadquartersPaul, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Co-Operative Plating does
Co-Operative Plating is a fourth-generation, family-owned metal finishing services company headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, operating continuously since 1923. The company provides electroplating, conversion coating, anodizing, and electropolishing services — more than 100 proven plating processes in total — to enterprise customers in aerospace, defense, medical, transportation, electrical connectors, semiconductor, agriculture, and OEM manufacturing. Its technology stack centers on precision-machined-parts handling, an on-site Nadcap-accredited laboratory (salt-spray, X-ray thickness, SEM, atomic absorption), and custom process development for specialized finishes meeting MIL-SPEC, AMS, ASTM, and QQ specifications.
The company holds Nadcap accreditation for both Chemical Processing and AC7004 Quality Systems, ITAR registration, and RoHS compliance, which together qualify it to serve Tier-1 aerospace and defense primes including RTX (Collins Aerospace, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney), Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, L3Harris, BAE Systems, GE Aerospace, Honeywell, and Eaton Aerospace, as well as medical and industrial customers such as Medtronic, 3M, John Deere, and Polaris. Revenue is generated through quote-based per-project pricing on plating specifications, with Net 30 payment terms and no public price disclosure; value-added services (masking, bead blasting, pre/post-baking, precision packaging, inspection) and an expedited QuickShip service supplement the core plating offering.
The business operates exclusively through direct B2B enterprise sales — via phone, email, website quote request, and direct outreach — from a single manufacturing footprint in Saint Paul, MN, with extended dock hours. Distribution is direct; there are no resellers or distributors. The company is privately held with no external institutional investors, no disclosed funding rounds, and no subsidiaries, and exhibits no digital product surface (no app, no API, no disclosed AI capabilities).
Co-Operative Plating firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Co-Operative Plating
- Legal name
- Co-operative Plating Company
- Website
- https://coopplating.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1923
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Co-Operative Plating is a fourth-generation, family-owned metal finishing services company founded in 1923 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, offering 100+ Nadcap-certified plating processes to enterprise customers in aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial manufacturing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Co-Operative Plating industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Finishing Services
- NAICS
- Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation) (IMAIAKAE)
Keywords
Where Co-Operative Plating is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Co-Operative Plating business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Metal Finishing and Plating Services: One-time metal finishing and plating services for customer parts. Net 30 payment terms from invoice date. Quotations are valid for first lot of parts processed and reference identical part numbers. Verbal quotations are not honored; written quotes required. Revenue generated through per-project pricing based on plating specifications, part complexity, and volume.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Custom metal finishing quotes based on part specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Co-Operative Plating product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Co-Operative Plating provides metal finishing and plating services for precision-machined parts, offering more than 50 standard plating processes and over 100 proven processes in total. The portfolio includes electroplating (cadmium, electroless nickel, tin, silver, gold, zinc, zinc-nickel, copper, bright nickel), anodizing (Type II and Type III hardcoat), conversion coatings (chromate/Iridite, black oxide, passivation, zinc-phosphate), and electropolishing. Services are delivered to aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial manufacturing customers from a single Saint Paul, Minnesota facility backed by an on-site Nadcap-accredited testing laboratory.
Product overview
Co-operative Plating is a metal finishing services company offering more than 100 plating processes. The core portfolio consists of electroplating and conversion coating services including Cadmium, Electroless Nickel, various Nickel variants, Tin, Silver, Gold, Zinc, Copper, and Zinc-Nickel plating; Anodizing (Type II and Type III Hardcoat); Black Oxide; Chromate Conversion/Iridite; Passivation; Zinc-Phosphate; and Electropolishing. These are supplemented by value-added services (Masking, Bead Blasting, Baking, Packaging, Inspection) and an on-site Nadcap-accredited laboratory for testing and inspection. The company also offers expedited Quickship services for urgent requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cadmium Plating
- Hardcoat Type III Anodizing Hardcoat anodizing that transforms aluminum into a hard, dense surface coating meeting MIL-A-8625 and AMS-A-8625 specifications for aerospace applications.
- Type II Anodizing Sulfuric anodizing that enhances aluminum surfaces by forming a durable, corrosion-resistant coating per MIL-A-8625 and AMS-A-8625.
- Electroless Nickel Plating Uniform, hard nickel-phosphorus coating providing corrosion and wear resistance, meeting AMS-C-26074, AMS 2404, and ASTM B733 specifications.
- Black Oxide Coating Conversion coating for ferrous materials that produces an attractive black finish with minimal dimensional change, providing mild corrosion protection and improved lubricity.
- Chromate Conversion / Iridite Thin film coating for aluminum components providing excellent corrosion resistance and paint adhesion, meeting MIL-DTL-5541, AMS 2473, AMS 2474, and AMS 2477 specifications.
- Passivation Chemical removal of free iron compounds from stainless steel surfaces to improve corrosion resistance and cleanliness for medical, food grade, and computer environments.
- Tin Plating Electroplating process providing electrical conductivity, solderability, and corrosion protection for electronic and electrical applications per ASTM B545, AMS 2408, and MIL-T-10727.
- Silver Plating Precious metal plating combining brilliant appearance with high electrical conductivity per QQ-S-365, ASTM B700, and MIL-G-45204 specifications.
- Bright Nickel Plating Decorative and functional nickel plating providing corrosion protection and bright finish per QQ-N-290, AMS 2403, and ASTM B343/B558/B689.
- Gold Plating High-performance precious metal plating providing superior electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance per ASTM B488 and AMS 2422 specifications.
- Zinc-Phosphate Coating Conversion coating that increases corrosion resistance and surface area for improved coating adhesion on metal components.
- Electropolishing Electro-chemical process that removes material to polish, passivate, and deburr stainless steel components.
- Zinc Plating Versatile corrosion protection solution for metal components with cost-effective zinc electroplating.
- Copper Plating Electroplating process depositing copper layer on steel or aluminum for conductivity, heat dissipation, or as an undercoat for other finishes.
- Zinc-Nickel Plating Alloy plating offering exceptional corrosion resistance for aerospace, manufacturing, and industrial equipment applications.
- Laboratory Testing and Inspection Services On-site Nadcap-accredited laboratory providing corrosion testing (salt spray, humidity, water immersion), coating analysis (X-ray thickness, adhesion, porosity, continuity), material and chemical analysis (atomic absorption, solution analysis), and SEM inspection services.
- QuickShip Expedited Services Expedited shipping and processing options to meet urgent delivery timelines, with a guarantee that no QuickShip fees apply if the delivery promise is not met.
- Value-Added Metal Finishing Services Supplementary services including Masking, Bead Blasting, Pre and Post Baking, Precision Packaging, and Inspection to support core plating operations for precision-machined parts.
Quantifiable outcome
- Exceeds Nadcap Certification standards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Co-Operative Plating
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Co-Operative Plating technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Co-Operative Plating partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Co-Operative Plating competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anoplate Corporation: Nadcap-certified plater specializing in aerospace, medical, and defense finishing including anodizing, electroless nickel, and precious metal plating. Comparable service portfolio and customer verticals.
- Hohman Plating: Midwest-based metal finisher offering electroplating, anodizing, and specialty coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Directly comparable in scale and capability mix, and a regional competitor to Co-Operative Plating in the Upper Midwest.
- Techmetals: Aerospace and defense metal finisher offering hardcoat anodizing, electroless nickel, and specialty plating. Competes for the same Tier 1 aerospace OEM business as Co-Operative Plating.
- Pioneer Metal Finishing: Large US metal finishing company offering electroplating, anodizing, and passivation across aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial customers. Directly comparable service portfolio and end-market mix to Co-Operative Plating, with broader geographic footprint.
- Valence Surface Technologies: Aerospace-focused plating, anodizing, and surface treatment provider with multiple US sites serving Boeing, Lockheed, and other Tier 1 OEMs. Directly competes for the same Nadcap-certified aerospace plating work as Co-Operative Plating.
- KC Jones Plating: US metal finishing company serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers with plating and anodizing services. Comparable end-market exposure and service mix to Co-Operative Plating.
- Arlington Plating Company: Midwest metal finisher with broad plating and anodizing capabilities serving aerospace, industrial, and electronics customers. Similar scale, geographic focus, and process breadth to Co-Operative Plating.
- AOTCO Metal Finishing: Nadcap-accredited metal finisher offering plating, anodizing, and passivation for aerospace, defense, medical, and semiconductor customers. Overlaps directly with Co-Op's regulated plating book of business.
Regional players
- Selecta Group (Selecta One / European metal finishers): European-headquartered metal finishing and surface treatment group serving aerospace and industrial customers. Provides an international benchmark for plating capabilities and end-market mix, though not a direct US competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Bodycote: Global heat treatment and metal finishing incumbent serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers with a broad portfolio including specialized surface treatments. Larger and more diversified than Co-Op but competes for similar outsourced finishing work.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Co-Operative Plating compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Co-Operative Plating financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Co-Operative Plating leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Co-Operative Plating funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Co-Operative Plating 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 Co-Operative Plating
What does Co-Operative Plating do?
Co-Operative Plating provides metal finishing and plating services for precision-machined parts, offering more than 50 standard plating processes and over 100 proven processes in total. The portfolio includes electroplating (cadmium, electroless nickel, tin, silver, gold, zinc, zinc-nickel, copper, bright nickel), anodizing (Type II and Type III hardcoat), conversion coatings (chromate/Iridite, black oxide, passivation, zinc-phosphate), and electropolishing. Services are delivered to aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial manufacturing customers from a single Saint Paul, Minnesota facility backed by an on-site Nadcap-accredited testing laboratory.
Is Co-Operative Plating a public or private company?
Co-Operative Plating is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Co-Operative Plating founded?
Co-Operative Plating was founded in 1923. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Co-Operative Plating based?
Co-Operative Plating is headquartered in Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Co-Operative Plating make money?
One revenue line is on record: metal Finishing and Plating Services.
Who are Co-Operative Plating's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anoplate Corporation, Hohman Plating, Techmetals, Pioneer Metal Finishing, Valence Surface Technologies, KC Jones Plating, Arlington Plating Company and AOTCO Metal Finishing. Selecta Group (Selecta One / European metal finishers) is listed as a regional player. Bodycote is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Co-Operative Plating have an API?
No public API is recorded for Co-Operative Plating.
What industry is Co-Operative Plating in?
Co-Operative Plating's product category is Metal Finishing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIAKAE, Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation). Its NAICS code is 332813 and its SIC code is 3470.