What Performance Metals does

Performance Metals is a privately held specialty manufacturer of sacrificial anodes used for cathodic protection against galvanic corrosion on marine vessels. The company is based in Cambridge, Maryland, where its manufacturing partner Caldwell Casting Co casts and assembles all products on site. Its core offering is the Navalloy aluminum alloy anode, a proprietary formulation of approximately 95% aluminum, 5% zinc, and 0.02% indium that operates across fresh, brackish, and salt water. Performance Metals sells engine-specific kits for Bombardier (Johnson/Evinrude), Honda, Mercruiser, Mercury, Suzuki, Volvo, and Yamaha, alongside universal rudder, shaft, hull, sea strainer, commercial, and pencil anodes; many products incorporate its patented Red Spot Wear Indicator.

The company monetizes through direct unit-priced e-commerce sales on a Shopify storefront and through a dealer and distributor program for marine retailers; individual anodes list at roughly $9-$12 and complete kits at $19-$38, positioning the catalog as a recurring-replacement consumable. Marketing emphasizes technical differentiation (30-50% longer life than zinc, 2.5x lighter, MIL-DTL-24779B(SH) compliance, ABYC E-2 certification) rather than branding, supported by educational content on sacrificial anodes and galvanic corrosion. Primary customers are recreational boat owners, with secondary demand from commercial marine operators and a dealer/distributor channel; the geographic footprint is currently domestic, with multi-language packaging cited as forward intent.

The leadership team is small and concentrated: CEO Michael Harding (who also owns Kuranda USA and acquired Caldwell in 2014), President Ron Andrew (with the company since 1986), Office Manager Barbara Andrew, and Manufacturing Supervisor Kilton Anderson. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, the company is unencumbered by venture or institutional capital, and no funding, M&A, or restructuring events are on record. Distribution is single-country (USA), with regulatory bans on toxic zinc anodes in jurisdictions such as Maryland cited as a structural tailwind.

Name

Performance Metals

Legal name

Performance Metals

Website

https://performancemetals.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Performance Metals is a Cambridge, Maryland-based specialty manufacturer of proprietary Navalloy aluminum sacrificial anodes for marine corrosion protection, selling engine-specific and universal kits to recreational boat owners, commercial marine operators, and marine dealers via direct e-commerce and a distributor channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Corrosion Protection (Sacrificial Anodes)

SIC

Nonferrous Foundries (Castings) (3360)

akta.pro primary industry

Coatings, Corrosion Protection & Anti-Fouling Systems (IMAJAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Coatings (IMAEAHAD), Marine Coatings, Blasting & Corrosion Control (Hull, Tanks, Cathodic Protection) (TLAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Sacrificial anodes
• Marine corrosion protection
• Cathodic protection
• Aluminum anodes
• Boat anodes

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sacrificial Anode Sales: Direct sales of Navalloy aluminum sacrificial anodes and anode kits for marine applications including outboard motors, sterndrives, hulls, rudders, shafts, and commercial vessels. Products sold individually or as complete kits with mounting hardware.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Performance Metals manufactures and sells Navalloy aluminum sacrificial anodes for marine cathodic protection against galvanic corrosion. Products include individual anodes and complete anode kits for outboard motors, sterndrives, hulls, rudders, shafts, and commercial vessels. All anodes are cast and assembled in-house at the Caldwell Casting Co. facility in Cambridge, Maryland.

Product overview

Performance Metals is a manufacturer of sacrificial anodes for marine corrosion protection, headquartered in Cambridge, Maryland. The company's core product is the Navalloy® aluminum alloy anode, which uses a proprietary formulation of approximately 95% aluminum, 5% zinc, and 0.02% indium that works in all water types (salt, brackish, and fresh). Their product portfolio includes brand-specific anode kits and individual anodes organized by engine manufacturer: Bombardier (Johnson/Evinrude), Honda, Mercruiser (Sterndrive), Mercury, Suzuki, Volvo, and Yamaha. Additional product lines include universal Rudder/Trim Tab Anodes, Shaft Anodes, Hull Anodes, Sea Strainer Anodes, Commercial Anodes, and Pencil Anodes. All products feature the patented Red Spot Wear Indicator system and are manufactured to military specifications (MIL-DTL-24779). Products are cast and assembled at the company's Caldwell Casting Co. facility in Maryland, USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Navalloy®: Proprietary aluminum alloy sacrificial anode technology containing approximately 95% aluminum, 5% zinc, and 0.02% indium. The only anode that works in all types of water (fresh, brackish, and salt). Patented red spot wear indicator system.

Products and services

• Navalloy Aluminum Anodes

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-50% longer service life compared to zinc anodes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Caldwell Casting CocoreOthersCaldwell Casting Co serves as the manufacturing base for Performance Metals. All anodes are cast and assembled on site in Maryland, USA. The facility has years of experience across wide range of disciplines and industries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tecnoseal: Italian-founded global manufacturer of sacrificial anodes (zinc, aluminum, magnesium) for marine use, including outboards, hulls, and commercial vessels. Comparable product breadth and MIL-spec orientation make it a clear direct peer to Performance Metals in the marine cathodic protection category.
• Sea Shield Marine: US-focused supplier of sacrificial anodes for recreational and commercial marine applications. Overlaps with Performance Metals on hull, shaft, and engine-specific anodes, primarily competing in the dealer/distributor channel.
• MG Duff (CMG Technologies): UK-based manufacturer of aluminum, zinc, and magnesium sacrificial anodes for marine, offshore, and industrial applications. Comparable all-water-type aluminum offering and commercial/hull product lines overlap directly with Performance Metals' commercial anode business.
• Zimar International: US-based manufacturer and distributor of marine sacrificial anodes (zinc, aluminum, magnesium) with engine-specific product lines for outboards and sterndrives. Closely mirrors Performance Metals' product structure and SKU organization across major engine brands.
• Martyr Anodes (CMP Group): Martyr is one of the largest dedicated sacrificial anode brands, offering aluminum, zinc, and magnesium anodes for outboards, sterndrives, and hulls. Backed by CMP Group's marine distribution network, it is the most direct large-scale competitor to Performance Metals across overlapping engine categories and channels.

Broad incumbents

• CMP Group (Canada Metal / Martyr parent): CMP Group owns Martyr Anodes and other marine brands, distributing a wide portfolio of marine hardware and corrosion protection products globally. It operates as a broad incumbent in the same category with deeper distribution and OEM relationships than Performance Metals.
• Pettit Marine Paint (Kop-Coat): Major marine coatings manufacturer offering anti-fouling paints, primers, and bottom paints. While its products are coatings rather than anodes, it competes for the same corrosion-protection budget on boats and represents a broader incumbent in marine surface protection.
• Hempel A/S: Global marine coatings giant offering anti-fouling, fouling release, and corrosion protection systems to commercial shipping and recreational markets. A broader incumbent in marine corrosion protection that could expand into adjacent cathodic protection offerings over time.

Emerging players

• Boat Outfitters (a.k.a. Wholesale Marine): US-based multi-brand marine parts retailer carrying multiple anode lines (including Performance Metals and competitor brands). Acts as an aggregator in the dealer channel and influences which anode brands end-users are exposed to.

Regional players

• Imtra (ILS Division): North American marine equipment distributor offering corrosion protection products (anodes and ICCP systems) alongside broader marine hardware. Adjacent competitor addressing overlapping customer base with both sacrificial and impressed-current solutions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Performance Metals