What Embee Processing does

Embee Processing is a privately-held, Santa Ana, California-based metal finishing and surface treatment company serving primarily aerospace prime contractors and Tier 1 aerospace suppliers. Founded approximately in 1950 (the firm's "over 70 years" claim conflicts with a firmographic founding year of 1987 — the earlier date is consistent with the historical narrative), Embee operates from a 124,000 sq. ft., 10-building integrated campus offering more than 70 metal plating finishes and related processes. Named customers include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Honeywell, GE Aviation, Northrop Grumman, Gulfstream Aerospace, Bombardier, Sikorsky, Bell Helicopters, Goodrich, Rockwell, General Dynamics, Parker, Moog, Messier-Dowty, Vought, Douglas, and Fairchild, supported by formal prime contractor and process specification approvals covering AMS, ASTM, MIL, BAC, BMS, BAPS, DPS and other proprietary aerospace specs.

Embee's core technology stack spans plating (chrome, cadmium Types I/II/III, electroless nickel, zinc-nickel, silver), anodizing (chromic Type I, sulfuric, boric-sulfuric, hard Type III), High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray with JP8000 robotic systems and tungsten carbide materials, ion vapor deposition (IVD) of aluminum — a process Embee helped pioneer — vacuum cadmium, chemical conversion coatings, passivation, phosphate coatings, paint and coatings (3 spray booths, dedicated curing ovens, solid film lubricants, fuel tank coatings, Teflon), non-destructive testing (magnetic particle, fluorescent penetrant, nital etch, Rockwell, conductivity with Level 3 on-site inspection), shot peening (via co-located Curtiss Wright Metal Improvement), and an 8,000 sq. ft. precision grinding shop with twelve Studer CNC grinders, four Okamoto NC OD machines, and three centerless grinders. The company holds AS9100D (DNV GL), four NADCAP accreditations (Coatings, Chemical Processing, NDT, Conventional Machining as Special Process), FAA Repair Station certification, and ITAR registration.

Embee generates revenue through quote-based, job-by-job metal finishing services billed on NET 30 terms, with a 2.5% convenience fee for credit card payments and COD terms for new customers pending credit approval. Revenue is transactional rather than subscription-based, though ongoing master service relationships with aerospace primes drive repeat volumes. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales to aerospace primes and their subcontractors, supported by a formal RFQ process, a Prime Contractor search tool on the website, free local pick-up and delivery in California, and content marketing through process-specific landing pages and blog articles targeting aerospace engineers and procurement. Embee Processing is a subsidiary of Noble Aerospace (formerly All Metals Processing Holdings), led by CEO Michael Coburn; the parent company has publicly indicated interest in additional aerospace metal finishing acquisitions.

Name

Embee Processing

Legal name

Embee Processing

Website

https://embee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Embee Processing is a Santa Ana, California-based aerospace metal finishing and surface treatment company with over 70 years of history, operating from a 124,000 sq. ft., 10-building campus. It serves aerospace prime contractors including Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, and Honeywell with 70+ plating, anodizing, HVOF, IVD, NDT, and grinding processes under NADCAP and AS9100 certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Metal Finishing Services

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Surface Preparation & Abrasive Blasting (Sand/Grit/Shot/Waterjet) (IMAIAKAC)

Keywords

• Aerospace metal finishing
• Metal plating services
• Surface treatment coatings
• Anodizing services
• Non-destructive testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Finishing and Surface Treatment Services: Embee generates revenue through job-based metal finishing services including plating, anodizing, coating, grinding, shot peening, NDT, and related processes. Pricing is quote-based (NET 30 terms) with standard processing services for aerospace components. Revenue is one-time per job rather than recurring, though ongoing contract relationships with aerospace primes drive repeat business.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Embee Processing provides aerospace-grade metal finishing and surface treatment services from a 124,000 sq. ft., 10-building campus in Santa Ana, California. The company delivers over 70 plating, anodizing, coating, grinding, shot peening, non-destructive testing, and vacuum metalizing (IVD) processes to aerospace prime contractors and Tier 1 manufacturers. Services are job-based, quote-priced (NET 30 terms), and processed under AS9100 and NADCAP-accredited quality systems with on-site Level 3 NDT inspection.

Product overview

Embee Processing is a metal finishing facility offering a comprehensive portfolio of surface treatment services across 124,000 sq. ft. and 10 buildings. The company provides over 70 metal plating finishes and related processing capabilities organized into distinct service categories: Plating (Chrome, Cadmium, Electroless Nickel, Zinc Nickel), Anodizing (Chromic, Sulfuric, Boric Sulfuric, Hard Anodize), Conversion & Pre-Treatment (Passivation, Phosphates, Chemical Conversion Coatings), Paint and Coatings (Prime/Top Coat, Solid Film Lubricants, Fuel Tank Coatings, Teflon), Non-Destructive Testing, HVOF coating, Grinding, Shot Peening, and Vacuum Metalizing (IVD, Vacuum Cadmium). The integrated one-stop-shop model allows customers to consolidate multiple metal finishing processes through a single vendor, with complementary testing and quality assurance services supporting aerospace, defense, and industrial clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chrome Plating Services Chrome plating services with 9 chrome tanks offering hard chrome, thin dense chrome, and crack free chrome capabilities for pins, bolts, axles, shafts, and pistons in aerospace applications.
• Cadmium Plating Cadmium plating offering Types I, II, and III, Titanium Cad, LHE Cad, and Brush Cad with custom fixturing for corrosion resistance, ductility, and anti-galling characteristics on aerospace components.
• Electroless Nickel Plating Electroless nickel plating with deposit uniformity, lubricity, and hardness, operated in a dedicated 6,000 sq. ft. pre-cleaning and plating area for parts up to six feet long, serving aerospace and commercial applications.
• Zinc Nickel Plating Environmentally safe alternative to cadmium plating for protection of steel, cast iron, malleable iron, copper, and brass with equivalent or better corrosion properties for aerospace components.
• Chromic Anodize (Type I) Type I Chromic Acid Anodizing creating a thin aluminum oxide film for flight-critical aluminum components subjected to high stress, producing enhanced drawing and forming characteristics.
• Sulfuric Anodize Sulfuric anodizing process that converts aluminum surface to aluminum oxide, providing 0.0002"-0.0003" thick buildup with improved abrasion resistance and corrosion protection.
• Boric Sulfuric Anodize Alternative to chromic acid anodize for aircraft and aerospace components providing corrosion protection and paint adhesion with more energy-efficient processing.
• Hard Anodize (Type III) Type III anodizing using sulfuric acid, low bath temperatures, and high voltage to produce 60-70 Rockwell C surface hardness for corrosion, abrasion, and wear resistant coatings.
• Passivation Passivation process that removes surface contaminants and provides a chromium-rich, corrosion resistant surface finish on stainless steel forgings, castings, stampings, and machined parts.
• Phosphate Coatings Zinc and manganese phosphate coatings providing corrosion resistance and improved paint adhesion on metal parts through porous surface that combines with sealers.
• Chemical Conversion Coatings Chemfilm/Alodine conversion coatings for passivating aluminum, protecting substrates from corrosion and serving as a base for organic coatings while leaving dimensions unchanged.
• Prime and Top Coat Paint finishing services using 3 spray booths and dedicated curing ovens for masking, spraying, and inspection of aerospace components in AQMD-compliant facility.
• Solid Film Lubricants Dry film lubricants with molybdenum disulfide agents bonded to parts as a solid film, reducing galling, seizing, and fretting while protecting against corrosion.
• Fuel Tank Coatings Specialized aerospace coatings applied to aircraft fuel tank interiors to protect against corrosion from fuel contaminants.
• Teflon Coatings Precision applied coatings at 0.0005" thickness with low coefficient of friction and chemical inertness for aerospace high-use and wear surfaces on gears, bearings, and heavy contact environments.
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) NDT services including Magnetic Particle Inspection, Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection, Nital Etch, Rockwell, and Conductivity testing with Level 3 inspection on site.
• High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) HVOF coating process with precision powder feeders, turntables, JP8000 control consoles, and robotic movement providing durable wear and corrosion resistance for landing gear hydraulic cylinders and seals.
• Embee Grind (Precision Grinding) Grinding, polishing, honing, and deburring services with 8,000 sq. ft. shop featuring 12 Studer CNC grinders (I.D., O.D., Form grind), 4 Okamoto NC OD grind machines, 3 centerless grinders, plus thread, surface, and superfinish grinding.
• Shot Peen Shot peening services via Curtiss Wright Metal Improvement facility co-located at Embee's campus, allowing single purchase order processing with seamless part movement and inspection.
• Vacuum Metalizing Vacuum plating department pioneering Ion Vapor Deposition (IVD) process with both rack and barrel coating services for aluminum and vacuum cadmium coatings.
• Ion Vapor Deposition (IVD) Environmentally friendly vacuum plating process that ionizes and deposits high purity aluminum for corrosion resistant coatings meeting wide variety of requirements.
• Vacuum Cadmium Thermal vapor deposition process heating cadmium in vacuum until vaporized, with ion deposition in argon atmospheres providing improved coating adhesion, density, and uniformity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 metrics measured in Products Finishing Top Shop award including quality, on time delivery, and inspection hours across U.S., Canada, and Mexico shops.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers19 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Noble Aerospace (formerly All Metals Processing Holdings)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNoble Aerospace is the parent company of Embee Processing (Santa Ana, CA) and All Metals Processing (Stanton, CA). Noble Aerospace positions itself as a leader in the aerospace industry, leveraging the exemplary staff, innovative processes and vast experience of both companies. CEO Michael Coburn stated the goal to set the Gold Standard in U.S. aerospace metal finishing in employee safety, environmental stewardship, product quality, and customer service. Noble Aerospace is exploring additional acquisition opportunities in the future.
• All Metals ProcessingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Metals Processing (also known as All Metal Processing of Orange County) in Stanton, California is a sister company under the Noble Aerospace parent alongside Embee Processing. Like Embee, it has over 70 years of experience in aerospace metal finishing.
• Curtiss Wright Metal ImprovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurtiss Wright Metal Improvement facility is co-located at Embee's campus, offering shot peening services. This partnership allows customers to issue a single purchase order while Embee handles all part movement and inspection, with parts moving seamlessly from shot peen back into Embee's production line.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Techmetals: Dayton, OH-based aerospace metal finisher offering plating, anodizing, HVOF, NDT, and passivation with NADCAP/AS9100 certifications. Highly comparable process menu and aerospace/defense prime customer overlap with Embee.
• Tiodize Co. California-based aerospace coatings and surface treatment company providing anodizing, Teflon, solid film lubricants, fuel tank coatings, and specialty coatings — heavy overlap with Embee's coatings and treatments portfolio.
• Anoplate Corporation: Syracuse, NY aerospace metal finisher offering plating (chrome, cadmium, electroless nickel, zinc-nickel), anodizing, HVOF, and NDT. Directly comparable NADCAP-accredited, AS9100-certified operation serving aerospace and defense OEMs.
• Hohman Plating & Manufacturing: Dayton, OH-based aerospace metal finisher specializing in plating (chrome, cadmium, electroless nickel), anodizing, and HVOF for defense and aerospace OEMs — comparable certifications, processes, and prime-customer exposure to Embee.
• Coastline Metal Finishing: California-based aerospace metal finisher offering plating, anodizing, conversion coatings, and NDT with NADCAP certifications — directly comparable California-focused competitor to Embee in the prime-contractor supply chain.
• All Metals Processing of Orange County: Sister company under the same Noble Aerospace parent. Both are California-based aerospace metal finishers with 70+ year histories offering plating, anodizing, coating, and NDT — the closest possible comparable to Embee.
• Valence Surface Technologies: Aerospace-focused surface treatment platform (multiple U.S. sites) offering plating, anodizing, painting, NDT, and chemical processing on flight-critical components — directly overlapping Embee's core service mix and prime-contractor customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Bodycote: Global, multi-segment leader in heat treatment and specialty surface treatments serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. A scaled incumbent with overlapping process capability (diffusion coatings, surface treatments) though much broader in scope.
• Paco Metals (now merged into Element Solutions / Harper): Broader aerospace surface treatment provider within the Element Solutions/MacDermid platform — overlapping specialty coatings, plating, and finishing capabilities serving aerospace primes at greater scale and broader geographic reach than Embee.

Emerging players

• Curtiss-Wright Metal Improvement: Co-located with Embee on the Santa Ana campus providing shot peening services, with parent Curtiss-Wright offering a much broader aerospace structures portfolio. Partial overlap with Embee's shot peen and surface enhancement processes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/triumph-processing---embee-division-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Embee Processing