riag

What riag does

riag Oberflächentechnik AG is a Swiss specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1988 and headquartered in Wängi, Switzerland, operating as an independently managed subsidiary of Aalberts Surface Treatment. The company develops, produces, and sells process chemicals for the chemical and electrochemical surface treatment of metals and plastics, with a product portfolio spanning electroless nickel (DURNI-COAT line), chrome, copper, nickel and nickel alloys, silver, zinc and zinc alloys, tin and tin alloys, conversion coatings/phosphating, electropolishing, demetallisation, top coats, and pre-treatment cleaners. Notable proprietary offerings include the boric acid-free nickel process (riag Ni 149) and the cyanide-free copper process (riag Cu 385), both positioned around environmental compliance and worker safety. The company also offers in-house R&D, chemical analyses, metallurgical investigations, consulting, and system-solution services, and holds exclusive Swiss/Liechtenstein distribution rights for Umicore precious-metal and alloy deposition processes.

The company sells primarily via direct B2B channels to industrial manufacturing customers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, with technical credibility built through regular conference presentations (SGO-SST, Ulm Conference, ZVO Surface Technology Days, SGO Deutschschweiz) and trade-journal publications in Galvanotechnik. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based, consistent with customized industrial chemistry. Certifications include ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. With 11-50 employees, a share capital of CHF 100,000, and no venture funding or public listing, riag operates as a focused, technically driven niche supplier within the larger Aalberts Surface Treatment group, leveraging group-level resources while maintaining independent commercial operations.

Name

riag

Legal name

riag Oberflächentechnik AG

Website

https://riag.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

riag Oberflächentechnik AG is a Swiss specialty chemicals manufacturer, founded in 1988 and part of Aalberts Surface Treatment, that develops and sells process chemicals for the electrochemical surface treatment of metals and plastics to industrial B2B customers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Surface Treatment Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), All Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (32599)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro primary industry

Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK)

Keywords

• Electroless nickel plating
• Surface treatment chemicals
• Metal finishing chemistry
• Electrochemical plating solutions
• Industrial coating chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Wängi

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Surface Coating Chemicals: Development, production and sale of process chemicals for chemical and electrochemical treatment of metals and plastics including electroless nickel, chrome, copper, tin, zinc, silver, and related processes. Product range includes bath formulations, additives, and pretreatment chemicals
2. Technical Services: Consulting services, system solutions, metallurgical investigations, and chemical analyses provided to customers requiring application support and quality assurance

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

riag develops, manufactures, and sells process chemicals for chemical and electrochemical surface treatment (plating and finishing) of metals and plastics. Its offering combines a comprehensive standard product range with tailor-made customer formulations, covering corrosion protection, wear resistance, decorative finishing, and electrical/thermal conductivity use cases. The product portfolio is supported by an in-house laboratory, R&D, chemical and metallurgical analyses, consulting, and complete system solutions for industrial surface-finishing customers.

Product overview

riag Oberflächentechnik AG is a Swiss chemical company specializing in surface coating technology with over 30 years of experience. The company operates as an independently operating company of Aalberts Surface Treatment and develops, manufactures, and offers a comprehensive portfolio of process chemicals for the chemical and electrochemical treatment of metals and plastics. The product portfolio includes: DURNI-COAT electroless nickel products (various phosphorus content levels, PTFE and SiC dispersion coatings), chrome plating products (bright chrome, hard chrome, activation agents), copper plating products (acid, cyanide-free alkaline, cyanide-based, and electroless CUPRO-COAT), nickel and nickel alloy plating products (bright nickel, satin nickel, semi-bright, sulfamate, black nickel, boric acid-free riag Ni 149), silver plating products (cyanide and cyanide-free), zinc and zinc alloy plating products, tin and tin alloy plating products, conversion coatings and phosphating products, demetallisation products, electropolishing products, pre-treatment products (cleaners, pickling, activating, zincate processes), top coats and corrosion protection products, and raw chemicals. The company also provides complementary services including research and development, chemical analyses and tests, metallurgical investigations, consulting, and system solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electroless Nickel Plating (DURNI-COAT) Autocatalytic electroless nickel plating process chemicals (DURNI-COAT brand, multiple variants) used by industrial platers to deposit uniform nickel-phosphorus or nickel-PTFE composite coatings on metals for wear resistance, corrosion protection, and dimensional restoration.
• Nickel and Nickel-Alloy Plating Electrolytic nickel and nickel-alloy plating chemistries, including boric-acid-free systems, for decorative bright nickel, functional nickel, and alloy coatings used by industrial platers and finishing shops.
• Copper Plating Electrolytic copper plating processes, including cyanide-free alkaline and acidic copper chemistries, used as underlayers for decorative finishes, for EMI/RFI shielding, and in electronics plating.
• Chrome Plating (Chromium) Decorative trivalent chromium, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), and black chromium plating chemistries used for functional hard-chrome and decorative chromium finishes across automotive, sanitary, and hardware industries.
• Zinc and Zinc-Alloy Plating Acid zinc, alkaline zinc, and zinc-alloy plating chemistries (Zn-Ni, Zn-Fe, Zn-Mn, Zn-Co, Zn-Sn, Sn-Zn, Sn-Ni), including cyanide-free variants, for corrosion-protective coatings on steel and iron components used in automotive and fasteners markets.
• Tin and Tin-Alloy Plating Matte and bright tin plating chemistries plus tin-alloy plating processes for solderable, food-contact, and electronic coatings, including lead-free and cyanide-free variants.
• Silver Plating Cyanide and cyanide-free silver plating chemistries for functional (electrical/thermal conductivity) and decorative applications, including lines distributed in partnership with Umicore (ARGUNA).
• Gold and Platinum-Group Metal Plating Gold and platinum-group metal plating processes for electronics, connector, and decorative applications, distributed under the Umicore AURUNA brands through riag's exclusive partnership with Umicore.
• Electropolishing Electropolishing chemistries and processes for stainless steel and other alloys, used to improve surface finish, deburr, and enhance corrosion resistance in sanitary, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor-related manufacturing.
• Demetallisation (Selective Metal Stripping) Selective chemical stripping processes used to remove metallic coatings (nickel, chrome, tin, copper, etc.) from rejects or finished parts without attacking the base material, supporting rework and recycling in plating operations.
• Conversion Coatings / Phosphating Iron, zinc, and manganese phosphating processes plus chrome-free passivation chemistries for aluminium and steel, providing improved paint adhesion and corrosion resistance as pre- or post-treatments.
• Top Coats Post-plating top coats and seals (including PFAS-free and Cr(VI)-free variants) applied over zinc, zinc-alloy, and other plated finishes to enhance corrosion resistance and meet automotive end-of-life specifications.
• Pre-treatments Cleaning, degreasing, pickling, and activation chemistries used before plating to prepare metal and plastic surfaces, ensuring adhesion and consistent deposit quality.
• Raw Chemicals Basic raw chemical inputs (acids, bases, and salts) supplied to industrial customers and used internally for bath make-up and maintenance across plating lines.
• Research and Development Service Customer-facing R&D service developing new formulations and improving existing surface-treatment processes in riag's in-house laboratory and pilot facility, supporting tailor-made customer solutions.
• Chemical Analyses and Tests Laboratory chemical analysis and testing services for plating baths, deposit samples, and process chemicals, supporting bath maintenance, troubleshooting, and quality control for industrial customers.
• Metallurgical Investigations Metallurgical failure analysis and deposit characterisation services to investigate coating defects, adhesion issues, and corrosion failures on customer-plated parts.
• Consulting Service Technical consulting for surface-treatment process selection, line design, regulatory compliance (REACH, automotive end-of-life), and on-site support for industrial plating customers.
• System Solutions End-to-end system solutions combining chemistry, equipment integration, and process know-how to deliver complete plating lines and tailored surface-treatment installations for industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Boric acid-free nickel process allows coating at pH 3.8-5.5, significantly expanding working window beyond traditional processes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UmicorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributorriag has distributed Umicore products in Switzerland for many years, particularly alloy deposits used as substitutes for nickel, and a comprehensive range of precious metal deposition processes

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Coventya: European-headquartered specialty chemicals company focused exclusively on surface finishing chemistries — closely comparable in product breadth (zinc, nickel, copper, tin) and European industrial customer base.
• Technic Inc. Specialty plating chemistry and equipment supplier covering precious metals, copper, tin, and electroless processes — comparable mid-sized competitor with custom chemistry capability.
• Uyemura International: Specialty plating chemistry supplier with strength in precious metals (gold, silver, tin-silver) and electroless nickel — overlapping product categories with riag, particularly silver and tin lines.
• SurTec (a brand of MacDermid Enthione): Specializes in industrial surface treatment chemistry for cleaning, pre-treatment, and electroplating — closely comparable in process chemical portfolio and European customer focus.

Others

• Aalberts Surface Treatment (parent division): Parent division and group of which riag is a subsidiary; provides strategic context on group-level surface treatment direction and shared chemistry know-how.

Broad incumbents

• Umicore (Plating Solutions / Cobalt & Specialty Materials): Belgian materials group active in precious metal plating chemistry; already a partner of riag for Swiss distribution — also a competitor in alloy and precious metal plating processes.
• MacDermid Enthione (Element Solutions): Major global supplier of plating chemistries, surface treatment, and electronic materials with overlapping product families in electroless nickel, zinc, and decorative/functional coatings.
• Atotech (MKS Instruments): Global leader in specialty plating chemicals for electronics and surface finishing — directly competes with riag across nickel, copper, zinc, and electroless chemistry lines but at vastly larger scale.
• Henkel (Surface Treatment / Bonderite): Diversified adhesives and surface treatment major with a metal pre-treatment and coatings business that competes with riag in pre-treatment and conversion coating chemistries.

Regional players

• Nippon Electro-Plating Engineers (Nippe): Japan-based specialty plating chemistry supplier serving automotive and electronics with electroless nickel, zinc, and decorative plating products — geographic non-overlap but comparable product mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 riag