Har-Conn: The Metal Finishing Specialists

What Har-Conn: The Metal Finishing Specialists does

Har-Conn Chrome Company is a privately held, family-led metal finishing and electroplating specialist founded in 1948 and headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut. The company performs 16 core special processes — including anodizing (chromic, sulfuric, hard coat), cadmium, chrome, electroless nickel, zinc nickel, silver, nickel cadmium and nickel plating, chemical film treatment, dry film lubricant, high-temperature aluminum coatings, phosphate, passivation, prime and paint, strip and blast, and titanium clean — for the aerospace, medical, automotive, electronics, power generation, and chemical/petroleum industries. Aerospace (OEM and MRO across commercial, military fixed/rotary wing, engine, airframe, and landing gear) is the explicitly primary vertical, with approved part specifications held for Boeing, GE, Pratt & Whitney / Raytheon, Rolls-Royce, Sikorsky, Collins Aerospace, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, and Aerojet Rocketdyne, among others.

The technical platform is built on wet-chemistry processing lines, proprietary chemistry such as Low Hydrogen Embrittlement Zinc Nickel Plating, and supporting capabilities including in-house engineering (chemical, mechanical), metallurgy, machining, and a multi-stage quality system (incoming, in-process, final inspection with certificates of conformance). The company maintains NADCAP Aerospace Quality System (AC7004) and NADCAP Chemical Processing certifications, FAA Repair Station #TB5R217N, EASA, UK-CAA, and ITAR registration — collectively forming a regulated credential stack that is required to participate in aerospace OEM supply chains. Facilities operate in West Hartford, CT and Fort Worth, TX, with the ability to process both very large parts (jet engine turbine cases, landing gear cylinders) and very small parts (1.6 million pieces per kilogram).

Har-Conn generates revenue on a service-based, professional-services model: each job is quoted based on customer specifications, materials, dimensions, and processing requirements, with first-time customers on COD terms and credit limits established upon approval. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting aerospace primes and tier-one suppliers, supported by NADCAP / OEM approvals as the primary qualification lever, complemented by trade-show presence (ACM, MRO Americas), a website with online RFQ and customer job-tracking login, and a direct customer service team. The company is led by the Backus family (Tim Backus as President/CEO, Daniel Backus VP, Casey Backus VP Operations, Wesley Backus Quality Manager) alongside a Director of Business Development and a Director of Technology and Process Development, with no disclosed external private equity, strategic parent, or institutional investor.

Name

Har-Conn: The Metal Finishing Specialists

Legal name

Har-Conn Chrome Company

Website

https://har-conn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Har-Conn Chrome Company is a family-owned, privately held aerospace metal finishing and electroplating specialist founded in 1948, operating NADCAP-certified facilities in West Hartford, CT and Fort Worth, TX, serving 2,000+ aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Metal Finishing Services

NAICS

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation) (IMAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Aerospace metal plating
• Electroplating services
• Metal finishing coatings
• Anodizing services aerospace
• Cadmium chrome plating

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Finishing Services: Service-based revenue model providing specialized electroplating, coating, and finishing services to aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics industries. Revenue generated through per-part processing jobs with pricing based on specifications, materials, and part complexity. No public pricing; quotes provided based on customer specifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Har-Conn is a premier special process firm performing high-technology electroplating and coating services for the aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics industries. The company operates 16 core metal finishing processes including anodizing, cadmium, chrome, nickel, silver, zinc nickel and electroless nickel plating, chemical film treatment, dry film lubricants, high-temperature aluminum coatings, phosphate coatings, passivation, prime and paint, titanium cleaning, and strip and blast services, processed at facilities in West Hartford, CT and Fort Worth, TX.

Product overview

Har-Conn is a premier special process firm performing high technology electroplating and coating services for the aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics industries. Founded in 1948, the company operates as a single service portfolio organized around 16 core metal finishing processes including: Anodizing (chromic, sulfuric, hard coat), Cadmium Plating, Chemical Film Treatment, Chrome Plating, Dry Film Lubricant, Electroless Nickel Plating, High Temp Aluminum Coating, Nickel Cadmium Plating, Nickel Plating, Passivation, Phosphate Coatings, Prime and Paint, Silver Plating, Strip and Blast, Titanium Clean, and Zinc Nickel Plating. Har-Conn specializes in aerospace and high technology applications, serving major OEMs such as Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Sikorsky, and Collins Aerospace. The company operates facilities in West Hartford, Connecticut and Fort Worth, Texas, and maintains NADCAP, FAA Repair Station, EASA, and UK-CAA certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Anodizing Electro-chemical conversion of metal surfaces (primarily aluminum, magnesium, and titanium) into oxide layers providing increased corrosion resistance, durability, wear resistance, and an excellent base for primers and paints. Used for aerospace, medical, automotive, and electronics components.
• Cadmium Plating Electrodeposition of cadmium onto ferrous and nonferrous base metals providing sacrificial corrosion protection, excellent bonding surface for adhesives and paints, and preferred performance in salt-water environments for aerospace components.
• Chemical Film Treatment (Chem Film) Chromate conversion coating process for aluminum, cadmium, magnesium, zinc, and zinc nickel deposits providing corrosion resistance, durable finish, and stable electrical conductivity for aerospace and electronics components.
• Chrome Plating Hard or industrial chromium plating applied to ferrous and non-ferrous metals for improved abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, friction reduction, and dimensional restoration on aerospace and industrial components.
• Dry Film Lubricant Solid film lubricant coatings that reduce friction between surfaces without liquid lubricant medium, using layered molecular structure for low-friction properties on aerospace components.
• Electroless Nickel Plating Nickel alloy deposition onto metal substrate without electrical current using chemical reaction, producing uniform thickness deposit with excellent corrosion protection and lubricity on complex geometries including edges, recesses, threads, and seams.
• High Temp Aluminum Coating Sacrificial aluminum coating providing corrosion resistance for aircraft engines, ground power generation, and marine applications including turbine blades, rotors, shafts, and landing gear operating at elevated temperatures.
• Nickel Cadmium Plating Diffused nickel cadmium plating in which cadmium is electrodeposited onto nickel on carbon, low-alloy, and corrosion-resistant steels, then heated to 630°F to diffuse cadmium into nickel for high-temperature corrosion protection up to 900°F.
• Nickel Plating Electrolytic process depositing a nickel layer onto metal substrates for decorative and functional applications including wear resistance, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and dimensional restoration.
• Passivation Process removing free iron from stainless steel surfaces to render it inactive and form a protective chromium oxide barrier preventing corrosion.
• Phosphate Coatings Phosphate coatings applied using phosphoric acid for iron, zinc, or manganese phosphate deposits providing a base for paint adhesion and dry film lubricants, with dielectric properties for aerospace components.
• Prime and Paint Application of primers, urethanes, epoxy, and CARC paint systems with prime contractor approvals from Sikorsky, Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Bombardier.
• Silver Plating Silver plating for corrosion resistance and high-temperature lubricity on aluminum, bronze, copper, steel, and stainless steel alloys; used extensively on aircraft gas turbine engine components for anti-galling and antiseizing applications up to 1200°F.
• Strip and Blast Chemical stripping of platings and coatings combined with abrasive blasting using Aluminum Oxide, Plastic Bead, and Glass Bead media to prepare parts for re-processing or surface finishing.
• Titanium Clean Controlled cleaning and descaling procedure for removal of soils, oxides, recast material, and alpha case from titanium and titanium alloys prior to chemical milling, fabrication, joining, plating, and welding.
• Zinc Nickel Plating Low Hydrogen Embrittlement zinc nickel electroplating producing highly corrosion-resistant alloy coating (10-20% nickel by weight) for ferrous and non-ferrous metals as an environmentally safe alternative to cadmium electroplating; provides 1000+ hours of Neutral Salt Spray corrosion resistance per ASTM B117.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual customer rejection rate consistently less than 0.5%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace: Large aerospace engine/airframe supplier with captive surface treatment capabilities. Acts both as customer/competitor for special process volumes within its supply chain.
• Precision Aviation Group: Larger MRO services network that performs and sources aerospace surface treatments — adjacent incumbent serving overlapping aerospace customer base and competing for subcontract finishing volumes.
• Bodycote (Surface Technology division): Global specialty heat treatments and surface technology provider with significant aerospace exposure. Broader incumbent competing in shot peening, diffusion coatings, and related processes.

Direct peers

• Techmetals: Dayton, OH-based specialty metal finisher offering plating, anodizing, and passivation for aerospace, defense and industrial customers. Direct peer for special process services.
• Valence Surface Technologies: Largest independent US aerospace surface treatment and finishing platform serving Airbus/Boeing/Lockheed programs. Direct comparator to Har-Conn in NADCAP-qualified anodizing, plating, and paint services.
• Surface Treatment Technologies: NADCAP-accredited special process shop offering anodizing, plating, dry film lubricants and chemical film to aerospace primes — direct peer for prime-contractor-approved finishing services.
• Pioneer Metal Finishing: Multi-site US provider of metal finishing, plating, anodizing and coating services across aerospace, defense, medical, and automotive — operating at comparable scale and customer mix to Har-Conn.
• Anoplate Corporation: Syracuse, NY-based metal finisher offering anodizing, electroless nickel, passivation, and other aerospace-grade coatings to OEM and defense customers. Direct peer with overlapping aerospace process portfolio.
• KC Jones Plating Company: Midwest aerospace-focused plating and surface treatment shop with NADCAP credentials, serving engine and airframe primes — closely comparable in process breadth and aerospace focus.
• Allied Finishing Solutions: Specialty metal finishing provider for aerospace, defense and industrial markets offering anodizing, plating, and conversion coatings. Comparable scope in NADCAP-qualified special processes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/har-conn

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Har-Conn: The Metal Finishing Specialists