Schloetter Company

What Schloetter Company does

Schloetter Co Ltd is a UK-based specialty chemicals manufacturer and supplier operating two integrated divisions: Metal Finishing / PCB Plating and Paint & Lacquer Solutions. The metal finishing division supplies electroplating chemistries (zinc, tin, copper, trivalent chrome, silver, electroless nickel), precious metal plating systems (gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium — sourced exclusively via Umicore for salts), PCB plating processes including direct metalisation (SLOTOSIT PCB3500), ENIG/ENEPIG (SLOTONIG NG), pulse plating and microvia filling, plus cleaning, microetch, passivation, stripping and base chemical products. The paint and lacquer division provides laboratory-developed coatings for glass, plastic and metal substrates across more than a dozen specialised finishes — including UV-blocking, thermochromic, iridescent, metallics, soft-touch, fluorescent, satin/matt and gradient — supported by bespoke colour matching to RAL/Pantone references. End markets span automotive and industrial manufacturing, beverages/perfumery/cosmetics packaging, plastics processing, and electronics/PCB manufacturing serving AI, 5G and IoT applications.

The company is a wholly-owned UK subsidiary of the German Schlötter Group, having joined the group in 1969, with the underlying Schloetter tin plate process heritage dating to a 1918 patent — collectively claimed as 100+ years of surface science R&D. 25% of staff are dedicated to R&D in a fully equipped service laboratory. The business sells through direct B2B field sales to industrial customers in more than 30 countries across six continents, with quote-based pricing, no public list, and dedicated sales roles split across Metal Finishing & PCB, Paint UK, and Paint Export. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 (UKAS-accredited), REACH compliance documentation, and an EcoVadis Bronze Medal, and is registered in England as a private limited company (registration 947371) headquartered at Abbey Works, Pershore, Worcestershire, with a headcount band of 11–50 employees.

Name

Schloetter Company

Legal name

Schloetter Co Ltd

Website

https://schloetter.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surface Finishing Chemicals & Industrial Coatings

NAICS

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Electroplating chemicals
• Surface finishing solutions
• PCB plating processes
• Decorative paint coatings
• Metal finishing chemistries

Headquarters

HQ city

Pershore

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Products Sales: Manufacturing and supplying electroplating chemicals, surface finishing solutions, paints and lacquers to industrial customers in metal finishing, PCB manufacturing, and packaging industries
2. Custom Formulation and R&D Services: Bespoke product development and colour matching services tailored to customer requirements, including product testing and technical support

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Schloetter Company manufactures and supplies surface finishing chemicals, electroplating chemistries, paints, lacquers, and plating equipment for industrial customers. The business operates two divisions: a Paint & Lacquer division producing laboratory-developed custom coatings and specialty finishes for glass, plastic and metal substrates, and a Metal Finishing / PCB Plating division supplying electroplating processes, electroless nickel, precious metal plating systems, cleaning and surface preparation chemicals, anodes and plating equipment.

Product overview

Schloetter Company operates as a manufacturer and supplier to the surface finishing industry, offering two integrated divisions: Paint & Lacquer Solutions and Metal Finishing/PCB Plating. The Paint & Lacquer division provides laboratory-developed custom paints and lacquers for glass, plastics, and metals through product lines including Polysil (water-based glass coatings) and Slotogard (solvent-based glass coatings), complemented by over a dozen specialized finishes such as Fluorescent/Neon, Gloss, Satin/Matt, Metallics & Sparkles, Iridescent/Pearlescent, Textured & Soft Touch, Thermochromic, UV Blocking, Tinted Glass Imitation, Topcoat & Primer for Vacuum Metallisation, Black & White, and Gradient/Fade Out. The Metal Finishing division supplies chemical processes including electroplated finishes (Zinc, Zinc Alloy, Tin, Tin Alloy, Trivalent Chrome, Silver, Copper), electroless nickel (SLOTONIP series), precious metal plating (Auruna gold, Palluna palladium, silver Elfit, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium), PCB plating systems (SLOTOCOUP copper/tin, SLOTOSIT direct metalisation, SLOTONIG ENIG/ENEPIG), cleaning/microetch processes (SLOTOCLEAN, SLOTETCH), Alumenate zincate for aluminium, passivates, strippers, and base chemicals, along with equipment (plating barrels, anodes, filters). Both divisions share colour development and R&D laboratory services, allowing bespoke colour matching to RAL/Pantone specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paint & Lacquer Solutions Custom-developed paints and lacquers for surface coating applications across glass, plastic and metal substrates, including specialised finishes (fluorescent, gloss, satin/matt, metallics, iridescent/pearlescent, textured/soft touch, thermochromic, UV blocking, tinted glass imitation, topcoat/primer for vacuum metallisation, black & white, gradient/fade out). For industrial manufacturers needing decorative, protective and functional finishes.
• Metal Finishing Chemicals & Processes Advanced plating chemistries and surface treatments for general metal finishing including electroplating (Zinc, Zinc Alloy, Tin, Tin Alloy, Trivalent Chrome, Silver, Copper), electroless nickel (SLOTONIP 1850, SLOTONIP 90, SLOTONIP VN20), precious metal plating (Auruna gold series, Palluna palladium, Elfit silver, platinum, rhodium, black ruthenium), passivates, anti-tarnish, metal strippers, zincate for aluminium (Alumenate process), and base commodity chemicals. For industrial metal finishers across automotive, engineering and decorative applications.
• PCB & Electronics Plating Chemicals Specialised plating processes and chemicals for printed circuit board manufacture, including SLOTOCOUP DC and pulse copper plating systems (Cu120, BV 110, PRT2200, SF50 micro-via filling), tin and tin-lead plating (SAT 20-1, SLOTOLET K 10-1), SLOTOSIT PCB3500 graphite-based direct metalisation, SLOTONIG NG ENIG/ENEPIG universal finish, Auruna gold and Palluna palladium plating systems, and SLOTOCLEAN/SLOTETCH cleaning and microetch products. For PCB manufacturers serving AI, 5G, IoT and semiconductor applications.
• Glass Coatings (Polysil & Slotogard Series) Specialist coating systems engineered for glass substrates including beverage bottles, perfume bottles, cosmetics packaging, fragrance diffusers and candle holders. Polysil is a water-based series and Slotogard a solvent-based series, both offering UV protection, scratch resistance, decorative finishes and application flexibility for industrial decorators.
• Plastic Coatings Advanced coating systems formulated for adhesion to plastic substrates including automotive interior parts, caps and closures, electrical appliances and cosmetics containers, with chemical, perfume and alcohol resistance. Available in water-based, solvent-based, single-pack, two-pack, UV-curable and conventional curing variants.
• Anodes & Plating Equipment Range of anode materials including Zinc (bar, bullet, ball), Nickel (bar, square, crown, pellet), Copper OFHC/PDO, Tin, Tin-Lead and Silver (dog bone, sheet), plus anode bags, hooks, baskets and inert anodes (platinised titanium, mixed metal oxides). Plating equipment includes Z-series plating barrels (0.5 to 12kg capacity), hull cells, test panels, filters and polypropylene croffles for fume control.
• Plating Barrels and Process Equipment Plating line equipment including Z-series plating barrels in 0.5 to 12kg capacities, hull cells, test panels, filters and polypropylene croffles for fume control, designed for use alongside Schloetter chemistry on industrial plating lines.
• Base & Commodity Chemicals Single-source range of commodity chemicals for plating bath preparation including Potassium Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Boric Acid, Nickel Chloride/Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Sodium Chloride, acids (Hydrochloric, Nitric, Sulphuric, Sulphamic), Sodium/Potassium Hydroxide and assorted metal salts.
• Precious Metal Salts (Umicore Partnership) Precious metal salts supplied exclusively via Schloetter's Umicore partnership including Gold Potassium Cyanide 68.2% w/w (in 25g or 100g units) and Silver salts at 54% w/w and 80.5% w/w (in 1kg pack sizes), with consistent gold content, low impurity levels and reliable supply for precious metal plating processes.
• Colour Development & RAL/Pantone Matching Service In-house R&D Paint Lab service providing bespoke colour matching from physical samples or universal colour systems including RAL and Pantone references, supporting custom paint development for customers across glass, plastic and metal applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• UV blocking coating achieves 0% transmission (100% absorbance) up to 360nm
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UmicorecoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive partnership with Umicore for continuity of supply of gold metal salts including Gold Potassium Cyanide 68.2%w/w in 25g or 100g units, and Silver products at 54% w/w and 80.5% w/w in 1Kg pack sizes. This partnership ensures consistent and accurate gold content, low impurity levels, and reliable supply for precious metal plating processes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Technic Inc: Technic is a US-based specialty chemicals company supplying plating chemistries, with strong focus on precious metal plating (gold, silver, palladium) for electronics and decorative applications. Direct competitor in the precious metal plating segment where Schloetter also competes.
• Coventya: Coventya is a European specialty chemicals supplier focused on surface finishing and metal plating chemistries. Comparable niche specialty position to Schloetter with overlapping product lines in zinc, zinc alloys, and decorative plating.
• MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions: MacDermid Enthone is a direct competitor in PCB plating chemistries, electroless nickel, and precious metal plating. Competes head-to-head with Schloetter across ENIG/ENEPIG, direct metallization, and decorative finishing applications.
• Uyemura International Corporation: Uyemura is a Japanese-headquartered supplier of plating chemistries with strong presence in PCB, semiconductor packaging, and decorative finishing. Direct competitor in ENIG/ENEPIG, electroless nickel, and precious metal plating chemistries.
• JCU Corporation: JCU Corporation is a Japanese specialty chemicals company focused on PCB surface treatment and plating chemistries. Directly comparable to Schloetter's PCB plating and surface finishing product lines, particularly in Asian PCB markets.

Broad incumbents

• Atotech (MKS Instruments): Atotech, now part of MKS Instruments, is a global leader in surface finishing and PCB plating chemistries. Directly competes with Schloetter across PCB plating, electroless nickel, and decorative/functional metal finishing segments with broader product portfolio and larger scale.
• DuPont Electronics & Industrial: DuPont's electronics and industrial segment supplies metallization chemistries, plating processes, and PCB materials. Competes with Schloetter in PCB final finishes and electroless plating while offering a much broader semiconductor and electronics materials portfolio.
• Henkel AG & Co. KGaA: Henkel's Adhesive Technologies segment includes surface treatment and plating chemistry products serving automotive, electronics, and industrial customers. Competes with Schloetter in select metal pretreatment and functional coating segments as part of a much larger diversified chemical portfolio.
• Element Solutions Inc: Element Solutions is a specialty chemicals platform with multiple surface finishing and electronics chemistry brands. Competes broadly with Schloetter across PCB, decorative, and industrial plating through its portfolio companies.

Regional players

• Daiwa Fine Chemicals (C. Uyemura & Co subsidiary): Daiwa Fine Chemicals is a Japanese supplier of surface treatment and plating chemistries. Overlaps with Schloetter in metal finishing chemistry portfolio but primarily serves Asian markets with limited direct competition in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/schloetter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schloetter-co-ltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/Schloetter

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Schloetter Company