Electro Chemical Finishing
Electro Chemical Finishing is a 1977-founded Grand Rapids, Michigan manufacturer of decorative and functional surface finishes — chrome plating, electroless nickel, trivalent chrome, and specialty coatings — serving automotive OEMs, plumbing fixture makers, and kitchen/bath brands on production-volume programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersGrandville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Electro Chemical Finishing does
Electro Chemical Finishing (ECF), founded in 1977 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a privately held decorative and functional surface finishing manufacturer serving production-scale OEM programs. The company operates a single-site facility offering electroless nickel, electroplating (chrome on plastic and metal), trivalent chrome, specialty decorative finishes (Bright, Pearlescent Satin, Twilite, Starlite dark chrome), gold and silver plating, paint-over-chrome, secondary processes (brushing, vibratory finishing, lacquer, powder coating), and value-added assembly. ECF holds the MacDermid Enthone DecoKlad license — one of only three certified applicators in North America and the first plating-on-plastic finisher in the Americas — and is OEM-qualified across BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Harley Davidson, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, and Toyota. The company is ISO 9001 certified and complies with RoHS, EU REACH, and SVCH regulations.
ECF's business model is a manufacturing job shop with explicit production-volume discipline: it accepts only programs of 5,000+ annual parts, structured around quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts spanning four production tiers up to 500,000+ parts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, plumbing fixture manufacturers (Hansgrohe, Moen, Kohler), kitchen and bath brands (Vitamix), and consumer appliance/hardware producers. Distribution is primarily direct through a structured online RFQ, phone, and email; demand generation relies on a content-marketing blog, Products Finishing trade coverage, and Instagram. Customer concentration is moderate given the breadth of qualified OEMs but is constrained by the limited disclosed logo set.
The principal strategic assets are the DecoKlad license (ex-novo intangible moat), 48 years of process know-how, an automated single-site production backbone, and vertically integrated finishing-plus-assembly capabilities. Forward signals — EV OEM qualification, specialty-finish development, and trivalent/REACH compliance — indicate defensive positioning against tightening environmental regulation and a measured push into next-generation automotive interiors/exteriors rather than aggressive geographic or end-market expansion.
Electro Chemical Finishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Electro Chemical Finishing
- Legal name
- Electro Chemical Finishing Co.
- Website
- https://ecfinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Electro Chemical Finishing is a 1977-founded Grand Rapids, Michigan manufacturer of decorative and functional surface finishes — chrome plating, electroless nickel, trivalent chrome, and specialty coatings — serving automotive OEMs, plumbing fixture makers, and kitchen/bath brands on production-volume programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Electro Chemical Finishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Surface Finishing Services
- NAICS
- Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (3328), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation) (IMAIAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Passenger Vehicle Paint, Coatings & Surface Finishing (ICE) (IMACAAAD)
Keywords
Where Electro Chemical Finishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grandville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Electro Chemical Finishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Surface Finishing Services: ECF generates revenue through providing surface finishing services (electroplating, electroless nickel, trivalent chrome, specialty finishes, secondary processes, assembly) on a production-quantity basis. The company is a manufacturing job shop seeking programs that require production quantities of product, structured around quote-based pricing for specific finishing programs.
- Assembly Services: ECF provides assembly operations including component assembly, fabrication of subassemblies, and application of adhesive backed tape as additional revenue stream to customers in kitchen/bath and automotive sectors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Production Quantity Tiers: 5,000 – 10,000 annual parts |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Mid-Volume Production: 10,000 – 100,000 annual parts |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | High-Volume Production: 100,000 – 500,000 annual parts |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Very High-Volume Production: 500,000+ annual parts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Electro Chemical Finishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Electro Chemical Finishing is a production-scale manufacturing job shop that applies decorative and functional surface finishes to metal and plastic substrates. Its core services include electroplating (chrome on plastic and metal), electroless nickel, trivalent chrome, specialty decorative finishes, secondary processes (brushing, vibratory finishing, lacquer, powder coating), gold and silver plating, paint over chrome, and component assembly, sold on a quote basis to manufacturers running production-quantity programs.
Product overview
Electro Chemical Finishing is a manufacturing company offering decorative and functional surface finishing services, primarily serving automotive, kitchen and bath, plumbing fixtures, and appliance industries. The company operates as a single-site facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, providing a comprehensive portfolio of plating and finishing services that work together as an integrated offering: Electroless Nickel and Electroplating form the core metal finishing capabilities; Trivalent Chrome provides environmentally responsible chrome alternatives; Specialty Finishes and Qualified Finishes serve OEM-specific requirements; Secondary Processes (Brushing, Vibratory Finishing, Lacquer, Powder Coating) add texture and protection; Gold and Silver Plating offers precious metal finishes; Paint Over Chrome enables unique color applications; and Assembly services add value through component integration. The company is ISO 9001 certified and holds DecoKlad licensing for MacDermid Enthone Fashion Finishes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Electroless Nickel RoHS, Eu Reach, and SVCH compliant Engineered Electroless Nickel plating applied to aluminum, copper, brass, and steel substrates for OEM manufacturers.
- Electroplating Chrome plating services for both plastic and metal substrates with in-house capability, including plating on plastic (POP) for automotive and consumer product manufacturers.
- Trivalent Chrome Environmentally responsible trivalent chromium plating, offered alongside hexavalent chrome in Bright, Pearlescent Satin, Twilite, and Starlite dark chrome finishes for manufacturers needing regulatory-compliant chrome.
- Specialty Finishes Custom-developed specialty decorative finishes for OEM and consumer product manufacturers, drawing on ECF's participation in the development of unique high-demand decorative finishes.
- Secondary Processes Brushing, vibratory finishing, lacquer, and powder coating applied as value-added operations to complete finished parts for automotive, kitchen/bath, and consumer product customers.
- Gold and Silver Plating Decorative (hard) and reflective (pure) 24K gold plating, along with silver plating, for decorative and reflective applications across industries.
- Paint Over Chrome Application of performance-based paints or coatings over hexavalent and trivalent chrome in clear, translucent, or opaque finishes for decorative and functional applications.
- Assembly Component assembly, fabrication of subassemblies, and application of adhesive-backed tape serving kitchen/bath and automotive sector manufacturers.
- Qualified Finishes OEM-qualified chrome, nickel, and specialty finishes meeting specifications from BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Harley Davidson, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, and Toyota.
Quantifiable outcome
- One of only three DecoKlad licensed applicators in North America for MacDermid Enthone Fashion Finishes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Electro Chemical Finishing
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Electro Chemical Finishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Electro Chemical Finishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MacDermid EnthonecoreIn September 2020, MacDermid Enthone presented ECF with a DecoKlad license, authorizing the company as a chrome plating applicator for MacDermid Enthone Fashion Finishes. ECF is one of only three applicators certified in North America and the first plating-on-plastic (POP) finisher in the Americas to partner with MacDermid Enthone. The DecoKlad program is a proprietary quality-performance system with different performance levels for interior and exterior automotive parts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Electro Chemical Finishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Valence Surface Technologies: One of the largest independent aerospace and industrial surface finishing providers in North America, with overlapping decorative and functional plating capabilities and similar OEM-qualification-driven business model. Closest scaled comparable to ECF's automotive/plating-on-plastic positioning.
- Lincoln Industries: Nebraska-based decorative chrome and metal finisher serving automotive, heavy truck, and consumer products with high-volume plating, painting, and assembly. Directly comparable production-scale decorative chrome model and automotive OEM customer base.
- Pioneer Metal Finishing: Large North American contract metal finisher offering zinc, electroless nickel, chrome, and anodizing to automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Directly competes for plating-on-plastic and decorative chrome programs at similar OEM customers.
- Arlington Plating Company: Illinois-based decorative and functional plater serving automotive, plumbing, and consumer hardware with chrome, nickel, brass, and specialty finishes. Comparable in customer verticals (automotive + kitchen/bath/plumbing) and decorative chrome focus.
- Anoplate Corporation: New York-based plating and metal finishing job shop offering decorative and functional finishes including chrome, electroless nickel, and anodizing to industrial and OEM customers. Comparable chemistry stack and contract finishing model.
- Reliable Plating & Polishing: Multi-generation decorative plater serving automotive and consumer product customers with chrome, nickel, and specialty finishes. Comparable mid-sized North American decorative finishing job shop serving similar OEM customers.
- Bales Metal Surface Solutions: Midwestern decorative chrome and metal finisher serving automotive, motorcycle, and consumer product OEMs with plating, polishing, and assembly. Comparable in plating-on-plastic capabilities and OEM qualification approach.
- Hohman Plating & Metal Finishing: Dayton, Ohio-based decorative and functional metal finisher serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial customers with chrome, electroless nickel, and specialty finishes. Highly comparable in customer mix (OEMs), chemistry stack, and production-quantity business model.
- KC Jones Plating Company: Michigan-based decorative and functional metal finisher with chrome, electroless nickel, and specialty finishes serving automotive and industrial OEMs. Geographic and customer-overlap competitor to ECF.
Others
- MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions: Chemistry supplier and DecoKlad licensor whose proprietary plating chemistries and quality programs underpin ECF's licensed capabilities. Included as a strategic supplier/ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor, but central to ECF's positioning.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Electro Chemical Finishing social profiles
Digital presenceElectro Chemical Finishing compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Electro Chemical Finishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Electro Chemical Finishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Electro Chemical Finishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Electro Chemical Finishing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Electro Chemical Finishing
What does Electro Chemical Finishing do?
Electro Chemical Finishing is a production-scale manufacturing job shop that applies decorative and functional surface finishes to metal and plastic substrates. Its core services include electroplating (chrome on plastic and metal), electroless nickel, trivalent chrome, specialty decorative finishes, secondary processes (brushing, vibratory finishing, lacquer, powder coating), gold and silver plating, paint over chrome, and component assembly, sold on a quote basis to manufacturers running production-quantity programs.
Is Electro Chemical Finishing a public or private company?
Electro Chemical Finishing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Electro Chemical Finishing founded?
Electro Chemical Finishing was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Electro Chemical Finishing based?
Electro Chemical Finishing is headquartered in Grandville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Electro Chemical Finishing make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Surface Finishing Services are the primary driver. The others are assembly Services.
Who are Electro Chemical Finishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Valence Surface Technologies, Lincoln Industries, Pioneer Metal Finishing, Arlington Plating Company, Anoplate Corporation, Reliable Plating & Polishing, Bales Metal Surface Solutions, Hohman Plating & Metal Finishing and KC Jones Plating Company. MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions is listed as an others.
Does Electro Chemical Finishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Electro Chemical Finishing.
What industry is Electro Chemical Finishing in?
Electro Chemical Finishing's product category is Metal Surface Finishing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIAKAE, Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation), with a secondary code of IMACAAAD, Passenger Vehicle Paint, Coatings & Surface Finishing (ICE). Its NAICS code is 332813 and its SIC code is 3470.