Metakem
Metakem GmbH is a German specialty-chemicals manufacturer founded in 1974 that develops form-stable anodes, precious-metal electrolyte baths, and high-purity precious-metal compounds for industrial electroplating customers in the galvanic, connector, and broader manufacturing sectors across more than 40 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersUsingen, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Metakem does
Metakem GmbH is a privately held German specialty-chemicals manufacturer founded in 1974 and headquartered in Usingen, Germany. The company develops and manufactures products and processes for precious metal chemistry and electrochemistry, organized around three core product lines: (1) form-stable anodes (Anoden) including platinum-coated niobium and titanium anodes, mixed oxide (MOX) chromium(III) anodes, mixed oxide titanium anodes, diamond anodes, reference electrodes, shielded anodes, and cathode half-finished products, plus a re-platinering (re-plating) refurbishment service; (2) precious metal electrolyte baths (Edelmetallbäder) for galvanic processes covering gold (including cyanide-free formulations), palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium; and (3) high-purity precious metal compounds (Edelmetallverbindungen) of gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium. The company also offers custom manufacturing (Sonderanfertigungen) and precious-metal recovery through Urban Mining, with manufacturing processes designed to operate wastewater-free.
Metakem serves industrial B2B customers across the galvanic and electroplating industry, electrical connector manufacturers, and broader industrial manufacturing segments (medical devices, automotive, aerospace, electronics). Named reference customers include Hitachi, Fraunhofer HHI, bremenports, SurTec, JENTNER, ECOCAT, and a research partnership with Hochschule Mittweida. The company exports to more than 40 countries and conducts sales through direct inquiry (phone and project request form) rather than disclosed pricing, consistent with a consultative, technical enterprise-sales motion.
The business model combines capital-equipment sales (anodes and cathodes), consumable chemical products (electrolyte baths and precious metal compounds), professional services (re-platinering, custom manufacturing, contract platinum coating), and a circular-economy offering (Urban Mining precious-metal recovery). Operating certifications include DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 (quality management) and DIN EN ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management), with Ökoprofit certification awarded in 2026, supporting the company's positioning around Made-in-Germany quality and sustainable, wastewater-free production for export-grade industrial customers.
Metakem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Metakem
- Legal name
- METAKEM GmbH
- Website
- https://metakem.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Metakem GmbH is a German specialty-chemicals manufacturer founded in 1974 that develops form-stable anodes, precious-metal electrolyte baths, and high-purity precious-metal compounds for industrial electroplating customers in the galvanic, connector, and broader manufacturing sectors across more than 40 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Metakem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrochemistry Equipment and Specialty Chemicals
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325), Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813)
- SIC
- Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)
Keywords
Where Metakem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Usingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Metakem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Formstable Anodes (Anoden): Manufacture and sale of formstable anodes including platinum-coated niobium and titanium, mixed oxide anodes, and diamond anodes for electrochemical applications. These are capital equipment products sold to industrial galvanic operations.
- Precious Metal Baths (Edelmetallbäder): Electrolyte solutions for gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium electroplating processes. Sold as consumable chemical products to industrial customers.
- Precious Metal Compounds (Edelmetallverbindungen): High-purity precious metal compounds including gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium for industrial applications.
- Re-plating Services (Re-Platinierung): Refurbishment and re-coating services for existing niobium anodes, extending equipment lifecycle and providing cost efficiency for customers.
- Custom Manufacturing (Sonderanfertigungen): Custom anode constructions, specialized electrolytes, reference electrodes, prototyping and small series production for specialized industrial applications.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Metakem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Metakem develops and manufactures form-stable anodes, precious metal electrolyte baths (galvanic baths), and high-purity precious metal compounds for industrial electroplating and surface treatment processes. The company's portfolio spans platinum-coated niobium and titanium anodes, MOX Chromium III anodes, diamond anodes, gold/palladium/platinum/rhodium/ruthenium electrolytes, and cyanide-free gold plating solutions, sold to industrial customers worldwide for use in surface finishing, connector manufacturing, and corrosion protection.
Product overview
METAKEM is a specialty chemicals and electrochemical manufacturing company offering three interconnected product lines: (1) Form-stable anodes including MOX Cr III-anodes, diamond anodes, platinum-coated niobium and titanium anodes, mixed oxide titanium anodes (MOX), shielded anodes, reference electrodes, niobium and titanium cathodes, beaker glass anodes, and expanded metal types, plus re-platinum coating services; (2) Precious metal electrolyte baths (Edelmetallbäder) for galvanic processes including gold (cyanide-free), palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium electrolytes plus stick baths; and (3) High-purity precious metal compounds (Edelmetallverbindungen) of gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium. The company also provides custom manufacturing services (Sonderanfertigungen/Manufaktur) including contract platinum coating, special electrolyte development, anode construction, prototyping, and precious metal recovery/recycling through urban mining. Products are manufactured in Germany and exported to more than 40 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Form-Stable Anodes (Anoden) Dimensionally stable anodes for industrial electrochemical and galvanic applications, including mixed oxide (MOX), diamond, and platinum-coated variants engineered for high corrosion resistance, durability, and optimal current distribution. Sold to industrial electroplating and surface treatment operators.
- Precious Metal Electrolyte Baths (Edelmetallbäder) Electrolyte solutions for industrial electroplating of gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium coatings, including cyanide-free gold electrolytes for environmentally friendly gold plating. Sold as consumable chemical products to industrial customers performing galvanic surface coating.
- Precious Metal Compounds (Edelmetallverbindungen) High-purity precious metal compounds of gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium supplied for industrial applications requiring high chemical purity.
- Re-Platinization of Anodes (Re-Platinierung) Refurbishment and re-coating service for niobium anodes, extending equipment lifecycle and delivering performance equal to newly coated components for industrial electroplating customers.
- Custom Manufacturing (Sonderanfertigungen / Manufaktur) Custom manufacturing services including single and special productions, individual coating solutions, anode constructions, specialized electrolytes, reference electrodes, prototyping, and small series production for specialized industrial requirements.
- Contract Platinum Coating (Lohnbeschichtung Platin) Contract platinum coating service applied to customer-provided components, offering external platinum coating capacity for industrial customers requiring high-quality platinum surfaces.
- Precious Metal Recovery / Urban Mining Precious metal recovery and recycling service using Urban Mining techniques, including analysis procedures (ICP, RFA) and precious metal management for weight accounts. Closes the precious metal cycle for industrial customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Re-platinierten Niob-Anoden weisen die gleiche Leistungsfähigkeit wie neu beschichtete Komponenten auf (Re-plated niobium anodes exhibit the same performance as newly coated components)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Metakem
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Metakem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Metakem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hochschule Mittweida (HSMW)minorResearch and development partnership with the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida for collaborative work in electrochemistry and surface technology.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Metakem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- American Elements: US-based manufacturer and supplier of high-purity precious-metal compounds and materials, overlapping with Metakem's Edelmetallverbindungen and serving similar industrial and research customers with a more catalog-driven model.
Direct peers
- Technic Inc. US-based specialty manufacturer of precious-metal plating chemistries, anodes, and electronic-grade finishes serving connector, electronics, and industrial customers — a close functional analogue to Metakem's anode + electrolyte stack.
- Drijfhout: Dutch precious-metals refiner and supplier of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium products for industrial and jewelry applications, competing in the same precious-metal compounds and recovery niche as Metakem.
- Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo (Tanaka Precious Metals): Japanese specialist in precious-metal plating solutions, electroplating chemicals, and refining/recovery, competing head-to-head with Metakem in Au/Pd/Pt/Rh electrolytes and connector/electronics plating.
Broad incumbents
- Heraeus: German precious-metals and technology group offering gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium plating solutions and precious-metal compounds, directly overlapping Metakem's Edelmetallbäder and Edelmetallverbindungen lines with a much broader portfolio.
- Johnson Matthey: UK-based precious-metals and catalysts group with a long-standing precious-metal plating chemicals and refining business, directly comparable in precious-metal chemistry to Metakem's Edelmetallverbindungen and refining operations.
- MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions (Element Solutions): Major supplier of plating chemistries for electronics and industrial surface finishing, with overlapping precious-metal and decorative plating product lines that compete for the same connector and industrial customers.
- Umicore: Belgian materials technology group with a large Electroplating and Precious Metals Chemistry division supplying precious-metal electrolytes, anodes, and processes to the same galvanic and connector customers as Metakem, but at far greater global scale.
- Coventya: European specialty chemicals company focused on decorative and functional surface finishing, offering plating chemistries and anodes for the same industrial galvanic customers served by Metakem.
- Atotech (MKS Instruments): Global supplier of specialty chemistry and equipment for surface finishing, including precious-metal plating baths and anodes, addressing the same galvanic and connector end-markets as Metakem at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Metakem social profiles
Digital presenceMetakem compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Metakem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Metakem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Metakem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Metakem 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 Metakem
What does Metakem do?
Metakem develops and manufactures form-stable anodes, precious metal electrolyte baths (galvanic baths), and high-purity precious metal compounds for industrial electroplating and surface treatment processes. The company's portfolio spans platinum-coated niobium and titanium anodes, MOX Chromium III anodes, diamond anodes, gold/palladium/platinum/rhodium/ruthenium electrolytes, and cyanide-free gold plating solutions, sold to industrial customers worldwide for use in surface finishing, connector manufacturing, and corrosion protection.
Is Metakem a public or private company?
Metakem is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Metakem founded?
Metakem was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Metakem based?
Metakem is headquartered in Usingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Metakem make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Formstable Anodes (Anoden) is the primary driver. The others are precious Metal Baths (Edelmetallbäder), precious Metal Compounds (Edelmetallverbindungen), re-plating Services (Re-Platinierung) and custom Manufacturing (Sonderanfertigungen).
Who are Metakem's main competitors?
American Elements is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Technic Inc., Drijfhout and Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo (Tanaka Precious Metals). Broad incumbents are Heraeus, Johnson Matthey, MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions (Element Solutions), Umicore, Coventya and Atotech (MKS Instruments).
Does Metakem have an API?
No public API is recorded for Metakem.
What industry is Metakem in?
Metakem's product category is Electrochemistry Equipment and Specialty Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAKAK, Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives), with a secondary code of IMAEAGAB, Industrial & Protective Coatings. Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 2810.