What Metalux does

Metalux Metallveredelung GmbH is a privately held German surface-treatment job shop headquartered in Altlußheim, founded in 1975 and operating for approximately 50 years. The company applies specialized coating and finishing processes to aluminum and other metals, with a service portfolio of nine core techniques: anodizing, hard anodizing, chromating (including chrom(VI)-free variants), chromic acid anodizing, electroless nickel plating, passivation, powder coating, laser processing, and masking. An in-house research laboratory tests coating thickness, material properties, and corrosion resistance, serving as the company's quality-assurance and process-development backbone. The firm is NADCAP-accredited, a prerequisite for safety-critical aerospace and defense work, and holds memberships in German industry associations including BDLi and ZVO.

The company serves enterprise customers in aviation, space/aerospace, defense technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and automotive, with aviation and space/aerospace identified as primary verticals. Pain points addressed include corrosion protection, wear resistance, dimensional precision, regulatory compliance, and environmental compatibility. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales with appointment booking through a multi-language corporate website (German, English, French), supported by trade-show participation (notably ILA Berlin 2026) and targeted career-fair recruiting.

Metalux generates revenue through professional services: quote-based unit pricing for each surface-treatment process, with variation driven by part complexity, batch size, material alloy, and certification requirements, and minimum-order surcharges on small batches. The firm is privately held under sole managing director Hendrik del Rosario, with no parent company, no disclosed external investors, and no recorded funding rounds, acquisitions, or restructuring events in the source material. Marketing is primarily B2B and industry-specific, with industry association memberships reinforcing credibility within the German aerospace and surface-technology ecosystems.

Name

Metalux

Legal name

Metalux Metallveredelung GmbH

Website

https://metalux.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Metalux is a German surface-treatment services company that provides anodizing, hard anodizing, chromating, electroless nickel plating, powder coating, laser processing, and masking for aluminum and metal components. It serves enterprise customers in aerospace, space, defense, automotive, mechanical engineering, and electronics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Surface Treatment Services

NAICS

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)

Keywords

• Surface treatment services
• Metal finishing
• Anodizing services
• Powder coating services
• Aerospace coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Altlußheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Surface Treatment Services: Metalux generates revenue through providing surface treatment and coating services including anodizing, hard anodizing, chromating, chemical nickel plating, passivation, powder coating, lasering, and masking for aluminum and metal components. Services are customized per customer and industry requirements, with pricing based on part complexity, treatment type, and volume.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Metalux Metallveredelung GmbH is a German surface treatment services provider specializing in coating and finishing processes for aluminum and metals. The company offers nine distinct industrial processes including anodizing, hard anodizing, chromating, chromic acid anodizing, electroless nickel plating, passivation, powder coating, laser processing, and masking, complemented by an in-house quality assurance laboratory. Services are customized for safety-critical industries such as aerospace, aviation, defense, mechanical engineering, electronics, and automotive.

Product overview

Metalux Metallveredelung GmbH is a surface treatment services company offering a portfolio of specialized coating and finishing processes for aluminum and metals. The core offerings consist of nine distinct surface treatment services: Eloxieren (anodizing), Harteloxieren (hard anodizing), Chromatieren von Aluminium (chromating), Chromsäure eloxieren (chromic acid anodizing), Chemisch vernickeln (electroless nickel plating), Passivieren (passivation), Pulverbeschichtung (powder coating), Lasern (laser processing), and Maskieren (masking). These are complemented by a product window size specification and an in-house quality assurance laboratory. The services are applied across demanding industries including aerospace, aviation, defense, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and automotive. Metalux operates from its headquarters in Altlussheim, Germany, and serves international customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• METALUX Neo: An initiative or program under the Metalux company umbrella, mentioned in the company section of the website.

Products and services

• Anodizing (Eloxieren) Creates a hard, wear-resistant oxide layer firmly bonded to aluminum — functional or decorative — with very good corrosion resistance. Used for corrosion protection and wear resistance across aerospace, automotive, and mechanical engineering applications.
• Hard Anodizing (Harteloxieren) Produces an extremely hard, ceramic-like oxide layer on aluminum providing ideal protection against corrosion, abrasion, and mechanical stress for highly stressed components.
• Chromating of Aluminium (Chromatieren) Chemical conversion layer that improves corrosion protection of aluminum and creates an optimal adhesion base, also available in environmentally friendly chrom(VI)-free versions.
• Chromic Acid Anodizing (Chromsäure eloxieren) Special anodizing process creating an elastic oxide layer with good corrosion protection, ideal as an adhesion base for bonding and painting processes, particularly used in aviation.
• Electroless Nickel Plating (Chemisch vernickeln) Electroless nickel-phosphorus coating providing high dimensional stability, wear protection, chemical resistance, and good electrical conductivity for precision components.
• Passivation (Passivieren) Chemical treatment that strengthens the natural passive layer on stainless steel, providing corrosion protection with self-healing properties.
• Powder Coating (Pulverbeschichtung) Solvent-free, robust coating offering excellent corrosion protection, color fidelity, and mechanical durability without heavy metals.
• Laser Processing (Lasern) Enables precise labeling, cleaning, or structuring of surfaces — contactless, accurate, and without chemical residue.
• Masking (Maskieren) Precise covering protects defined areas such as sealing surfaces or drill holes during anodizing, plating, or painting for functional and dimensionally accurate results.
• In-house Laboratory Services In-house laboratory for testing material properties, coating thickness, and corrosion resistance using state-of-the-art methods to ensure consistent quality and process innovation.

Segments6 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SCE (likely Deutsche Gesellschaft für Galvano- und Oberflächentechnik or similar)minorOthersIndustry membership organization for surface technology. Logo displayed in footer indicating membership.
• NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program)coreOthersNADCAP accreditation demonstrates Metalux meets stringent aerospace and defense industry quality standards for surface treatment processes.
• LRBW (likely related to Rhineland-Palatinate business network)minorOthersRegional business network membership. Logo displayed in footer.
• BDLi (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie)minorOthersGerman Aerospace Industries Association membership. Logo displayed in footer.
• ZVO (Zentralverband Oberflächentechnik)minorOthersGerman Central Association for Surface Technology. Logo displayed in footer.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bodycote: UK-listed global leader in heat treatment and surface treatment services serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial OEMs. Larger and broader than Metalux, but directly competes for the same aerospace surface finishing contracts.
• Oerlikon Balzers (Oerlikon Surface Solutions): Swiss-headquartered global provider of PVD/CVD coatings and surface treatments with deep aerospace and automotive penetration; competes with Metalux in functional and decorative aluminum finishing for high-spec industries.
• Mersen: French-listed specialty materials and components company serving aerospace, electronics, and industrial markets with high-performance coatings and engineered surfaces — adjacent competitor for aerospace surface treatment work.
• Praxair Surface Technologies: Subsidiary of Linde plc providing thermal spray coatings, diffusion coatings, and other surface treatments primarily for aerospace engine and airframe customers — competes for the same NADCAP-style aerospace finishing contracts as Metalux.
• IHI Hauzer Techno Coating: European provider of PVD/PACVD coating equipment and services for automotive, aerospace, and tooling applications — comparable customer base and finishing-process orientation to Metalux.
• Atotech (MKS Instruments): Global supplier of chemistry and equipment for surface finishing, now part of MKS Instruments, serving electronics, automotive, and industrial finishing customers — comparable end-markets and chemistry-driven processes to Metalux.

Direct peers

• HEF Group: French specialist in surface engineering and tribology with strong aerospace and defense customer base, offering anodizing, plating, PVD/CVD coatings, and related processes — competing head-to-head with Metalux for European aerospace finishing work.
• Aalberts Surface Technologies: Division of Aalberts N.V. providing surface treatments including anodizing, plating, and heat treatment for aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers across Europe — directly comparable to Metalux's service portfolio and aerospace certification focus.

Regional players

• Dörken MKS: German-based specialist in corrosion protection coatings and surface treatment systems, serving industrial and automotive customers — comparable to Metalux's powder coating and functional metal finishing portfolio.
• SurTec International (Freudenberg): German surface treatment chemistry and process specialist (part of Freudenberg) offering anodizing, chromating, and plating chemistries and contract services — overlapping with Metalux's chromating/anodizing portfolio in the DACH market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Metalux