Advanced Chemical Etching
Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) is a UK-based precision manufacturer that produces photo-etched metal components via chemical etching, serving aerospace, automotive, and medical customers across more than 33 countries with £9m in 2025 turnover.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersWalford, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Advanced Chemical Etching does
Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) is a UK-based precision manufacturer founded in 2000 and headquartered in Telford, Shropshire. The company produces photo-etched metal components using chemical etching processes, serving the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors across more than 33 countries. ACE reached a cumulative production milestone of 150 million components during its 25th anniversary in 2025.
The company's competitive position rests on 25 years of accumulated etching process expertise, AS9100 aerospace quality management accreditation obtained in 2024, and a demonstrated 100% on-time delivery and right-first-time quality record. Its aerospace vertical is anchored by a core supply relationship with Collins Aerospace, which awarded ACE the RTX Premier Award for Business Management in 2024. Workforce stood at 70 employees following a headcount increase tied to a 5% rise in demand.
ACE generates revenue through hardware sales of precision-manufactured components, with turnover of £9m reported for 2025, up 5% year-over-year. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting regulated aerospace customers, with parallel penetration of automotive and medical verticals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the company is privately held with no parent or institutional investor identified in available sources.
Advanced Chemical Etching firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Advanced Chemical Etching
- Legal name
- Advanced Chemical Etching
- Website
- https://ace-uk.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) is a UK-based precision manufacturer that produces photo-etched metal components via chemical etching, serving aerospace, automotive, and medical customers across more than 33 countries with £9m in 2025 turnover.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Advanced Chemical Etching is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Walford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Advanced Chemical Etching business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Precision Component Manufacturing: ACE generates revenue through manufacturing precision components using chemical etching processes for aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors. Turnover reached £9m in 2025.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Advanced Chemical Etching product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) manufactures precision photo-etched metal components for the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors using proprietary chemical etching processes. The company produces high-precision components in high volumes, holding AS9100 aerospace quality certification, and supplies customers in over 33 countries globally. ACE operates as a unified precision manufacturing service from its Telford, UK facility, having produced more than 150 million components over its 25-year history.
Product overview
Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) is a precision manufacturer specializing in chemical etching processes. The company operates as a single unified manufacturing service rather than a platform with distinct named products. ACE produces precision-engineered components across multiple sectors including aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. Based in Telford, UK, the company has a 25-year history and produces components for customers in over 33 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Precision Chemical Etching Manufacturing Contract manufacturing service that produces precision photo-etched metal components via chemical etching processes for customers in the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors. Customers include global enterprises such as Collins Aerospace; the service is delivered from ACE's Telford, UK facility and shipped to customers in over 33 countries.
Companies that use Advanced Chemical Etching
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Advanced Chemical Etching technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Advanced Chemical Etching partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Collins AerospacecoreCollins Aerospace, a global aerospace supplier, awarded ACE the RTX Premier Award for Business Management in 2024, recognizing ACE as the only UK company to achieve this recognition. ACE supplies precision components to Collins Aerospace and has maintained 100% on-time delivery and right-first-time quality scores throughout 2024. This represents a core strategic customer relationship spanning multiple years of collaboration.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Advanced Chemical Etching competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Precision Micro Ltd: UK-based photo chemical etching manufacturer serving aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors. Direct competitor with overlapping process technology, customer base, and end-market exposure to ACE.
- Tecan Components (Etch Group): UK precision etching specialist offering photo chemical etching and related services. Competes head-to-head with ACE for aerospace and industrial component contracts in the UK and Europe.
- BHC Components: UK-based precision metal component manufacturer with etching capabilities serving aerospace and electronic connector markets. Overlapping service offering and customer verticals with ACE.
- Wells Photo Etching: UK precision photo etching supplier targeting aerospace and industrial customers. Direct process competitor with analogous scale and customer-type focus to ACE.
- Presscut Industries: UK precision engineering firm offering chemical etching, laser cutting, and stamping. Competes with ACE for industrial precision components across automotive and general manufacturing segments.
- Great Lakes Metal Treating: US photochemical etching and metal finishing specialist serving aerospace and defence primes. Comparable scale and process technology to ACE with overlapping aerospace customer base.
- Viking Engineering: UK precision component manufacturer with chemical etching and metal stamping capabilities. Competes for similar low-volume, high-precision work across aerospace and industrial end markets.
- Tech-Etch Inc: US-based photochemical etching manufacturer serving aerospace, medical, and electronics markets. Closest US analogue to ACE with similar precision component value proposition and AS9100-equivalent certifications.
- Photo Etch Services (Etch Group): UK precision photo etching firm targeting aerospace, electronics, and medical applications. Operates the same process technology and competes for similar component manufacturing RFQs as ACE.
Broad incumbents
- Collins Aerospace (RTX): Global Tier 1 aerospace supplier and ACE's anchor customer. While not a peer in the manufacturing sense, RTX represents the dominant buyer ecosystem in which ACE competes for precision-etched component slots.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Advanced Chemical Etching compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Advanced Chemical Etching financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Advanced Chemical Etching leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Advanced Chemical Etching funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Advanced Chemical Etching 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 Advanced Chemical Etching
What does Advanced Chemical Etching do?
Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) manufactures precision photo-etched metal components for the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors using proprietary chemical etching processes. The company produces high-precision components in high volumes, holding AS9100 aerospace quality certification, and supplies customers in over 33 countries globally. ACE operates as a unified precision manufacturing service from its Telford, UK facility, having produced more than 150 million components over its 25-year history.
Is Advanced Chemical Etching a public or private company?
Advanced Chemical Etching is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Advanced Chemical Etching founded?
Advanced Chemical Etching was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Advanced Chemical Etching based?
Advanced Chemical Etching is headquartered in Walford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Advanced Chemical Etching make money?
One revenue line is on record: precision Component Manufacturing.
Who are Advanced Chemical Etching's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Precision Micro Ltd, Tecan Components (Etch Group), BHC Components, Wells Photo Etching, Presscut Industries, Great Lakes Metal Treating, Viking Engineering, Tech-Etch Inc and Photo Etch Services (Etch Group). Collins Aerospace (RTX) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Advanced Chemical Etching have an API?
No public API is recorded for Advanced Chemical Etching.