Leist

Name

Leist

Legal name

Leist Oberflächentechnik GmbH

Website

https://leist.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bad Hersfeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Surface treatment services: B2B contract manufacturing providing surface finishing services including zinc flake, electroplating, hot-dip galvanizing, thread locking, and related treatments for automotive and industrial customers. Services include complete packages with inspection, packaging, and just-in-time logistics for OEM delivery.
2. Custom surface solution development: Development of new processes to meet specific customer requirements, working collaboratively with customers and material manufacturers to implement solutions in series production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Leist is a B2B surface treatment and finishing service provider that delivers custom corrosion-protection and functional coating solutions for metal components, primarily fasteners and connectors. Its service portfolio spans zinc flake coatings, electroplating (zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel), hot-dip galvanizing, thread locking, cathodic dip painting (CDP), ALU cleaning, and over 60 sealants and lubricants, complemented by 100% automated inspection, packaging, and just-in-time logistics for direct OEM delivery. The company operates from three European facilities (Bad Hersfeld, Fambach, Jičín) and a 1,000 m² laboratory and technology center.

Product overview

Leist is a surface coating service provider offering comprehensive surface finishing solutions through multiple specialized service lines. The core offerings include zinc flake coatings (GEOMET, Delta Protekt, Delta Tone, Magni systems), electroplating services (zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel, Zinklad), thread locking solutions, hot-dip galvanizing, cathodic dip painting (CDP), and ALU cleaning. Supporting services include 100% automated inspection and packaging, and application of over 60 different sealants, lubricants, and oils. The company operates from 3 locations in Germany and Czech Republic, serving automotive, mechanical/electrical engineering, construction, and renewable energy sectors. R&D facilities span over 1000 m² for testing, analysis, and development of new surface solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zinc Flake Coatings Non-electrolytically applied zinc flake coatings providing cathodic corrosion protection through a mixture of zinc and aluminum flakes bonded by an inorganic matrix. Includes GEOMET, Delta Protekt, Delta Tone, and Magni coating systems. For automotive, mechanical engineering, and industrial customers.
• Electroplating (Galvanik) Electrolytically applied zinc and zinc alloy coatings (zinc-iron, zinc-nickel) through electrochemical deposition. Includes passivation, sealing, and lubricant treatment options. For automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and industrial component manufacturers.
• Thread Locking (Gewindesicherung) Spot and all-round coatings on connecting elements for thread security. Includes adhesive, locking (polyamide), sealing, and partial lubricant coating options according to DIN 267 standards. For automotive, wind power, and industrial fastener customers.
• Hot-Dip Galvanizing (Feuerverzinkung) Immersion of materials in molten zinc creating zinc-iron alloy layers for resistance against atmospheric, chemical, thermal, and mechanical loads. Includes Leist's proprietary self-developed rack process producing ready-to-build wind power fasteners installable without thread rolling. For wind power, construction, and industrial customers.
• ALU Cleaning Degreasing and chemical cleaning including brightening of aluminum parts, with subsequent lubricant coating or sealant application to set desired friction coefficient. Chromium-VI-free, Pb-free, Cd-free, RoHS-compliant. For automotive and industrial aluminum component manufacturers.
• 100% Automated Inspection and Packaging Automated inspection and sorting systems checking for foreign bodies, internal drive carryover, head cracks, and geometric shape/dimensional deviations. Includes precision packing, labeling, and direct OEM shipping. For automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
• Sealants, Lubricants, and Oils Over 60 different sealants and lubricants applied to electroplated or zinc flake coated workpieces. Includes topcoats such as Plus VL, Delta Seal, Finigard, plus dry film lubricants and corrosion protection oils. For automotive and industrial fastener and component customers.
• Cathodic Dip Painting (CDP) Electrochemical coating process ideal as basecoat for complicated structures and large quantities. Covers small parts (drum process) to complicated geometries (rack process). Available in CDP black, DCDP black, and Zinc + CDP black variants. For automotive and industrial component manufacturers.
• Zinc Phosphating Thin-layer and thick-layer zinc phosphating combined with oiling for temporary corrosion protection. Includes Gardorol CP 8006 oiling for phosphated production parts. For automotive and industrial component customers.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Henkel (Adhesive Technologies): Global leader in thread locking adhesives and sealants under the Loctite brand, directly competing with Leist's thread locking (Gewindesicherung) service line. Larger incumbent with much broader industrial portfolio, including the DIN 267-compliant coating technologies Leist applies.
• Atotech (MKS Instruments): Global specialty chemicals company providing plating chemistry and surface finishing solutions, now part of MKS Instruments. Comparable as a broad supplier of zinc and zinc-nickel electroplating chemistries (e.g., Zinklad) that Leist uses in its galvanik service line.
• NOF Metal Coatings Europe: Manufacturer of GEOMET zinc flake coatings that Leist applies as a service. Partner/co-inhabitant of the same value chain — NOF develops and licenses coating chemistry while Leist is an approved applicator. Relevant peer because it represents the technology stack Leist builds services around.
• Dörken MKS Systems: Manufacturer of Delta Protekt, Delta Tone, and Delta Seal coating systems used in zinc flake and corrosion protection applications. Leist applies these Dörken products in its service operations, making Dörken a technology supplier and adjacent incumbent in the same coatings ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Aalberts Surface Technologies: Largest European surface treatment service group (formerly Impreglon), operating dozens of sites across Europe providing coatings including zinc flake, electroplating, and hot-dip galvanizing. Directly comparable business model serving automotive and industrial OEMs at much larger scale.
• Zinkpower Group: Leading European hot-dip galvanizing service group with 60+ plants across Europe. Direct competitor to Leist's hot-dip galvanizing line, serving construction, wind energy, and infrastructure customers with comparable rack and drum processes.
• WIEGEL Group: German family-owned hot-dip galvanizing and surface treatment group operating multiple plants in Germany and Central Europe. Closely comparable to Leist in terms of family ownership structure, German Mittelstand focus, and mix of galvanizing plus additional coating services.
• Voigt & Schweitzer Group: German hot-dip galvanizing service group with operations across Germany and Europe. Directly comparable to Leist's galvanizing service line, serving similar automotive, construction, and renewable energy fastener customers.

Emerging players

• SurTec (Freudenberg Chemical Specialities): Surface treatment chemicals supplier offering cleaning, pretreatment, and coating chemistry for metal finishing. Comparable niche player serving surface treatment service providers and OEMs with comparable coating chemistry portfolios to what Leist applies.
• Coventya: Specialty chemicals supplier focused on surface finishing for automotive, fasteners, and industrial applications. Comparable emerging player providing zinc and zinc-alloy plating chemistries used by surface treatment service companies like Leist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Leist