Holzapfel Group

What Holzapfel Group does

Holzapfel Group (legally Holzapfel Metallveredelung GmbH) is a German industrial surface finishing specialist headquartered in Sinn, Hessen, providing anti-corrosive, functional, and decorative coatings via galvanic and electrochemical processes. Founded circa 1949 and operating for more than 75 years, the company serves B2B customers across automotive (its primary segment), electrical, mechanical and plant engineering, defense, mining, hydrogen technology, and consumer goods industries, applying zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel, tin, chemical nickel, copper, and manganese phosphate coatings alongside organic finishes such as KTL and powder coating. Its portfolio includes proprietary technologies such as the award-winning Sinter Surface Solutions process for porous sintered materials, Variable Rack Technology for flexible galvanizing, Ultra-Thin Powder Coating (20–40 µm), and Duplex/Triplex combination coating systems, with a dedicated hydrogen-electrolysis capability (H2-Gamechanger) in place since 2005. The business operates on a direct sales, quote-based professional services model — customers supply components for coating rather than purchasing chemicals or equipment — supplemented by lab/testing, process development, and prototype industrialization services under the 'Clever Coating / Services / Processes / Future Solutions' brands. The company is family-controlled and completed a generational leadership transition in March 2025, with new CEO André Steffen and COO Sascha Winkelmann succeeding Hans-Ludwig Blaas, who moved to an advisory board chairmanship.

Name

Holzapfel Group

Legal name

Holzapfel Metallveredelung GmbH

Website

https://holzapfel-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Holzapfel Group is a German B2B galvanic surface finishing specialist providing corrosion-protective, functional, decorative, and organic coatings for manufacturers in automotive, electrical, mechanical engineering, defense, mining, hydrogen technology, and consumer goods industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Surface Finishing & Electroplating Services

NAICS

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation) (IMAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)

Keywords

• Industrial surface finishing
• Galvanic coating services
• Corrosion protection coatings
• Electroplating surface treatment
• Functional decorative coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Sinn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Surface Finishing and Coating Services: Industrial B2B surface treatment services including corrosion-protective coatings (zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel), functional coatings (tin, chemically nickel, copper, manganese phosphatizing), decorative coatings (anodizing/eloxal, nickel, stainless steel black oxidizing, powder coating), organic coatings (KTL electrophoretic coating, powder coatings), and impregnation/coating of sintered materials. Services delivered via barrel galvanizing and rack galvanizing methods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Holzapfel Group is a German industrial service provider specializing in galvanic surface finishing and electroplating. It applies metallic, organic, and combination coatings (zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel, tin, chemical nickel, copper, KTL, powder coating, anodizing) onto customer workpieces to deliver corrosion protection, functional performance (wear resistance, conductivity), and decorative finishes. The company also offers proprietary Sinter Surface Solutions for porous powder-metallurgical components and specialized nickel coatings for hydrogen technology applications.

Product overview

Holzapfel Group is a surface treatment specialist (Galvanotechnik/metallurgy) operating under the 'clever coating' brand. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of surface coating and treatment solutions organized into five main process categories: (1) Korrosionsschützende Beschichtungen (corrosion-protecting coatings including zinc, zinc-iron, zinc-nickel alloys, and nickel sulfamate), (2) Funktionelle Beschichtungen (functional coatings including tin, chemical nickel, copper, and manganese phosphatizing), (3) Dekorative Beschichtungen (decorative coatings including anodizing/Eloxal variants and powder coating), (4) Organische Beschichtungen (organic coatings including KTL cataphoretic dip painting and ultra-thin powder coatings), and (5) Imprägnieren & Beschichten (sintered material treatment via proprietary Sinter Surface Solutions). Supporting services include mechanical pre-treatments (sandblasting, shot blasting), Duplex/Triplex combination coatings, and specialized solution packages under Clever Coating/Services/Processes Solutions umbrellas. The company has a dedicated H2-Gamechanger initiative for hydrogen technology applications since 2005, providing specialized nickel coatings for water electrolysis components. Additional offerings include Future Solutions (prototype management, industrialization, automation), a Galvapedia technical glossary, and laboratory/testing services. The portfolio is applied across industries including automotive, electromobility, electrical, machinery/plant engineering, mining, defense, hydrogen, and consumer goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corrosion-Protecting Coatings (Korrosionsschützende Beschichtungen)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nickel coatings reduce overvoltages in water electrolysis for hydrogen production
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Atotech (Element Solutions): Global leader in surface finishing chemistry for electronics and industrial markets, including zinc, zinc-nickel and decorative plating processes used by service shops like Holzapfel. Larger incumbent setting process standards Holzapfel's lines must meet.
• Bodycote: Global, publicly listed provider of thermal processing and specialist surface treatments to industrial markets. Larger, more diversified incumbent with comparable exposure to automotive and industrial finishing customers.
• Coventya: European supplier of surface treatment chemistry and processes (zinc, zinc-nickel, decorative, functional) serving galvanic shops and OEMs. Establishes comparable process know-how and end-market exposure, albeit as a chemistry supplier rather than a service shop.
• Aalberts Surface Technologies: Division of Aalberts N.V. providing industrial surface treatments including plating, anodizing and coating across Europe and beyond. Larger, publicly listed incumbent with a broader portfolio and multi-country footprint relative to Holzapfel.

Direct peers

• Kiesow Oberflächentechnik: German galvanic surface finishing specialist offering zinc, zinc-nickel, tin, chemical nickel, anodizing, powder coating and duplex systems — a direct like-for-like competitor to Holzapfel's process portfolio serving similar German industrial customers.
• SurTec International: German-headquartered supplier of specialty chemicals and processes for electroplating and surface finishing used by galvano service shops and OEMs. Comparable technical depth in zinc, zinc-nickel, and decorative finishing chemistry.
• Grillo Galvanotechnik (Voigt & Schweisser): German family-owned group with a galvanizing and surface technology division serving automotive and industrial customers. Overlaps directly with Holzapfel's zinc/zinc-nickel service offering and family-owned German Mittelstand profile.
• Galvano Weis: Mid-sized German galvanic surface finishing company offering zinc, nickel, tin and related coatings to regional industrial customers. Most directly comparable on a German Mittelstand service-shop basis.
• Walter Hempel Galvanische Oberflächentechnik: Mid-sized German electroplating service provider delivering zinc, nickel, tin and anodizing services to industrial OEMs. Directly comparable in scale, location (Germany) and surface-finishing service offering.
• Dörken MKS-Systeme: German manufacturer and applicator of corrosion-protection coating systems (zinc flake, zinc-nickel) supplying automotive and industrial OEMs. Overlaps directly with Holzapfel's corrosion-protective coatings line and similar customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAI9pg__S_1zRl1l6s9G-8Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holzapfel-group/posts/?feedView=all

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Holzapfel Group