Custom Plating Specialist

What Custom Plating Specialist does

Custom Plating Specialist, Inc. (CPS) is a privately held, Wisconsin-based chrome plating and metal restoration service company founded in 1986 and owned since July 2004 by Terry Meetz. Operating from a single facility in Brillion, WI, the company employs 8 people (6 full-time, 2 part-time) and serves individual enthusiasts and small restoration shops owning vintage automobiles, hot rods, motorcycles, vintage boats, bicycles, and antiques globally via mail-in shipping and an event-driven field presence at car shows and swap meets across at least eight U.S. states.

The company's core technical offering is a proprietary triple-plating process that sequentially deposits copper, nickel, and chrome layers onto metal parts, supplemented by metal restoration capabilities including welding repair, dent and crack remediation, electrolysis cleaning, media blasting, and hand polishing. CPS differentiates on its ability to restore heavily deteriorated pot metal and diecast parts from the 1920s–1930s that competitors decline, and employs a part tracking system combining photography and engraving to ensure parts are always returned to their original owners. Typical job turnaround is 16–20 weeks.

Revenue is generated one job at a time through quote-based pricing with no disclosed contracts, recurring fees, or subscription model. Distribution is entirely direct-to-customer via website quote requests, in-person delivery to the Brillion shop, and direct part handoff at car shows. Marketing relies on a mix of event presence, word-of-mouth referrals, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), and earned media coverage in classic car and hot rod industry publications. The company has no external investors, no subsidiaries, no patents on file, and operates as an independent, family-owned craft business.

Name

Custom Plating Specialist

Legal name

Custom Plating Specialist, Inc.

Website

https://customplatingspecialist.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Custom Plating Specialist is a privately held Wisconsin chrome plating and metal restoration service that serves individual classic car, motorcycle, boat, and antique enthusiasts worldwide using a proprietary triple-plating process, with all work performed at a single Brillion facility by an 8-person team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Plating and Restoration 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

Automotive Surface Materials & Coatings for Interiors/Exteriors Manufacturing (Upholstery Materials/Decor Films/Paints for Trim) (IMACAKAL)

Keywords

• Chrome plating services
• Metal restoration services
• Classic car restoration
• Triple plating process
• Vintage part restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Brillion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Chrome Plating Services: One-time service fees for chrome plating metal parts. Jobs include stripping old plating, metal finishing, copper plating, polishing, nickel plating, chrome plating, waxing, and shipping. Typical turnaround is 16-20 weeks for most jobs, with longer bumpers taking up to 20 weeks.
2. Restoration Services: Metal restoration services including welding repairs, dent removal, crack repair, and surface restoration before chrome plating. Restoration work addresses rotted, pitted, or damaged parts to restore them to better-than-original condition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Custom Plating Specialist provides custom chrome plating and metal restoration services for vehicles, motorcycles, bikes, boats, and antiques. The company uses a proprietary triple plating process (copper, nickel, chrome) along with full metal restoration including welding, sanding, buffing, and polishing to restore deteriorated or damaged parts to concours-quality condition. Services are sold as per-project custom jobs with free estimates provided via website or at car shows.

Product overview

Custom Plating Specialist is a chrome plating and metal restoration service company offering two core services: Chrome Plating (using a triple-plate process of copper, nickel, and chrome) and Restoration (repair and re-chroming of damaged parts). The company provides specialized restoration categories including car restoring, grille restoration, light restoration, radio restoration, vintage boat restoration, and custom plating projects. All services are backed by over 150 years of combined experience among staff, with typical job completion taking 16-20 weeks. The company serves clients globally from their Brillion, Wisconsin facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chrome Plating Professional chrome plating service for individual vehicle owners and restorers, delivered via a triple-plate process (copper, nickel, chrome) for superior durability and finish. Typical turnaround is 16-20 weeks.
• Metal Restoration Restoration service addressing rotted, pitted, cracked, or damaged parts before chrome plating. Includes welding repairs, dent removal, copper plating to fill deep pitting, and surface restoration. Targets vintage car, motorcycle, and antique part owners.
• Free Quote Service Quote-based estimate service where customers submit photos of parts through the website to receive a free price estimate before committing to plating or restoration work.
• Vintage Car and Hot Rod Restoration Specialized restoration services for classic and vintage automobile components (grilles, tail lights, headlights, radios, hood ornaments) targeting collectors and restorers of cars from the 1920s through 1950s.
• Motorcycle Chrome Plating Chrome plating and restoration services for motorcycle frames, handlebars, spokes, rims, and accessories. Targets vintage and custom motorcycle owners.
• Vintage Boat Restoration Chrome plating and restoration of vintage boat hardware, horn rings, steering wheel components, and decorative pieces for antique watercraft owners.
• Custom and Artistic Plating Custom chrome plating for unique, non-automotive projects such as jewelry, art pieces, memorabilia, and other one-of-a-kind items.

Quantifiable outcome

• Parts restored to concours quality, winning classes at Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d'Elegance and Geneva IL Concourse d'Elegance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• MacDermid Enthone (Element Solutions): MacDermid Enthone, now part of Element Solutions, is a global supplier of plating chemistry, equipment, and surface finishing solutions across automotive, electronics, and industrial markets. Comparable as a large-scale incumbent in the broader plating/finishing chemistry supply chain that CPS depends on.
• Atotech (Element Solutions): Atotech, also part of Element Solutions, provides specialty chemicals and plating processes for automotive, electronics, and industrial applications. Comparable as a broader incumbent player in the metal finishing chemistry industry that CPS operates within.

Regional players

• Year One: Year One supplies restoration parts and accessories for classic American muscle cars (Mopar, GM, Ford), serving the same enthusiast demographic as CPS. Comparable as a direct-to-customer brand in the classic car restoration market.
• Brothers Trucks: Brothers Trucks specializes in restoration parts for classic Chevrolet and GMC trucks from 1947-1987, serving the same American classic vehicle enthusiast market as CPS. Comparable as a regional brand in the classic vehicle restoration ecosystem.
• Classic Industries: Classic Industries is a leading US retailer of restoration parts for classic GM vehicles, serving the same hobbyist customer base as CPS. Comparable as a brand and customer-acquisition channel in the classic car restoration ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Advanced Plating Technologies: Advanced Plating Technologies provides industrial plating services (chrome, nickel, gold, silver) for functional and decorative applications across multiple industries. Directly comparable as a contract plating service provider using similar electrochemical processes to CPS.
• Eastwood: Eastwood sells restoration tools, coatings, and supplies to the classic car and hot rod hobbyist market - the same target customer demographic as CPS. Both serve DIY and professional restorers seeking premium-quality finishing solutions for vintage vehicles.
• Caswell Plating: Caswell sells DIY plating kits, chemistry, and equipment to enthusiasts and small shops - the same plating/finishing process domain as CPS, though serving the hobbyist/DIY segment rather than full-service restoration. Useful comparator for the electroplating chemistry supply chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@customplatingspecialistinc4409
• Facebookfacebook.com/CustomPlatingSpecialistInc/?fref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/custom_plating_specialist/?hl=en

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 Custom Plating Specialist