Empire Metal Finishing

What Empire Metal Finishing does

Empire Metal Finishing is a privately held, third-generation family-owned architectural and decorative metalworking firm headquartered in a 12,000 square foot facility at 24-69 46th Street, Astoria, New York. Founded in 1900 by John Vetrone in lower Manhattan, the company specializes in metal restoration and repair, plating and polishing, custom fabrication, and the application of a catalog of over 35 metal finishes spanning nickel, brass, silver, gold, copper, chrome, bronze, and pewter variants. Its work is executed through a combination of state-of-the-art plating equipment and artisan hand techniques, enabling both contemporary specifications and centuries-old patinas for historic preservation.

The company serves three primary customer segments: architects and designers commissioning custom architectural metalwork (fireplace surrounds, hardware, lighting, furniture, and decorative elements), historic property owners requiring restoration that preserves architectural and decorative integrity, and art collectors and galleries seeking plating, polishing, and patina services for sculptures and decorative pieces. The firm is described as the leading name in architectural restoration in New York City, with earned-media validation across Architectural Digest, World of Interiors, Elle Decor, Town & Country, Veranda, The New York Times, and HC&G. The technical differentiator is depth of finish expertise and craft execution rather than proprietary automation.

The business model is predominantly professional services, with revenue generated through custom, quote-based project commissions under an enterprise field-sales motion that pairs clients directly with Empire's craftspeople for design and material selection. A secondary retail revenue stream exists through an e-commerce storefront selling Empire Metal Originals and vintage items. Marketing relies on earned media, an active Instagram presence, and the company website; no digital advertising or paid acquisition channels were disclosed. The company maintains compliance with EPA, DEC, DEP, OSHA, and FDNY regulations and has no institutional investors, parent company, or public listing.

Name

Empire Metal Finishing

Legal name

Empire Metal

Website

https://empiremetal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empire Metal Finishing is a 124-year-old, family-owned architectural metalworking firm in Astoria, NY, offering custom fabrication, plating, polishing, restoration, and over 35 metal finishes for leading architects, designers, historic property owners, and art collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Metal Finishing Services

NAICS

Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing (332323), Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing (3323)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAIAKAE

Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Services & Facility Operations/Industrial & Commercial Painting, Coating & Surface Treatment

SECONDARYIMADACAE

Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Building Materials & Products/Structural Steel & Metal Building Products

Keywords

• Architectural metal finishing
• Metal plating services
• Metal restoration services
• Custom metal fabrication
• Decorative metalwork

Headquarters

HQ city

Astoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Restoration & Repair Services: Restoration and repair services for metal surfaces, objects, furniture, and lighting. Skilled metal experts work to preserve architectural, decorative, or historic integrity.
2. Metal Plating & Polishing Services: Plating and polishing services including fine mirror finishes, industrial textures, and multi-step patinated polishing processes using both machine and hand techniques.
3. Custom Metal Fabrication: Custom design and fabrication of architectural metal elements including fireplace surrounds, hardware, lighting, and furniture.
4. Metal Products (Empire Metal Originals): Sale of Empire Metal original products and vintage items available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Empire Metal Finishing is a metal fabricator that provides architectural and decorative metal restoration, repair, plating, polishing, and custom fabrication services. The company operates a 12,000 square foot facility in Astoria, Queens, NY, offering over 35 metal finishes across Nickel, Brass, Silver, Gold, Copper, Chrome, Bronze, and Pewter, while also selling select original products and vintage items through its e-commerce platform.

Product overview

Empire Metal is a family-run architectural and decorative metalworking business established in 1900, offering a comprehensive suite of services including Restoration & Repair, Plating & Polishing, Metal Fabrication, and an extensive library of over 35 Metal Finishes. The company operates a 12,000 square foot facility in Astoria, NY, and also sells select products through its e-commerce platform. Services range from preservation of historic metalwork to custom fabrication of architectural elements and furniture, with finishes applied in Nickel, Brass, Silver, Gold, Copper, Chrome, Bronze, and Pewter variants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restoration & Repair Metal restoration and repair services for architectural metal surfaces, objects, furniture, lighting, and decorative elements, ensuring the preservation of architectural, decorative, or historic integrity. The team of skilled metal experts and craftspeople works closely with clients to provide new life to old treasures.
• Plating & Polishing Metal plating and polishing services using both state-of-the-art technologies and artisan hand techniques to achieve fine mirror finishes, industrial textures, or multi-step patinated polishing processes. Capable of centuries-old patinas or specific custom metal colors.
• Metal Fabrication Custom metal fabrication services for fireplace surrounds, strike plates, hardware, lighting, furniture, and architectural elements, including design consultation, material selection, and metal finishing, executed at the 12,000 square foot facility. The team works closely with architects and designers to understand each project's unique requirements, ensuring design drawings, material selections, and metal finishes are optimized for both design intent and process.
• Metal Finishes Library Over 35 metal finishes organized in a gallery including Nickel (Polished, Butler, Burnished, Satin), Brass (Polished, Butler, Burnished, Satin, English, Oil Rubbed variants), Silver (Polished, Butler, Satin, English), Gold (Polished, Butler, Burnished, Satin, Old Gold with Burnishing, Antique Gold, Polished French, Polished Rose), Copper (Polished, Butler, Satin, English), Chrome (Polished, Satin), Bronze (Polished, Satin, English), and Pewter (Medium, Dark) finishes applied over various base metals.
• Empire Metal Originals (E-commerce Products) Empire Metal originals and vintage items available for purchase through the company's e-commerce platform, including decorative metalwork pieces and hardware.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Baker Metalworks: Baker Metalworks is a custom architectural metal fabricator producing ornamental and structural metalwork for commercial and historic projects — directly comparable to Empire Metal's custom fabrication of fireplace surrounds, hardware, lighting, and architectural elements.
• Rocky Mountain Hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware designs and produces bronze architectural hardware with a broad finish palette, serving architects and designers on residential and commercial projects — comparable to Empire Metal in serving the same enterprise designer customer with a wide library of custom metal finishes.
• Hubbardton Forge: Hubbardton Forge is a Vermont-based maker of decorative and architectural metal lighting, home furnishings, and forged metalwork — directly comparable in custom decorative metal fabrication for residential and architectural designers.
• Giusto Manetti Battiloro: Giusto Manetti Battiloro is an Italian producer of gold leaf, silver leaf, and metal leaf finishes used in architectural gilding, restoration, and decorative work — directly comparable to Empire Metal's plating, polishing, and patina application for restoration and decorative metalwork.
• E.R. Butler & Company: E.R. Butler & Company manufactures bespoke architectural hardware and offers an extensive finish library for designers and architects — directly comparable to Empire Metal's premium positioning, custom fabrication, and finish catalog for luxury architectural projects.
• Cardinal Plating: Cardinal Plating is an industrial metal finishing and plating company offering a range of decorative and functional metal finishes — comparable to Empire Metal's plating and polishing services, though serving more industrial/restoration clients across the U.S.
• Nanz Custom Hardware & Co. Nanz Custom Hardware is a New York-based maker of luxury architectural hardware including levers, knobs, escutcheons, and custom metal finishes — directly comparable to Empire Metal's custom hardware fabrication and decorative metal finish library.

Broad incumbents

• Linetec: Linetec is one of the largest architectural metal finishing companies in North America, offering anodizing, painting, and powder coating for window, curtainwall, and architectural metal products — a broad incumbent with overlapping plating/finishing capabilities, though focused on high-volume commercial building envelope work rather than boutique restoration.
• Waterworks: Waterworks is a luxury kitchen, bath, and hardware brand offering designer-grade metal fittings, fixtures, and architectural hardware with proprietary finishes — a broader luxury incumbent that competes with Empire Metal for the same high-end architect and designer relationships, though as part of a much wider home brand portfolio.

Emerging players

• Form & Function Custom Metal: Form & Function Custom Metal is a niche custom metal fabricator specializing in architectural and decorative metalwork — an emerging specialist with partial overlap to Empire Metal's custom fabrication and finishing services for designers and architects.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/empiremetal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-metal-finishing

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 Empire Metal Finishing