What LISS does

LISS, akciová společnost, is a Czech precision surface engineering company founded in 1991 in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Swiss family-owned B.C.I. (Blösch) group. It operates six interconnected service lines: (1) job-coating deposition of hard PVD coatings using exclusive PLATIT technology (cathodic ARC evaporation with LARC and CERC architectures), established 1997; (2) manufacture of luxury watch dials via a globally unique electroforming process for renowned Swiss watchmakers; (3) optical and technical coatings, including anti-reflective coatings for spherical ball lenses, produced in an ISO Class 7 cleanroom; (4) decorative and functional electroplating with precious metals (gold, silver, rhodium, nickel-palladium, copper) via mass, rack, and selective plating; (5) manufacturing of rotational precision components for industrial equipment and automotive systems; and (6) applied R&D, supported by a dedicated optical-coatings R&D centre opened in 2019.

The company's underlying technology stack centres on vacuum thin-film deposition (PVD and PACVD), supplemented by electroforming and electroplating. Coating outputs include TiN, TiCN, ZrN, CrN, TiAlCN, TiAlN, AlTiN, the proprietary nACo® nanocomposite family, MOVIC® MoS2 dry lubricants, and DLC, with hardnesses up to ~45 GPa and friction coefficients as low as 0.1. AR coatings are optimized for 830–1600 nm wavelengths with reflectance below 0.5% on lens diameters from 0.5 to 10 mm. Manufacturing is concentrated at a single Rožnov pod Radhoštěm campus comprising multiple coating halls, a second PLATIT facility, an automatic plating line, and an R&D centre.

LISS generates revenue through professional-services contract work: custom-quoted job coating, contract manufacturing of watch dials and precision components, and applied R&D collaboration. It sells directly to enterprise customers in Central Europe across Swiss luxury watchmaking, automotive, telecom, medical optics, aerospace, and industrial tool sectors, with EU-wide delivery capability for optical coatings. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is project-specific. The company is privately held under B.C.I. group ownership and operates without disclosed external funding.

Name

LISS

Legal name

LISS, akciová společnost

Website

https://liss.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LISS is a Czech precision surface engineering company, founded 1991 and owned by Swiss B.C.I. group, offering PVD coatings, electroformed luxury watch dials, optical AR coatings, electroplating, and precision components to industrial clients across Central Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roznov Pod Radhostem

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PVD Coating Services: Job coating service for tools and precision components using PLATIT PVD technology. Thin, hard coatings deposited to improve performance and lifetime of tools.
2. Watch Dial Manufacturing: Production of luxury watch dials for Swiss watch manufacturers using electroforming technology. Unique process for creating complex multilayer watch faces.
3. Optical & Technical Coatings: Specialized thin-film deposition for optical applications including AR coatings for ball lenses and spherical lenses for telecom, medical, and aerospace applications.
4. Electroplating Services: Decorative and functional electroplating with precious metals (gold, silver, rhodium, nickel-palladium) for watches, precision parts, and automotive components. Includes mass production, rack plating, and selective plating.
5. Precision Components: Manufacturing of rotation precision parts for industrial equipment and automotive systems, with further processing using surface technologies.
6. R&D Services: Applied development services and research cooperation with universities and academic institutions for innovation of processes, products, and diagnostic procedures.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LISS provides precision surface engineering services including job-shop PVD hard coating deposition for tools and precision components using exclusive PLATIT technology, electroforming-based manufacturing of luxury watch dials for Swiss watchmakers, PVD/PACVD anti-reflective optical coatings for ball lenses, decorative and functional precious-metal electroplating (gold, silver, rhodium, nickel-palladium), and rotation precision component manufacturing for industrial and automotive customers. All operations are delivered from a single integrated facility in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic, supported by an in-house R&D centre.

Product overview

LISS is a precision surface engineering company offering a portfolio of six interconnected service lines: Hard PVD Coatings (job coating service using PLATIT technology for tools and precision components since 1997), Watch Dials (luxury watch face manufacturing via electroforming technology for Swiss watchmakers), Optical & Technical Coatings (PVD/PACVD anti-reflective coatings for ball lenses and optical applications), Electroplating (decorative precious metal plating including gold, silver, rhodium with mass, rack, and selective plating methods), Precision Components (rotation precision parts with in-house surface treatment capabilities), and R&D (applied development driving innovation across all service lines). The company is part of the Swiss B.C.I. (Blösch) group and operates from Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hard PVD Coatings (Job Coating Service) Job-shop PVD coating deposition service for tools and precision components using exclusive PLATIT coating technology (cathodic ARC evaporation, LARC, and CERC). Offers TiN, TiCN, ZrN, CrN, TiAlCN, TiAlN, AlTiN, nACo®, nACRo®, nACo4®, nACRo4®, FeinAL®, AIXN3, Duplex TiCN, TiB2-SCiL, MOVIC® and DLC coatings to extend tool life and reduce friction. Targeted at industrial manufacturers of cutting and molding tools.
• Watch Dials (Luxury Watch Face Manufacturing) Luxury watch dial manufacturing using LISS's unique electroforming technology. The process produces complex multilayer watch faces including embossing dies with all details, lettering, surface details, and index markings for renowned Swiss watchmakers.
• Optical & Technical Coatings Advanced thin-film deposition using PVD and PACVD methods for optical applications including anti-reflective (AR) coatings for ball lenses and spherical lenses. Full-surface AR coatings optimised for 830–1600 nm wavelength ranges with typical reflectance below 0.5%; compatible with BK7, lanthanum glass, and sapphire materials. Targeted at telecommunications, medical optics, and aerospace sensor manufacturers.
• Electroplating Services Decorative and functional electroplating with precious metals (Au, Ag, Rh, NiPd, Ni, Cu) for watches, watch faces, and automotive precision components. Includes hard gold plating (120–190 HV), color gold, hard silver (170–240 HV), rhodium (800–900 HV), nickel-palladium (550 Knoop), and decorative copper plating. Methods include mass production (vibration, barrel plating), rack plating, and selective gold plating.
• Precision Components Manufacturing of rotation precision parts for industrial equipment and automotive systems, with optional further processing using LISS surface technologies (Ag, Au plating). Unique products developed in collaboration with customers with fast transfer from development to production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coating hardness up to 45 GPa (nACo®) with service temperature up to 1200°C
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• B.C.I. (Blösch Corporation Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991LISS was founded in 1991 as a daughter company of B.C.I. (Blösch Group), an independent family-owned Swiss company operating in precision surface engineering. B.C.I. was the first Swiss investor in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm and Zlín region. B.C.I. group includes Blösch AG, LISS a.s., Platit AG, and PLATIT a.s.
• Platit AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationSister company providing exclusive PLATIT PVD coating technology. LISS uses PLATIT coating equipment exclusively, based on conventional cathodic ARC evaporation, LARC and CERC technologies.
• PLATIT a.s.coreTechnology or IntegrationSister company within B.C.I. group operating in the field of PLATIT coating technology alongside Platit AG.
• Universities and Academic InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with universities and academic institutions for applied R&D projects, innovation of processes, products, services, and diagnostic procedures for quality assurance.
• Inovační platforma Zlínského kraje (Innovation Platform of Zlín Region)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLISS is an active member of the Innovation Platform of Zlín Region, focused on deepening cooperation between scientific institutions and application environment of companies from Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.
• International Conference Layers and CoatingsminorOthersLISS is the organizer of the International Conference Layers and Coatings, focused on cooperation between scientific institutes and industry from Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Platit AG: Swiss-based sister company within the B.C.I. group that developed the PLATIT PVD coating technology (LARC, CERC, cathodic ARC evaporation) used exclusively by LISS. Platit AG manufactures the coating equipment and provides its own coating services, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• HEF Group: French-based provider of surface treatments and thin-film coatings (PVD, PACVD, DLC) for mechanical, aerospace, and industrial applications. Operates multiple coating service centers across Europe and is a directly comparable specialty PVD coating service provider.
• Phygen Coatings: US-based PVD and PACVD coating service provider serving cutting tools, medical devices, aerospace, and industrial components. Comparable to LISS in offering job coating services using advanced deposition technologies for high-value precision applications.
• Comadur: Swiss manufacturer of high-precision watch components including dials, hands, and crystals, owned by Swatch Group. Direct peer to LISS's watch dial manufacturing business via electroforming, supplying the same Swiss luxury watchmaking customer base.
• PLATIT a.s. Czech-based sister company within the B.C.I. group operating alongside LISS in PLATIT coating technology. Direct peer providing PVD coating services using the same PLATIT equipment architecture, serving overlapping customers in CEE markets.
• Blösch AG: Swiss-based sister company and the parent group namesake (B.C.I. / Blösch Corporation Inc.), operating in precision surface engineering. Direct peer to LISS within the same family-owned group, providing PVD coatings and related surface treatments from Switzerland.

Broad incumbents

• Oerlikon Balzers: Global market leader in PVD coatings with 100+ coating centers worldwide and a portfolio of BALINIT and BALIQ coatings for tooling, automotive, and industrial applications. Part of OC Oerlikon, it represents the dominant incumbent LISS competes against in tool coatings, though Oerlikon serves a much broader global market.
• Evatec: Swiss manufacturer of thin film deposition equipment and provider of optical coating services for photonics, semiconductor, and optics applications. Comparable to LISS's optical coatings business for telecom and medical applications, though Evatec also serves semiconductor equipment manufacturing.
• Atotech (MKS Instruments): Global supplier of specialty chemicals, plating technologies, and surface finishing solutions for electronics, automotive, and industrial applications. Comparable to LISS's electroplating services, though Atotech operates at much larger scale as a chemistry and equipment supplier.
• Jenoptik: German technology group with divisions in optical systems, laser technology, and precision components. Comparable to LISS's optical coatings and precision components businesses, though Jenoptik operates globally across many more end markets including semiconductor equipment and defense optics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liss-a-s-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 LISS