What Autocromes does

Autocromes (legal name CROMADOS ESTÉVEZ, S.L.) is a Spanish industrial metal surface treatment company headquartered in Lugo, Galicia, with operations dating back more than 30 years. The company operates three production plants — its Lugo headquarters and a Vigo facility — providing metal coating, anti-corrosion treatment, and finishing services to industrial manufacturers. Autocromes has functioned as a Tier 2 automotive supplier for over 20 years and treats more than 5 million pieces annually, while also serving adjacent industrial sectors including mining, wind energy, naval, public works, and general metal industry.

The company's core technical offering is industrial metal coating, with the Aquence® Autoforesis process as its principal differentiator — Autocromes is the only national provider of this chemistry in Spain. It is dual-certified to ISO 9001 (by LRQA) and IATF 16949 (by AENOR), with the latter being the gating standard for participation in the automotive OEM supply chain. The company also delivers an on-site integrated paint line management service, embedding its operators and processes inside customer production facilities in addition to running job-shop coating at its own plants.

Revenue mechanics are service-based: Autocromes generates income through piece-rate industrial coating of customer-supplied parts and through recurring on-site integrated paint line management contracts. The customer mix spans large Tier 1 automotive suppliers (GKN, Grupo Antolín, Aludec, Trelleborg) and industrial end-customers (Navantia, Casple, Bulteck), with no disclosed revenue split or pricing model detail.

Name

Autocromes

Legal name

CROMADOS ESTÉVEZ, S.L.

Website

https://autocromes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Autocromes is a Spanish industrial metal coating company operating three plants in Galicia, providing surface treatment and anti-corrosion services to Tier 1 automotive suppliers and industrial customers across 20+ sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Surface Treatment Services

NAICS

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Metal coating services
• Zinc plating
• Hard chrome plating
• Powder coating services
• Industrial surface treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lugo

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Surface Coating Services: Autocromes generates revenue through providing specialized metal surface coating and treatment services on a project and contract basis. Services include zinc plating, hard chrome plating, powder coating, phosphating, autophoresis, and integrated paint line management. Revenue is derived from processing fees per batch or contract, reflecting a B2B industrial services model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Autocromes provides industrial metal surface-coating and treatment services, including electrolytic zinc plating (alkaline and acid) with passivation, hard chrome plating for part repair, powder coating, microcrystalline phosphating, and Autoforesis Aquence® electrophoretic coating. The company also offers fully integrated paint line management, embedding its teams and processes within or adjacent to customer facilities to take end-to-end responsibility for coating operations. Services are delivered under ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 quality certifications from three production plants in Spain.

Product overview

Autocromes provides comprehensive metal surface coating solutions as a single unified service portfolio. The company operates six core treatment services: Cincado (zinc plating) for corrosion protection using alkaline and acidic electrolytic processes with passivation; Pintura en Polvo (powder coating) for complete paint line services; Cromo Duro (hard chrome) for wear-resistant industrial component repair; Fosfatado (phosphating) for microcrystalline zinc phosphate surface preparation; Autoforesis Aquence® as the sole national provider of electrophoretic coating for complex geometries; and Gestión Integral de Líneas de Pintura for outsourced paint line operations. The company serves automotive (Tier 2 supplier), mining, wind energy, metal industry, public works, and naval sectors with a focus on quality standards and traceability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Autoforesis Aquence®: Autoforesis Aquence® is a unique cathodic electrophoresis treatment offered by Autocromes, the only national provider in Spain for pieces with special hardness and flexibility requirements.

Products and services

• Cincado (Zinc Plating) Electrolytic zinc plating service providing maximum corrosion protection for metal pieces, available in both alkaline and acidic processes with passivation finishes for safe and aesthetic final results. Targets automotive and industrial clients requiring corrosion-resistant coated components.
• Pintura en Polvo (Powder Coating) Complete powder coating paint line service handling the entire painting process from preparation through finishing, executed entirely in-house. Targets automotive and industrial customers requiring durable decorative and protective surface finishes.
• Cromo Duro (Hard Chrome Plating) Hard chrome plating service for efficient repair of worn metal parts, providing wear resistance and corrosion protection for industrial components. Typically followed by grinding and dimensional finishing. Targets industrial clients recovering worn shafts, hydraulic cylinders, and machinery components.
• Fosfatado (Phosphating) Microcrystalline zinc phosphating and high-layer-weight phosphating service that prepares metal surfaces to maximize adhesion for subsequent coating applications. Targets automotive and industrial customers requiring reliable coating adhesion.
• Autoforesis Aquence® Autophoresis (cathodic electrophoretic) coating service providing uniform coverage on complex geometries by immersion and electrophoretic deposition, designed for parts requiring special hardness and flexibility properties. Targets automotive components and industrial parts with intricate shapes.
• Gestión Integral de Líneas de Pintura (Integrated Paint Line Management) Outsourced paint line management service in which Autocromes integrates its operations within or adjacent to the customer's facility and takes 100% responsibility for painting activities, guaranteeing quality and professional service. Targets automotive Tier 1 suppliers and industrial clients seeking end-to-end coating operations outsourcing.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 5 million pieces treated per year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• LRQAminorOthersLRQA is an accreditation body that provides ISO 9001 quality management certification for Autocromes' production plants in the O Ceao industrial park in Lugo.
• AENORminorOthersAENOR is a certification organization that provides IATF 16949 automotive quality management certification for Autocromes' Vigo plant, a prerequisite for automotive supply chain qualification.
• Xunta de GaliciaminorOthersGalician regional government body referenced in connection with public funding and support programs for Autocromes, listed under certificates and public funds section.
• INEGA (Instituto Enerxico de Galicia)minorOthersGalician Energy Institute referenced in connection with public funding and energy efficiency support programs for Autocromes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HEF Group: French industrial surface treatment specialist offering PVD, DLC, and electrolytic/plasma coatings for automotive and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Autocromes as a European contract coating services provider with Tier 1/Tier 2 automotive penetration.

Broad incumbents

• Aalberts Surface Treatment: Dutch-headquartered large European surface treatment platform operating heat treatment, electrochemical plating, and coating service centers across multiple countries. Comparable to Autocromes in core service portfolio (zinc, hard chrome, e-coat) but at significantly larger pan-European scale.
• Bodycote: UK-listed provider of heat treatment and metal joining services with a large European plant network serving automotive and industrial customers. Overlaps with Autocromes in metal finishing and surface engineering, though weighted more toward heat treatment than plating.
• Rösler Oberflächentechnik: German manufacturer and operator of surface finishing equipment and contract shot-blasting/mass-finishing services. Comparable to Autocromes as a European surface treatment services provider serving automotive Tier suppliers and industrial OEMs.
• Sulzer: Swiss industrial group with applied services including surface treatment and coating for industrial customers across energy, mining, and general industry. Overlaps with Autocromes' wind, mining, naval, and public works segments as a broader industrial services incumbent.

Others

• CIE Automotive: Spanish-listed Tier 1 automotive components supplier serving global OEMs across multiple vehicle systems. Comparable to Autocromes as a Galician/Spanish industrial supplier to the same automotive OEMs, though CIE is a component manufacturer rather than a coating services provider.
• Henkel: German specialty chemicals company with an industrial coatings and surface treatment division supplying Bonderite/Autophoretic chemistries — the chemistry category underpinning technologies like Autoforesis Aquence®. Comparable as an enabling chemistry supplier adjacent to Autocromes' service offering.
• MKS Instruments (Atotech): US-headquartered specialty equipment and chemistry provider (post-Atotech acquisition) supplying plating chemistry, equipment, and process know-how to surface treatment shops globally. Comparable as a chemistry/equipment supplier to the same plating industry in which Autocromes operates.
• Houghton International: Specialty chemicals supplier of metalworking fluids and surface treatment chemistries serving industrial and automotive customers globally. Comparable as an enabling chemistry provider in the surface treatment ecosystem adjacent to Autocromes' service operations.

Emerging players

• Keronite: UK-based specialist in plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings for lightweight alloys. Comparable to Autocromes as a European emerging surface treatment specialist targeting EV/automotive and industrial lightweighting applications.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cromados-est-vez-s-l-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Autocromes