How do I find a metal plating or anodizing business for sale in Canada?

Plating and anodizing shops are small, specialized and seldom advertised. A shop may serve a few dozen manufacturers, and the owner may have run it for decades. That means the search looks different from a search for a retail business. You will do some browsing, but you will also do a lot of asking. Start with a clear idea of which process you want to own, because chrome, zinc and anodizing shops run different lines and serve different customers.

Where these shops come to market

Some appear with industrial business brokers and on general listing sites, so set up alerts and search by process name. Many more sell through word of mouth. An owner nearing retirement may talk first to a long-time customer, a chemical supplier or an equipment dealer, since those people see the shop every week. Tell them what you are looking for. An accountant who serves manufacturers may also know of an owner who is thinking about leaving.

What you are actually buying

The physical plant matters, but it is not the whole business. Ask how old the tank lines, rectifiers and racks are, and what has been replaced recently. Ask which customer approvals and quality certifications the shop holds, and whether they stay with the business after a sale. Find out how much work comes from a few accounts. Then ask who the experienced platers are and whether they plan to stay, because the skill is hard to replace.

Look hard at the site

Wet-process shops handle chemicals, so the condition of the building and land is a real part of the purchase. Whether you buy shares or assets, and who ends up responsible for past problems, are questions for your lawyer. An environmental consultant can assess the site and tell you what to look for. Rules on discharge and permits differ by location, so ask your lawyer and the relevant regulator rather than relying on the seller’s word.

Questions to put to the seller early

• Which processes does the shop run, and which lines are idle or near the end of their life?
• Which customers have approved the shop, and what would a change of owner require of them?
• Who owns the site, and is the lease or purchase part of the deal?
• Which employees hold the key skills, and have they been told about the sale?

Powder coating is a related finishing trade, covered in how to find a powder coating business. The wet process adds the site questions above.