Where the world gathers forplating, anodizing, & finishing Q&As since 1989
-----
Want to start chrome and nickel plating business also powder coating
September 19, 2010
would like to know what I need and how much money it would take to get started with opening business for powder coating nickel plating and chrome plating any info will help
Todd Manascohobbyist for now but want to do for a living - Byron, Illinois
October 3, 2010
If you have about $ 125.000 to $2220,000 and a building you might be able to start doing parts in very low volume. Expect to lose money the first 2 to 3 years. You will make less than $20,000 year and be hated by a lot of impossible to please customers. If you are willing to spend 10 to 15 hours a day working tediously detail repairing and polishing at about $6 an hour. You just might make it.
It helps to have at least 3 partners minimum who are willing to work long hard hours and share the profits and losses.
A small well run shop like you are thinking about would work as long as all individuals involved are willing to work like a dogs and never make $30 thousand a year.
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
October 8, 2010
Frank's sunny response aside, starting a plating business from the ground up is now an extremely expensive proposition. Local, state and federal laws have erected large barriers to market entry. It can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to start even the small plating shop. You might want to work in a plating shop for a while to see if it's the business for you. It is kind of fun to take chemicals bought at Home Depot and plate pennies but running a plating shop subject to environmental regulations, demanding customers, financial covenants, etc. will prove to be a daunting task. Do a lot of research and be prepared to spend a lot of money.
Daryl Spindler, CEF
decorative nickel-chrome plating - Greenbrier, Tennessee
adv.
