The chemical pretreatment of metals and other substrates is one of Chemetall′s main areas of activity. Products from the Surface Treatment business unit are vital in many areas of the processing industry. They protect metals from corrosion, facilitate forming and machining. They allow metal or plastic parts to be processed in a clean and grease-free environment and ensure good coating adhesion. Other products are optimized for the cleaning and maintenance of aircraft.

Chemetall offers clients a full range of services, including process control, chemical analysis of baths or even provision of chemicals at the client′s premises. The business unit is split up into the divisions Automotive, Advanced Technology Performance Products and Aerospace.

Surface Treatment has an extensive worldwide production, sales and service network with about 30 subsidaries or joint-ventures and a great number of licensees. The Langelsheim plant nearby Goslar in Germany, Sens in France and Romulus near Detroit/USA, which is run by the American subsidiary Chemetall Oakite, Inc., are the largest production facilities.

The research centers are located at Frankfurt and in the USA, in Japan the business unit keeps a technical partnership. The research teams work on new products and processes and also adapt existing products to suit applications which clients need in the short term.