Coventya
Encyclopedia
Coventya Group is a worldwide player in the specialty chemicals industry for electrolytic surface finishing, including the processes relating to metal deposits through chemical reduction (such as electroless nickel
) plating. Its processes are used in the so-called GMF (General Metal Finishing) industry.
The group is present in more than 40 countries, employs more than 400 people (2010) and has a turnover of more than 100 million Euros. The group was created in 1927 as Société Continentale Parker. The company was formerly part of the Chemetall group located in Frankfurt, Germany.
Coventya develops, manufactures and distributes a complete range of products for the plating
industry:
Main users are job-platers, usually specialized sub-contractors for the automotive, construction, sanitary, fashion, luxury goods, electronic or oil industry.
Coventya is represented worldwide and operates 6 R&D Centers in Europe and in the USA. Numerous service centers provide a quick response to the needs of local customers.
, Enea Bossi, Pierre Prier and Robert Deté created Société Continentale Parker on the basis of a license for Parkerisation from Parker Rust-Proof in Detroit (MI, USA). In 1930, Continentale Parker started its Plating activities based on a license agreement of Udylite also from Detroit. The first licensed product introduced into the market was an organic brightener for Cadmium
plating.
During the 60’s, Continentale Parker specialized in the Plating of precious metals due to the distribution of Sel-Rex processes of Nutley (NJ, USA).
In 1965, the German group Metallgesellschaft AG
acquired most of the shares of Société Continentale Parker. Later on, it was integrated into Chemetall GmbH, created in 1984 in order to regroup all of its specialty chemicals activities.
The internationalization began with the setting-up of electroplating departments in Chemetall Benelux and Spain, followed in 1988 by a new external development policy targeted towards Western Europe:
The group eliminated the diversity of names by creating a new single identity in 1998: Chemetall Plating Technologies.
The risky speculations of Metallgesellschaft on oil futures in 1993 eventually caused it to separate from the plating activity and led to the sale of the business in 2000 which then became Coventya.
Coventya continued to pursue the globalization trend, favoring the external development of the company by acquisition:
The build up of this global network meets the needs of the automotive industry for qualified global suppliers for their worldwide production sites. This strategy was developed to simplify the approval procedures for automotive systems while maintaining high quality standards, increased productivity and respecting the environment.
In 2000, the activity became independent after an MBO (Management Buy-Out) with the support of Quadriga Capital, Frankfurt for the equity financing. After the exit of Quadriga in 2006, the French bank Natixis, via its subsidiary iXEN, took over the role of majority shareholder. A special feature of the structure was a significant shareholding of employees in the capital of the company. In 2011, Barclays Private Equity
(renamed Equistone Partners Europe) took over the majority of the shares and the role of iXEN in its holding CIGAL SAS, with a registered office located in Clichy, France.
The group also provides for a technical service in all other relevant regions
). Many common industry specifications make reference to processes like:
Electroless nickel
Electroless nickel is a broad term that incorporates a diverse mix of technology ranging from nickel boron and ternary alloys to highly functional composites...
) plating. Its processes are used in the so-called GMF (General Metal Finishing) industry.
The group is present in more than 40 countries, employs more than 400 people (2010) and has a turnover of more than 100 million Euros. The group was created in 1927 as Société Continentale Parker. The company was formerly part of the Chemetall group located in Frankfurt, Germany.
Coventya develops, manufactures and distributes a complete range of products for the plating
Plating
Plating is a surface covering in which a metal is deposited on a conductive surface. Plating has been done for hundreds of years, but it is also critical for modern technology...
industry:
- Corrosion protection : ZincZincZinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
and Zinc Alloys, conversion coatings without Chrome VI and Top-coats. - Decoration : Copper-Nickel-Chrome and their alloys
- Functional : Electroless Nickel and Hard Chrome
- Precious metals : Complete range of pure metals and their alloys: GoldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, SilverSilverSilver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, PalladiumPalladiumPalladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...
, RhodiumRhodiumRhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed...
, PlatinumPlatinumPlatinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
, RutheniumRutheniumRuthenium is a chemical element with symbol Ru and atomic number 44. It is a rare transition metal belonging to the platinum group of the periodic table. Like the other metals of the platinum group, ruthenium is inert to most chemicals. The Russian scientist Karl Ernst Claus discovered the element...
. - Preparation : Cleaners, Etching solutions, Chemical and Electrolytic Polishing Products
Main users are job-platers, usually specialized sub-contractors for the automotive, construction, sanitary, fashion, luxury goods, electronic or oil industry.
Coventya is represented worldwide and operates 6 R&D Centers in Europe and in the USA. Numerous service centers provide a quick response to the needs of local customers.
History
Coventya’s history is linked to Société Continentale Parker in Clichy (92, France). In 1927, four aviation pioneers: Louis PaulhanLouis Paulhan
Isidore Auguste Marie Louis Paulhan, known as Louis Paulhan, was a pioneering French aviator who in 1910 flew "Le Canard", the world's first seaplane, designed by Henri Fabre....
, Enea Bossi, Pierre Prier and Robert Deté created Société Continentale Parker on the basis of a license for Parkerisation from Parker Rust-Proof in Detroit (MI, USA). In 1930, Continentale Parker started its Plating activities based on a license agreement of Udylite also from Detroit. The first licensed product introduced into the market was an organic brightener for Cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...
plating.
During the 60’s, Continentale Parker specialized in the Plating of precious metals due to the distribution of Sel-Rex processes of Nutley (NJ, USA).
In 1965, the German group Metallgesellschaft AG
Metallgesellschaft
Metallgesellschaft AG was formerly one of Germany's largest industrial conglomerates based in Frankfurt. It had over 20,000 employees and revenues in excess of 10 billion US dollars...
acquired most of the shares of Société Continentale Parker. Later on, it was integrated into Chemetall GmbH, created in 1984 in order to regroup all of its specialty chemicals activities.
The internationalization began with the setting-up of electroplating departments in Chemetall Benelux and Spain, followed in 1988 by a new external development policy targeted towards Western Europe:
- Barattini, Italy (1989)
- Polar, Italy (1993)
- TECS, France (1994)
- Pelidag, France (1995)
- Weiland, Germany (1996)
The group eliminated the diversity of names by creating a new single identity in 1998: Chemetall Plating Technologies.
The risky speculations of Metallgesellschaft on oil futures in 1993 eventually caused it to separate from the plating activity and led to the sale of the business in 2000 which then became Coventya.
Coventya continued to pursue the globalization trend, favoring the external development of the company by acquisition:
- Folke-Stigen, Sweden (2001)
- McGean Rohco Mexico (2002)
- CGT/Auromet, Italy (2002)
- CGL Quimica, Brazil (2003)
- Sirius Technologies, USA (2004)
- Coventya (Suzhou) Chemicals, China, (2006)
- Taskem, USA (2007)
- Palojoki, Finland (2008)
The build up of this global network meets the needs of the automotive industry for qualified global suppliers for their worldwide production sites. This strategy was developed to simplify the approval procedures for automotive systems while maintaining high quality standards, increased productivity and respecting the environment.
Capital Structure
After the acquisition of Société Continentale Parker in 1965, Chemetall GmbH was created in 1982 in order to manage all specialty chemicals of the group. Chemetall was then integrated in Dynamit Nobel in 1992, the new subsidiary of Metallgesellschaft.In 2000, the activity became independent after an MBO (Management Buy-Out) with the support of Quadriga Capital, Frankfurt for the equity financing. After the exit of Quadriga in 2006, the French bank Natixis, via its subsidiary iXEN, took over the role of majority shareholder. A special feature of the structure was a significant shareholding of employees in the capital of the company. In 2011, Barclays Private Equity
Barclays Private Equity
Barclays Private Equity is the Private Equity division of Barclays Capital, the Investment Banking arm of Barclays plc. BPE have seven offices across four countries. Started in 1982 they have invested in over 350 businesses including Admiral Group and Dial-a-Phone. Typically €500m is invested per...
(renamed Equistone Partners Europe) took over the majority of the shares and the role of iXEN in its holding CIGAL SAS, with a registered office located in Clichy, France.
Sites
The quality of local service depends on the proximity of the production sites. With the setting up of production sites aligned with the needs of customers, Coventya meets client expectations and ensures a quick response:- Gütersloh, Germany
- Villorba, Italy
- Agliana, Italy
- Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Mexico City
- Caxias do Sul, Brazil
- Suzhou, China
The group also provides for a technical service in all other relevant regions
Turnover
The Turnover distribution in 2010 was as follows:- Europe: 65 %
- Americas : 28 %
- Asia : 7 %
Processes
Coventya proposes a wide range of processes for GMF (General Metal Finishing) applications. Highly specialized in the protection against corrosion, Coventya is strongly present in decoration and precious metals and holds an important position in Electroless deposits (Electroless NickelElectroless nickel plating
Electroless nickel plating is an auto-catalytic chemical technique used to deposit a layer of nickel-phosphorus or nickel-boron alloy on a solid workpiece, such as metal or plastic. The process relies on the presence of a reducing agent, for example hydrated sodium hypophosphite which reacts with...
). Many common industry specifications make reference to processes like:
| Protection | Decoration | Functional | Precious Metals |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRIMION | CUBRAC | ENOVA | EPIDOR |
| PERFORMA | CRYSTAL | PARADOR | |
| FINIDIP | TRISTAR | ||
| LANTHANE | |||
| FINIGARD |
Internet sites
- UITS : www.uits-france.com/
- ASSIC : http://www.assicconline.it/
- Mfsa.org : http://www.nmfrc.org/ql.cfm
- Coventya.com : http://www.coventya.com/
- ZVO : http://www.zvo.org/