Powder coating and anodizing of metal components for architecture, metal construction and industry.
AGRU Oberflächentechnik GmbH
4595 Waldneukirchen, AustriaNew on Amplifa
About AGRU Oberflächentechnik
AGRU Oberflächentechnik GmbH in Waldneukirchen, Upper Austria, is a third-generation family business and part of the AGRU Group headquartered in Bad Hall. The company finishes metal components, primarily aluminum as well as bare and galvanized steel, through powder coating and anodizing. Across three powder coating lines and one anodizing line, more than 8,000 m² of surfaces are finished every day, about two thirds by anodizing using the GS process (direct current sulfuric acid) with layer thicknesses of 5 to approx. 25 µm, and one third by powder coating with the complete RAL, NCS and Pantone palette according to GSB Master, British Standard and Sea Proof Plus. The value chain includes mechanical and chemical pretreatments such as grinding, brushing, polishing, steel shot blasting, pickling, degreasing, chromating, pre-anodizing and chromium-free passivation, as well as special services such as two-color coating, paint stripping, anti-drumming coating, wrapping film and shrink wrapping. Since 2024, large components up to 8.0 × 2.4 × 2.8 m and 1,000 kg can be finished in a new heavy-duty powder coating line. Customers come from architecture and design, classical metal construction, automotive, mechanical and apparatus engineering, aviation and metal art; reference projects range from the Library of Alexandria to Frankfurt Airport and projects in London, Hong Kong, New York and Egypt.
- Site
- Waldneukirchen
- Processes
- Powder coating, Anodizing (GS process, direct current sulfuric acid), Heavy-duty powder coating for large components, Coating of profile bars, Pre-anodizing, Chromating (yellow chromating), Chromium-free passivation / chromium-free pretreatment, Steel shot blasting
- Materials
- Aluminum, Steel, galvanized steel, bare steel, Stainless steel, Aluminum alloys with high foreign metal content (conditionally anodizable), Steel (bare), Galvanized steel
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, GSB International quality seal (piece coating aluminum), OFI CERT, EURAS/EWAA quality mark (Qualanod), ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Austria, Q-00618/4), OFI CERT (approval no. 0129), GSB INTERNATIONAL quality seal (piece coating aluminum, company no. 217), EURAS/EWAA quality mark (Qualanod, license no. 102)
- Founded
- 1948
- Industries
- Architecture and design, Classical metal construction, Automotive (vehicle and body construction), Mechanical and apparatus engineering, Aviation, Metal art
- 01
Contacting and preparation of the workpieces
- 02
Mechanical surface treatment (grinding, brushing, polishing)
- 03
Chemical pretreatment (degreasing, pickling, chromating/pre-anodizing/chromiu
- 04
Powder coating (electrostatic) or anodizing (GS process)
- 05
Coloring and sealing (hot-water sealing) for anodizing, or curing for
- 06
Inspection and quality assurance
- 07
Packaging (wrapping film, shrink wrapping), storage in the high-bay warehouse
- 08
Shipping with own vehicle fleet
Materials and Processes
Aluminum
Anodized (GS process, layer thicknesses 5–25 µm) and powder coated, among other things for facades, window and door profiles and high-tech aviation equipment.
Steel (bare)
Powder coated in almost all RAL, NCS and special color tones for industry, mechanical engineering and architecture.
Galvanized steel
Chromated or yellow-chromated and powder coated, e.g. for vehicle and body components with high corrosion protection requirements.
Stainless steel
Can be mechanically pretreated and finished in the steel shot blasting system.
Locations
Waldneukirchen
ATSurface technology production site (powder coating and anodizing)
- Part weight / size
- Heavy-duty line: up to 8.0 × 2.4 × 2.8 m (L×W×H), 1,000 kg;
- Lot size
- Single parts up to large orders/series parts
- Materials
- Aluminum, bare and galvanized steel, stainless steel
- 3 powder coating lines
- Heavy-duty powder coating line (2024, up to 1,000 kg)
- Anodizing line
- Steel shot blasting system
- Chromating system
- Pickling system
- High-bay warehouse (36 × 20 × 15 m)
- 10 own truck trailers
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminum, galvanized steel |
| Anodizing (GS process, direct current sulfuric acid)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Heavy-duty powder coating for large componentsSurface | – | 8.0 m × 2.4 m × 2.8 m | 1,000 kg | – | Steel, Metal |
| Coating of profile barsSurface | – | 7.95 m | 75 kg | – | Aluminum, Steel |
| Pre-anodizingSurface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Chromating (yellow chromating)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum, galvanized steel |
| Chromium-free passivation / chromium-free pretreatmentSurface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Steel shot blastingSurface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel |
| Paint stripping (chemical or thermal)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Pickling (nitric acid/hydrofluoric acid)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum, galvanized material |
| Degreasing (chemical pretreatment)Surface | – | – | – | – | Metal |
| Anti-drumming coating (de-drumming of sheet metal)Surface | – | – | – | – | galvanized sheet steel, Aluminum |
| Two-color coating (dual-color coater)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Wrapping film (protective films)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shrink wrapping (single-use packaging made of shrink film/foam)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Contacting for powder coating and anodizingSurface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Grinding (E1, E4, E5)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Brushing (E2, E4, E5)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Polishing (E3, E5)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Sealing of the anodic layer (hot-water sealing)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminum |
| Pretreatment in oversize (degreasing, pickling, chromating)Surface | – | 6800 mm × 1000 mm × 2100 mm | – | – | Metal |
| Warehouse logistics / storage in high-bay warehouseSurface | – | 36 m × 20 m × 15 m | – | – | – |
7 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder coating line (heavy-duty) | – | 1 | 8.0 × 2.4 × 2.8 m (L×W×H), max. 1,000 kg | 2024 | Waldneukirchen |
| Powder coating line | – | 3 | – | – | Waldneukirchen |
| Anodizing line | – | 1 | – | – | Waldneukirchen |
| Pickling system | – | 1 | – | – | Waldneukirchen |
| Steel shot blasting system | – | 1 | – | – | Waldneukirchen |
| Chromating system | – | 1 | – | – | Waldneukirchen |
| High-bay warehouse | – | 1 | 36 m long, 20 m wide, 15 m high | 2006/2007 | Waldneukirchen |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certification
Production is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and carried out according to the guidelines of OFI (Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology), GSB and British Standard. Chemical parameters of the process baths are strictly monitored and documented; independent, partly unannounced inspections by neutral testing institutes ensure consistent quality and traceability.
| Evidence | Waldneukirchen |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Austria, Q-00618/4) | |
| OFI CERT (approval no. 0129) | |
| GSB INTERNATIONAL quality seal (piece coating aluminum, company no. 217) | |
| EURAS/EWAA quality mark (Qualanod, license no. 102) |
Company History
- 1948
Founded by Alois Gruber sen. with a metalworking shop and anodizing plant in Waldneukirchen/Grünburg.
- 1956
Purchase and start of production of the anodizing plant (approx. 6 × 20 m); metal finishing since 1956.
- 1970
Expansion of the anodizing facility according to the most modern findings.
- 1979/80
New building for the surface division: anodizing plant and powder coating on Steyrstraße in Waldneukirchen, hall area approx. 6,000 m²; production start May 1980.
- 1983
Mag. Alois Gruber joined the management.
- 1991
Fire in powder coating line 3; reconstruction and expansion of the pretreatment baths.
- 1997
Discontinuation of wet paint baking and conversion of the line to powder coating.
- 1998
New powder coating line and goods receiving hall commissioned.
- 2000
New IT systems across the entire production area and move into the new office building.
- 2006/2007
High-bay warehouse (36 × 20 × 15 m), new goods receiving and shipping went into operation.
- 2009/2010
Renewal of the anodizing and sealing tanks.
- 2016
Alexander Gruber was appointed to the management.
- 2023
Commissioning of a chromium-free pretreatment and yellow chromating for powder coating.
- 2024
Commissioning of a new heavy-duty powder coating line for parts up to 8 m × 2.4 m × 2.8 m and 1,000 kg.