Marine
Introduction and Scenario
On a high-end yacht, the same metal component can live in two environments that treat it in opposite ways: interior zones where close-up reading calls for a finish on a par with high-end furniture, exterior zones where salt air, vibration and maintenance products keep every surface under constant stress.
A shipyard engaged Cromonichel to provide metal plating for a complete set of components fitted to a vessel under construction: taps and fittings, hardware, transition profiles, interior details, and helm accessories.
The brief called for different aesthetic languages by zone, held together by a perceived consistency of finish.
Analysing the Challenge
The constraint was twofold. On the aesthetic side, the interior finishes had to withstand close comparison with surfaces treated for residential interiors: tone, depth, and uniformity had to be calibrated to furniture-grade tolerances.
On the technical side, the exterior finishes — together with all surfaces in contact with condensation, splashes and cleaning agents — had to withstand exposure cycles that alter metals and accelerate their ageing.
A third variable came from the base materials: brass, steel and specific alloys, each with its own behaviour in plating deposition and in saline corrosion, but all to be brought into the same visual language.
The Cromonichel Process
Cromonichel worked on mapping first: every component was classified by base metal, by position on the vessel (interior, exterior, semi-exposed) and by intended finish, with a dedicated cycle assigned to each category.
Surface preparation was differentiated by material: degreasing, polishing, and activation were designed around brass, steel, and non-ferrous alloys, with tolerances tighter than those used for standard furniture applications.
For the exposed zones, a multi-deposition cycle was applied, with functional layers dedicated to corrosion resistance and aesthetic layers applied over them, matching the chromatic note of the interior finish.
The layer sequence was structured to avoid shifting the final tone, even with the added protection. Reference samples were validated through the shipyard before production began, with hold tests run in parallel on coupons exposed to simulated cycles of salinity and cleaning.
Production was segmented in line with the vessel’s assembly sequence: batches left the workshop in coordination with the on-site fitting phases.
Quality control checked the tone, thickness, uniformity, and adhesion of the finish, piece by piece.
Manual finishing was reserved for the visible details of the interiors, where close comparison admits no defects.
Outcome and Value
The vessel left the shipyard on schedule. The checks carried out during the first seasons of navigation confirmed that the finish held up in both the interior and exposed zones, with no significant alteration in tone, depth, or adhesion.
The shipyard has identified Cromonichel as a stable technical reference for further projects, supported by a working method compatible with shipbuilding planning.
The dual nature of the project — furniture-grade finish in the interiors, technical finish on the exterior — was resolved within the same visual language, showing that decorative plating, when calibrated on the right cycle, also holds up under the most demanding use conditions.
