Zinc plating is not a one-look operation. Once the zinc is down, the chromate finish on top sets the whole personality of the part. We run three trivalent colors, and each one has a type.
Trivalent yellow, the showoff
Gold, iridescent, impossible to ignore. It brings the most corrosion protection of the three, and it is not the least bit shy about its looks. This is the finish for parts that want to be seen and intend to last.
Trivalent clear, the minimalist
Bright, faintly blue, close to the natural color of the zinc. It is clean and quiet, the finish for indoor hardware and parts where the spec just wants plated metal that still reads as metal. Lighter corrosion duty than yellow, and weirdly proud of its simplicity.
Trivalent black, the one in sunglasses
A deep, even black for parts that need to look finished and a little serious. It shows up on hardware that lands in the final assembly, where chrome would be loud and bare steel would be sad. When a job needs both a uniform black and higher corrosion numbers, a topcoat enters the chat, and we sort that out with you.
All three are RoHS compliant trivalent finishes, and all three protect the same zinc underneath. The choice comes down to the look you want and the corrosion hours you need. Not sure which one fits? Tell us about the part and we will play matchmaker.