Industries
Automotive
IATF 16949-certified plating for automotive production at scale.
IATF 16949
Automotive Quality Standard
ISO 9001
All Facilities
Dual-PPAP
Two-Site Production
1,000+ hr
Salt Spray Performance
Automotive Surface Finishing
Built for Production Volume.
Automotive components are produced at volumes no other industry approaches — millions of identical parts, each held to the same dimensional and performance specification. A finish that works in the lab but drifts in production is a finish that fails an OEM audit.
KC Jones has been plating automotive components for decades. We hold IATF 16949 certification — the global automotive quality standard required by OEMs and tier suppliers — and run Dual-PPAP-approved production at facilities in Michigan and Mexico. Documented, traceable, audit-ready.
Credentials & compliance
IATF 16949
Automotive Quality Management System certification — required by OEMs and tier suppliers across the global automotive supply chain.
ISO 9001:2015
Certified Quality Management System across all KC Jones facilities.
RoHS / ELV Compliant
Hazardous substance compliant processes. End-of-Life Vehicle directive compliance for European automotive programs.
Processes for Automotive
Three Zinc-Based Processes. Built for Volume.
KC Jones runs three zinc-based plating processes purpose-built for automotive production. The right choice depends on corrosion specification, OEM requirements, and operating environment.
Corrosion Resistance
Zinc Plating
High-volume corrosion protection
The most widely specified corrosion-protection finish in high-volume automotive manufacturing. Sacrificial zinc layer absorbs corrosion before it reaches the substrate. Available in rack and barrel across multiple facilities for fasteners, brackets, and small automotive components.
Severe Environments
Zinc-Nickel Plating
1,000+ hours salt spray performance
When standard zinc isn’t enough. Delivers 1,000+ hours salt spray performance — the finish OEMs specify for harsh underhood, underbody, and coastal environments. LHE alkaline process available for high-strength steel fasteners and chassis hardware. Rack and barrel at Michigan and Mexico facilities.
Eco-Friendly Finish
Zinc-Iron Plating
Eco-conscious automotive finish
An environmentally conscious, cost-effective alternative with strong corrosion protection and clean, consistent appearance. Sits between standard zinc and zinc-nickel in performance — commonly specified for automotive components requiring better corrosion than zinc without zinc-nickel cost.
Production Continuity
Dual-PPAP. Never a Single Point of Failure.
Single-source plating is a known automotive supply chain risk. A line stop at a sole-source plater becomes a line stop at the OEM — and a recovery effort that can take months. Volume programs deserve a finishing partner that doesn’t fail single.
KC Jones runs Dual-PPAP-approved production at two qualified facilities — Michigan and Mexico. Same processes, same documentation, same IATF-audited quality system. If one site is offline for any reason — labor, weather, utilities, equipment — qualified production continues at the other. No requalification, no PPAP resubmission, no line stop.
KC Jones runs approved production at two locations so your automotive program is never tied to a single facility. Real supply continuity for tier suppliers and OEMs.
Why Dual-PPAP Matters
Two-site qualification
PPAP-approved production at Michigan and Mexico facilities — same processes, same documentation, same quality expectations.
IATF documentation
Full IATF 16949 traceability and documentation maintained across both production sites.
Cross-border capacity
Production capacity in both the US and Mexico — supports nearshoring strategies and tariff-flexible sourcing.
Disruption recovery
When one facility is offline for any reason, qualified production continues at the other — no requalification, no line stop.
Common applications
- Fasteners and threaded hardware
- Brake system components
- Fuel system parts
- Underhood brackets and clips
- Suspension and chassis hardware
- Transmission components
- Drivetrain shafts and bearing assemblies
- EV battery enclosures and busbars
- Electrical contacts and terminals
Applications
Substrates & Environments
Automotive components face the toughest cumulative stress in any industry: road salt, brake dust, underhood heat cycling, vibration, fastener preload, and millions of duty cycles over a vehicle’s lifetime.
Our processes protect steel, cast iron, aluminum, and brass substrates across passenger vehicle, commercial truck, and EV programs. Full IATF 16949 traceability and PPAP documentation available for all automotive programs.
Discuss Your Automotive Program.
Whether you’re sourcing IATF 16949 production, need dual-site PPAP coverage, or validating a new finish for a vehicle program — our engineering team can review your requirements and confirm KC Jones is the right fit.