Our History

1969

Argos introduces electroless nickel plating in Italy on an industrial level.

1982

Impreglon Italia is founded to apply Teflon® PTFE coatings to aeronautical parts following the Italian acquisition of the license from Impreglon USA, a company that collaborated with NASA to apply dry lubrication systems to mechanical rocket parts for which traditional lubricants could not be used due to the absence of gravity in space.

1990

The Impreglon license for Europe moves to Impreglon Germany, with whom Impreglon Italy signs a new license agreement. Coating activities are directed at an expanding range of application sectors.

1990

Lualma Anodica Srl is created to deal with special treatments and colours on aluminium surfaces in Imola, a logistically strategic geographical area for all product sectors, from furniture and lighting technology to vehicles and construction.

1994

Argos Anodizing is founded in June 1994 as KTS Srl, providing technical and hard anodizing treatments for aluminium alloys.

1995

Argos inaugurates its nickel-plating plant in Monteveglio in the Province of Bologna. Argos Anodizing is acquired by the German group AHC, which is in turn purchased by the Dutch multinational company Aalberts in 1997.

1997

After this acquisition, Argos Anodizing is renamed Aalberts Surface Technologies, a name it will keep until June 2020 when it is acquired by Argos, becoming part of a project to create a multi-treatment centre capable of meeting customers’ increasingly stringent requirements.

2005

Argos renews its nickel-plating systems with 3 m x 3 m and 5 m x 2 m tanks and the ability to handle weights of up to 15 tonnes.

2007

TSM Srl is founded in Minerbio by technical experts in the sector. The company relies on cutting-edge systems and is specialized in fluoropolymer coatings and dry lubricants, sol-gel, PEEK and sandblasting with aluminium oxide and ceramic microspheres.

2009

Impreglon Italia inaugurates its new 2500m2 headquarters in Origgio with a layout that even today is innovative and efficient.

2018

Impreglon Italia signs a contract with The Chemours Company, through which it becomes a licensed industrial applicator of exclusive Teflon® brand products.

2020

The private equity fund Gradiente II creates the new Argos Suface Technologies Group, initially the 3 companies acquired: Argos, Impreglon Italia and Aalberts ST of Opera.

2021

The ambitious project for growth of Argos Surface Technologies group continues with two new important acquisitions, both based in Emilia Romagna: TSM Srl (now Argos TSM Srl) and Lualma Anodica Srl (now Argos Lualma Srl). With these two transactions, the Group consolidates itself as an Italian leader in the sector.

2022

Argos Surface Technologies acquires TEC.RI.MET Srl, a Company in Calcio near Bergamo, a leader in HIGH-PHOSPHOROUS nickel plating, with SILUNDUM and PTFE composites. With thirty years of experience in the metal surface treatment sector, all the necessary commitment and the most technologically advanced equipment, the company can guarantee the highest quality standards, comparable with the most important players in this business. With this new acquisition Argos Surface Technologies consolidates its leading position for dimension and capacity in the technical coatings field.

2022

At the end of May FORESI S.p.A. was acquired. - For over thirty years on the market and with a know-how of great value, it boasts a leading position in the field of industrial painting and cataphoresis. The company also makes use of the most advanced technologies and operates an information system capable of managing over 100,000 items.

2022

It is concluded the corporate merger between Argos Nickel, Tecrimet, Argos Impreglon and Argos Anodizing, four of the seven companies that make up the Group, created in July 2020 by the 'Gradiente II Fund', managed by Gradiente SGR. The so born new company is named Argos Srl.