As a UK manufacturer of electroplating anodes and surface finishing. Heaps, Arnold & Heaps Ltd supplies tin plating anodes, chrome plating anodes and lead alloy anodes for cathodic protection, manufactured in-house at our Rotherham facility. With over 250 years of metallurgical experience, we produce both standard catalogue anodes and bespoke specifications for plating shops, electronics manufacturers and engineering firms across the UK and worldwide.
Our electroplating anodes UK range covers the three principal categories used across the surface finishing industry — pure tin anodes for tin plating, lead alloy anodes for chrome plating, and lead alloy anodes for impressed current cathodic protection.
Tin Plating Anodes
Pure tin (99.9% min purity) and tin/lead alloy anodes for barrel, rack and vibratory plating.
Chrome Plating Anodes
Lead/tin (7%/93%) and lead/antimony (6%/94%) alloy anodes for hard and decorative chrome plating.
Cathodic Protection
Silver, tin, calcium and antimony lead alloy anodes for impressed current cathodic protection systems.
Tin Plating Anodes
Tin plating is the deposition of a non-toxic, corrosion-resistant tin layer onto metal parts. We manufacture a wide range of tin plating anodes for use in barrel plating, rack plating and vibratory plating processes. Our tin plating anodes are produced from pure tin (99.9% minimum purity) or in tin and lead alloy compositions to suit specific bath chemistries.
Ovals and extruded tin anodes
Mainly used in rack plating processes for larger components, our extruded tin plating anodes include oval, star, dumbbell and dog bone profiles in pure tin, and tin/lead alloy variants where the deposit specification calls for an alloy.
Spheres, balls, domes and slugs
Used for the tin plating of smaller components within barrel or vibratory plating processes, this anode type is placed within an anode basket. Available in 25mm, 40mm and 50mm diameters — pure tin dome anodes, button anodes, hemisphere anodes, sphere anodes, ball anodes and slug anodes, plus tin/lead alloy variants on request.
Plates, sheets and rectangles
Flat tin plating anodes in either cast or extruded form. Typical cast anodes are 10mm thick with variable length and width, with custom dimensions made to process specification.
Rods, tubes and wires
Pure tin plating anodes in wire or rod form, typically used in internal plating processes. Tin plating wire anodes are available from 1mm to 100mm diameter in a range of lengths.
Tell us your shape, alloy and quantity — we’ll reply with a quote, lead time and material certificate options.
Chrome Plating Anodes
Used in chrome plating processes, our chrome plating anodes are manufactured in-house and to process specification. Chrome plating anodes are typically made from lead alloyed with tin or antimony — common alloys are 7% tin / 93% lead, or 6% antimony / 94% lead, although other alloys are produced to suit specific process requirements.
Chrome plating anodes typically take the form of a lead alloy bar (blade) attached to a copper hook or tab which hangs over the process bus bar. Standard round chrome plating anodes are supplied in 1¼” (32mm), 1½” (38mm), 1¾” (45mm) and 2″ (50mm) diameters.
Profile variations
- Corrugated chrome plating anodes
- Rigid chrome plating anodes
- Tubular chrome plating anodes
- Waffle-style chrome plating anodes
- Grid-style chrome plating anodes
Connection options
- Copper hook
- Copper tab
- Copper core
- Steel core
Every variant can be customised to give the appropriate blade type, length, material alloy and connection style to suit your chrome plating process.
Send your alloy specification, blade dimensions and connection type — bespoke chrome plating anodes typically supplied within two to three weeks.
Cathodic Protection Anodes
Lead anodes and lead alloy anodes are well suited to cathodic protection due to their durability and high corrosion resistance. They are most often used in impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems as a non-sacrificial material to conduct current. While we can manufacture cathodic protection anodes from pure lead, anodes for this application are typically made from lead alloys containing silver, tin, calcium or antimony.
- Lead anode plates for cathodic protection
- Round lead anodes for cathodic protection
- Special profile lead anodes for cathodic protection
- Tin lead anodes for cathodic protection
- Silver lead anodes for cathodic protection
- Antimonial lead anodes for cathodic protection
- Calcium lead anodes for cathodic protection
All cathodic protection anodes are manufactured to customer specification, drawing on our extrusion, casting and engineering capability.
From standard plates to special profiles in silver, calcium, antimony or tin lead alloys — share your ICCP specification and we’ll quote super fast.
Why Choose a UK Manufacturer for
Electroplating Anodes
Material traceability
Every batch carries a certificate of conformity stating alloy composition and source — essential for plating shops working under quality systems.
Bespoke capability
In-house tooling, mould-making and machining for one-off prototypes, development work or unusual bath geometries. Fast Quote Turnaround.
Faster lead times
UK-manufactured anodes typically supplied in days rather than weeks. Buffer stock held on standard items and weekly production cycles for custom specifications.
Technical Support
Direct experience of plating bath chemistry, anode geometry and bath efficiency. UK-based help when you're troubleshooting deposit defects or anode passivation.
Bespoke Lead Manufacturing for Electroplating
We manufacture lead products for electroplating and surface finishing to meet specific customer requirements. Our production capabilities allow us to supply anodes and components in a range of sizes, alloys and connection configurations — whether you need a one-off prototype, a small trial batch or full volume production runs.
For complex specifications we can review drawings, recommend alloy alternatives and suggest manufacturing approaches that reduce lead time or cost without compromising plating performance. Find out more about our wider lead product range, industrial solders and manufacturing capabilities.
Send your details and specification of your project in our contact form and our team of experts will work with you to meet your requirements.
Anode Frequently Asked Questions
What purity tin do you supply for plating anodes?
Our pure tin plating anodes are manufactured to a minimum purity of 99.9%. Tin/lead alloy anodes are available where the deposit specification calls for an alloy rather than pure tin.
What alloys do you manufacture chrome plating anodes from?
Chrome plating anodes are typically made from lead alloyed with tin or antimony. The most common compositions are 7% tin / 93% lead, and 6% antimony / 94% lead. Other alloys can be produced to suit specific process requirements.
Do you supply bespoke anodes?
Yes. Bespoke anodes are a routine part of our work. Tin plating anodes, chrome plating anodes and cathodic protection anodes can all be manufactured to your dimensions, alloy specification and connection requirements. Our in-house tooling and machining facility supports both one-off prototypes and full production runs.
What shapes are available for tin plating anodes?
Standard tin plating anode shapes include ovals, stars, dumbbells and dog bones for rack plating, plus balls, spheres, domes, hemispheres, buttons and slugs in 25mm, 40mm and 50mm diameters for barrel and vibratory plating. We also supply plates, sheets, rectangles, rods, tubes and wire anodes from 1mm to 100mm diameter.
What chrome plating anode connections do you offer?
Chrome plating anodes can be supplied with a copper hook, copper tab, copper core or steel core, sized to suit your process bus bar. Connection type, blade dimensions and alloy are all specified at quote stage.
What lead alloys are used for cathodic protection anodes?
Cathodic protection anodes are typically made from lead alloyed with silver, tin, calcium or antimony, depending on the ICCP application. We supply lead anode plates, round lead anodes, special profile lead anodes, silver lead, antimonial lead, calcium lead and tin lead anodes for cathodic protection.
How do I request a quote?
Visit our quote request form, email us with your specification, or call our sales office on +44 (0)1709 837669. Our team responds within one working day with availability, pricing and lead time. For bespoke anodes please include drawings or sketches where available — this speeds up the quote process and helps us recommend the most cost-effective alloy and geometry for your application.
Industries We Supply
Our electroplating anodes customer base spans every sector that depends on metal finishing.
Lead and lead alloy products supporting the UK nuclear sector
Lead solders, lead wire and bespoke lead components for automotive restoration.
