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Galhor

Who we are

86 years.3 generations.We've Been Plating ChromeOn American Trucks

Family-owned since 1940.

Galhor is the consumer-facing brand of Estañadora — a Mexican chrome-plating manufacturer with eight decades of OEM-grade work and three generations of family ownership. We're not a marketing layer. We make every bumper ourselves.

By the numbers

Built to last.

  • 86Years

    Continuous manufacturing

    Since Francisco Hornelas Lavat opened the plating shop in 1940.

  • 3Generations

    Family-owned

    Second and third-generation metal-finishers run the same lines their parents did.

  • 8OEM Partners

    Including Ford, GM, Chrysler

    Chrome plating for the 1965 Mustang and counting.

The full story

From Mexico City to Magnolia.

Four eras shaped who Galhor is today.

  1. Founder in the 1936 plating laboratory
    1936–1947Founding era

    Mexico City plating shop

    Francisco Hornelas Lavat developed electrochemistry techniques at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, then opened Estañadora in 1940. Expanded to Coyoacán in 1947 with anodizing and hot-dip galvanizing.

  2. Chrome plating line in operation, OEM period
    1964–1990sOEM period

    Ford. Mustang. GM. Chrysler.

    Ford contracted Galhor for bumper chrome plating in 1964. We supplied the chrome for the 1965 Ford Mustang and later served Chrysler and GM. Our modern chrome plating line — installed 1969-70 — still runs today.

  3. T 300 truck bumper, 1997
    1997Comeback

    The bumper that saved us.

    During Mexico's economic downturn, the company focused on the T 300 truck bumper. It saved the business — and shaped everything we make now.

  4. Modern Galhor bumper, direct to consumer
    2011–2026Modern era

    Direct to your truck.

    Anodized 16,000 hex tiles for the Museo Soumaya (2011). Won Top Shop Medal (2017). And in 2026 launched galhor.com — direct-to-consumer, with U.S. distribution from Magnolia, Texas.

How we operate

A.R.E. is how we measure ourselves.

  • Adaptability

    We modernize tools while keeping standards consistent. New machine, same hand-finishing standard.

  • Resolution

    Barriers are opportunities. Defects, supply issues, market shifts — every problem becomes a process improvement.

  • Excellence

    We exceed competitor benchmarks through continuous improvement, not slogans. The chrome line speaks for itself.

Where the work happens

Two facilities. One standard.

  • Estañadora plating facility in Tlalnepantla, México
    Manufacturing

    Tlalnepantla, México

    Estañadora de México, S.A. de C.V.

    Chrome plating, anodizing, hot-dip galvanizing. Our modern plating line — installed 1969-70 — still runs today.

  • Galhor distribution warehouse in Magnolia, Texas
    Distribution

    Magnolia, Texas

    Galhor Inc. (Texas corp.)

    ATC Chrome Shop — fast-turn distribution, customer service, and the team that picks up your call.

Certifications & awards

Five decades of recognition.

  • 1973

    Ford Initial Certification

    Trusted Supplier

    Ford initial certification document, 1973
  • 1978

    General Motors Recognition

    Supplier Recognition · Model 1978

    General Motors supplier recognition certificate, 1978
  • 1983

    General Motors Quality Award

    Supplier Recognition · Model 1978

    General Motors quality award certificate, 1983
  • 1984

    Ford Quality Recognition

    Honorable Mention · Quality and Delivery

    Ford quality recognition, honorable mention, 1984
  • 1990

    Canacintra

    Recognition to Eng. F. Hornelas Lavat

    Canacintra recognition to Eng. F. Hornelas Lavat, 1990
  • 1994

    Ford Q1 Preferred Quality Award

    Preferred Quality Award · Top Tier

    Ford Q1 preferred quality award certificate, 1994
  • 1995

    Canacintra - Ixtapa

    Tribute in Memory · IX Congress

    Canacintra Ixtapa tribute, IX Congress, 1995
  • 2001

    PEMSA Industry Award

    Supplier of the Year · Celaya, Gto.

    PEMSA supplier of the year award, 2001
  • 2017

    Products Finishing — Top Shop Medal

    Top Shop Medal · North America

    Products Finishing Top Shop medal, 2017
  • 2019

    Products Finishing México

    Cover Story · Agosto 2019

    Products Finishing México cover story, August 2019

Who you're buying from

We don't hide behind a brand.

Galhor is the trade name used in the United States by Galhor Inc., a Texas corporation, and Estañadora de México, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican manufacturing company. Manufacturing takes place in Tlalnepantla; U.S. distribution operates from Magnolia, Texas. You deserve to know exactly who you're buying from.

The hands

Three generations.Same line. Same standard.

Historical photographs document craftsmen across eight decades — hand-polishing, dipping, finishing. Many of the metal-finishers running our lines today are second- and third-generation: their fathers and grandfathers worked the same production floor. Chrome's a craft. We keep it that way.

  • 1940s–60sFounder-era craftsman hand-polishing or original Estañadora floor
  • 1970s–90sModern chrome line in early operation, full output
  • TodayCurrent 2nd/3rd-gen metal-finishers on the same line
Some of our finishers polished their first bumper at fifteen, alongside their dad. Now their kid is starting.
The shop floor · Tlalnepantla

Our promise

We know the process. We know the materials. We know what it takes to build a bumper that looks right in the real world.

Legal

Galhor is the trade name used in the United States by Galhor Inc., a Texas corporation, and Estañadora de México, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican manufacturing company in continuous operation since 1940. Manufacturing takes place in Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, México. U.S. distribution and customer service operate from 331 Corporate Woods Dr, Suite I-4, Magnolia, TX 77354. For questions: sales@galhor.com · (832) 846-6353. View our Limited Warranty, Refund Policy, and Shipping Policy.