Plastics are replacing metals in the manufacture of many parts, and quite often there is a need for metallic coatings on the plastics and other non-conductors. This paper will describe new processes of preparing ABS plastic substrates for subsequent metallization. A process replacing the traditional chromic acid etching step with a room-temperature, environmentally friendly etchant is described. Further, to address the high cost of palladium, a non-precious-metal activator has been developed that can obtain uniform, adherent metallic coatings on plastic substrates.