Comprehensive electroplating wastewater from an electronics manufacturer in Suzhou routinely exceeds discharge limits for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and heavy metals. This study assessed a micellar-enhanced coagulation–sedimentation process that uses sodium alkyl ether carboxylate–polymeric aluminium ferric sulfate (AEC-PAFS) as the coagulant. Bench-scale tests were performed to determine the effects of AEC mass fraction in the composite coagulant, overall dosage, initial pH and coagulation time on treatment performance. Optimum conditions were obtained at an AEC mass fraction of 0.30%, an AEC-PAFS dosage of 120 mg/L, an initial pH of 9~10 and a coagulation time of 2.5 h. Under these parameters, the removals of COD, suspended solids (SS), Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Hg and Cr were 63.2%, 89.5%, 79.7%, 77.1%, 75.2%, 70.5%, 65.4%, 60.8% and 35.6%, respectively. The optimised process was then incorporated into the existing treatment train during a pilot-scale trial at the plant. Effluent concentrations of COD, SS and all eight regulated heavy metals complied with the limits in Table 3 of the Chinese standard GB 21900-2008, demonstrating the feasibility of AEC-PAFS micellar-enhanced coagulation–sedimentation for advanced treatment of comprehensive electroplating wastewater.