Hempel

What Hempel does

Hempel A/S is a Danish multinational coatings company founded in 1915 and headquartered in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. The company designs, manufactures, and sells protective, marine, decorative, and yacht coatings, operating through four primary business segments: Energy & Infrastructure, Marine, Decorative, and Yacht. Its core product technology includes proprietary intumescent passive fire protection coatings (Hempafire, Hempacore), solvent-free tank linings for petrochemicals and crude oil (Hempaline Defend), activated zinc-rich epoxy primers (Avantguard), and epoxy/polyurethane product lines (Hempadur, Hempathane, Hempaprime). Hempel also distributes through the MyHempel digital platform and offers the HEET Dynamic estimation tool integrated with Tekla Structures BIM software for automated intumescent coating calculations.

The company serves enterprise customers globally across oil and gas, offshore wind, infrastructure, commercial shipping, and luxury residential and commercial buildings. End customers include Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu, LVMH's La Samaritaine, Shell, Arkema, Oldelval, and the Wikinger Wind Farm, alongside dozens of regional applicators. Distribution is multi-channel: direct enterprise sales for large infrastructure and industrial projects; wholly-owned regional brands (Farrow & Ball, Crown Paints, Wattyl, Neogard, Jones Blair) for decorative and protective markets in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the US; and digital self-service via MyHempel. Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed; contracts are typically multi-year and specification-driven.

Hempel operates in more than 80 countries with 5,001-10,000 employees, reported €2,165 million in FY2025 revenue (3.4% organic growth), record adjusted EBITDA of €394 million (18.2% margin), and record free cash flow of €259 million. The largest shareholders include CVC Capital Partners following its 2024 growth investment. Leadership transitioned in June 2026 with CFO Peter la Cour Gormsen and CTO Emilie Barriau appointed joint interim CEOs after Michael Hansen's resignation.

Name

Hempel

Legal name

Hempel A/S

Website

https://hempel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Hempel A/S is a Danish multinational founded in 1915 that designs, manufactures, and sells protective, marine, decorative, and yacht coatings to enterprise customers across energy, infrastructure, shipping, and buildings, operating in more than 80 countries through direct sales and wholly-owned regional brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Coatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coatings, Corrosion Protection & Anti-Fouling Systems (IMAJAKAJ), Marine & Offshore Coatings (IMAEAGAD), Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM), Industrial Protective Coatings (Steel/Concrete/Equipment) (IMAIAKAB)

Keywords

• Industrial protective coatings
• Marine anti-fouling coatings
• Intumescent fire protection
• Industrial tank linings
• Architectural decorative paints

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyngby

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Protective Coatings: Industrial protective coatings for Energy & Infrastructure segment including corrosion protection, fire protection, and tank linings for petrochemical, oil & gas, and infrastructure applications.
2. Marine Coatings: Advanced coating solutions for vessels including anti-fouling coatings, hull coatings, and container coatings for the maritime industry.
3. Decorative Coatings: High-quality architectural paints including the luxury Farrow & Ball brand, Crown Paints, Wattyl, and other decorative paint brands for residential and commercial buildings.
4. Yacht Coatings: Complete range of coatings for yachts serving both DIY consumers and professional applicators.
5. Hempel Services: Technical services including specification guidance, application support, and expert advisory for coating processes optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hempel manufactures and sells industrial protective coatings across four segments: Marine (anti-fouling and hull coatings), Energy & Infrastructure (corrosion protection, intumescent passive fire protection, and tank linings for oil & gas, renewables, and civil structures), Decorative (architectural paints including luxury brand Farrow & Ball), and Yacht (DIY and PRO coatings). The portfolio combines proprietary coating chemistries — Avantguard, Hempafire, Hempacore, Hempaline Defend, GALVOSIL — with digital tools such as the MyHempel procurement platform, HEET Dynamic estimation software, and BIM plug-in for Tekla Structures.

Product overview

Hempel is a global coatings company providing high-quality protective coatings across three main segments: Marine, Energy & Infrastructure, and Decorative/Yacht. The product portfolio includes Hempafire and Hempacore sub-brands for passive fire protection (intumescent coatings for cellulosic and hydrocarbon fires), Hempaline Defend tank linings (solvent-free epoxies and vinyl esters), GALVOSIL zinc silicate coatings, and Avantguard activated zinc primers. The offering also includes proprietary digital tools such as MyHempel platform, HEET Dynamic estimation software, Coating System Selector, Colour Converter, Chemical Protection Guide, and Technical Calculators. The portfolio follows a platform approach where core coating products are complemented by digital tools and services to optimize coating selection, application, and project efficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wattyl: Paints and coatings brand serving Australian and New Zealand markets.
• Crown Paints
• Neogard
• Jones Blair
• Farrow & Ball
• MyHempel
• Hempaline
• Hempadur
• Hempafire
• Hempacore
• Avantguard
• Hempaprime
• Hempathane

Products and services

• Hempafire Pro 315 Optimized intumescent coating for passive fire protection delivering 60-90 minutes cellulosic fire protection with exceptionally low loadings and fast-drying properties for efficient application on structural steel.
• Hempafire Extreme 550 Two-component epoxy solvent-free intumescent coating for passive fire protection of structural steel against cellulosic fires, optimized from R30 to R120 fire durations and suitable for interior and exterior conditions up to Type X and C5 environments.
• Hempacore One One-component intumescent offering up to 180 minutes of cellulosic fire protection in interior and exterior conditions up to C4, applicable in thin layers and overcoatable with any colour.
• Hempaline Defend 630 Solvent-free high-performance epoxy phenolic lining with excellent chemical resistance to petrochemicals including crude oil, MTBE, alcohols, and solvents, available in Standard (Cure 72) and Fast Return to Service (Cure 24) grades.
• Hempaline Defend 430 Solvent-free tank lining launched in October 2025 to boost efficiency in the energy sector for chemical storage and transportation applications.
• Hempaline Defend 640 Solvent-free high-performance glass flake epoxy phenolic lining with enhanced mechanical properties and chemical resistance for petrochemical storage, reinforced with glass flake filler.
• Hempaline Defend 740 Two-component sprayable high-performance novolac glass flake vinyl ester tank lining with excellent resistance to organic and inorganic acid solutions, high temperatures, and abrasion for chemical processing tanks and wet FGD systems.
• Hempaline Defend 400 Solvent-free high-performance epoxy lining with good chemical resistance to crude oil, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, and aviation fuels, with single coat application available in Standard (Cure 72) and Fast Return to Service (Cure 24) grades.
• Avantguard activated zinc-rich epoxy primers Activated zinc-rich epoxy primer technology providing superior anti-corrosion protection with enhanced mechanical strength, faster drying times, and reduced project costs for offshore, wind farm, and industrial applications.
• MyHempel digital procurement platform Digital platform enabling customers to explore coatings, place orders, and manage documents including safety data sheets and product information in one place.
• HEET Dynamic estimation software Intumescent coating estimation software providing fast, accurate volume and thickness calculations for passive fire protection applications, with BIM plug-in integration to Tekla Structures for two-way information flow.
• Farrow & Ball luxury decorative paints and wallpapers Luxury decorative paint and wallpaper brand acquired by Hempel in September 2021, serving premium residential and commercial interiors worldwide.
• Crown Paints decorative paints Wholly owned UK paints and coatings brand serving the United Kingdom decorative coatings market.
• Wattyl decorative paints Wholly owned paints and coatings brand serving Australia and New Zealand decorative coatings markets.
• Neogard high-performance coatings Wholly owned US coatings brand specializing in high-performance coatings for commercial and industrial applications.
• Jones Blair paints and coatings Wholly owned US regional paints and coatings brand serving specific geographic markets in the United States.
• Hempel Services technical advisory Technical services including specification guidance, application support, and expert advisory for coating process optimisation, delivered alongside product sales.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in paint consumption with Hempafire Extreme 550
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Farrow & BallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury decorative paint and wallpaper brand owned by Hempel since September 2021. Continues to operate as a premium brand within the Hempel portfolio, expanding globally under new ownership.
• WattylcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian paint brand owned by Hempel serving the Australia and New Zealand decorative coatings markets.
• Crown PaintscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK paint brand owned by Hempel serving the United Kingdom decorative coatings market.
• NeogardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS coatings brand owned by Hempel specializing in high-performance coatings for commercial and industrial applications.
• Jones BlaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS regional paint brand owned by Hempel serving specific geographic markets in the United States.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AkzoNobel: Global paints and coatings major with overlapping marine, protective, and decorative coatings portfolios (International Paint, Dulux). Most direct competitor across all three of Hempel's primary segments.
• Jotun: Norwegian privately held coatings company with strong marine and protective coatings franchises. Closest direct competitor to Hempel's Marine and Energy & Infrastructure segments with similar technology focus on anti-fouling and offshore-grade systems.
• Axalta Coating Systems: Performance coatings specialist with refinish, industrial, and light vehicle coatings. Comparable positioning as a focused coatings player with strong technical sales motion and customer-specification-driven go-to-market.
• RPM International: Specialty coatings holding company with portfolio of protective, marine, and industrial coatings brands (e.g., Carboline, Stonhard). Direct overlap in protective coatings and similar multi-brand ownership strategy.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: US-listed global coatings major with significant protective and marine coatings exposure (PPG Protective & Marine Coatings). Larger and broader portfolio than Hempel but overlapping core customer segments in oil & gas, infrastructure, and marine.
• Sherwin-Williams: World's largest coatings company with leading decorative position plus industrial protective coatings. Competes with Hempel's Decorative segment via Crown Paints regionally and broader Protective overlap.
• Nippon Paint Holdings: Asia-Pacific based global coatings major with significant decorative and industrial coatings presence. Competes with Hempel particularly across APAC and increasingly in marine through acquisitions.
• Kansai Paint: Japanese coatings major with automotive, industrial, and decorative exposure. Regional overlap with Hempel across Asia-Pacific and comparable industrial coatings technology portfolio.

Emerging players

• Teknos: Finnish family-owned coatings company specializing in industrial and decorative paints with strong Nordic presence. Comparable technology focus on intumescent fire protection and industrial coatings for metal substrates.

Others

• Sika AG: Swiss specialty chemicals leader focused on construction chemicals, sealants, and protective systems. Adjacent rather than direct competitor but increasingly overlapping in infrastructure protection and building envelope solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRqAMPjcWCmzHMEhjnRrFgA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hempel-as
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hempel-Paints-South-Africa-1218397561505213

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hempel