HG International

What HG International does

HG International is a privately held European manufacturer of specialist consumer cleaning, maintenance, and restoration products, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Almere, Netherlands, with a UK operating subsidiary (HG UKI Ltd.) in Takeley, Essex. The company offers a portfolio of 40+ specialized SKUs organized across bathroom and toilet care, kitchen and appliance cleaning, floor care (tile, parquet, laminate, natural stone, vinyl, terra cotta), laundry and textile protection, garden and outdoor surface treatment, and automotive/boat/caravan cleaning. Underlying product technology relies on specialized chemical formulations — including citric acid-based biodegradable descalers, buffered grout cleaners, active oxygen laundry boosters, and a proprietary limescale remover engineered to be safe for coloured sanitary ware (black taps, copper, rose finishes). The company also markets a dedicated ECO sub-brand for environmentally conscious consumers and has acquired the Ecozone brand to strengthen this segment.

HG generates revenue through one-time consumer retail sales, with products distributed across more than 3,000 UK stockists spanning supermarket (Tesco, Ocado), DIY and trade (B&Q, Wickes, Screwfix, Travis Perkins), discount (Home Bargains, Savers), online marketplace (Amazon), and specialty retail channels. The company claims market leadership in the Benelux region and products sold worldwide. Retail price points range from approximately £2.50 to £13.13 per unit, and the company reports an average product rating of 4.5 out of 5. Marketing is conducted through a content-led website with extensive cleaning tips, monthly email newsletters, and active social media presence on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Strategic positioning emphasizes specialist expertise, TÜV-tested product effectiveness, and third-party endorsements including Good Housekeeping Institute Expert Approval and consecutive Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Awards.

The business serves a horizontal segmentation of end consumers — homeowners, garden/outdoor enthusiasts, vehicle owners, and appliance owners — all addressing household maintenance pain points such as limescale, mould, stubborn stains, and appliance descaling. Customer concentration risk sits at the retail-channel layer rather than at the end-consumer level, with revenue heavily dependent on continued shelf placement among a small set of major UK retailers. The acquisition of Ecozone and launch of the ECO sub-brand represent the company's primary recent moves toward sustainability-positioned growth, and partnership with Shelter and Shelter Scotland extends brand reach into the rental housing maintenance segment.

Name

HG International

Legal name

HG UKI Ltd.

Website

https://hg.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HG International is a Netherlands-based, privately held specialist in household cleaning, maintenance, and restoration products founded in 1969. It sells 40+ specialized SKUs through 3,000+ UK stockists and worldwide channels, serving homeowners, vehicle owners, and appliance owners across bathroom, kitchen, floor, laundry, garden, and automotive care categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Household Cleaning Products

akta.pro primary industry

Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen) (CRADAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Home System Care (Water Softeners, Septic Treatments, Drain/Openers, Appliance Cleaners) (CRADAKAK), Laundry Detergents & Boosters (Liquid/Powder/PODS, Enzymes, Bleach Alternatives) (CRADAKAA), Fabric Refreshers & Deodorizers (Odor Eliminators, Sprays) (CRADAKAD)

Keywords

• Household cleaning products
• Specialist cleaning solutions
• Limescale removers
• Appliance maintenance cleaners
• Surface care products

Headquarters

HQ city

Almere

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer cleaning products retail sales: HG generates revenue through sale of household cleaning, maintenance, and restoration products. Products are sold through major UK retailers including Tesco, Amazon, B&Q, Wickes, Screwfix, Ocado, and over 3000 other stockists. Product categories include bathroom cleaners, kitchen products, floor care, mould removers, limescale removers, car care, garden furniture cleaners, and appliance descalers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HG International manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of specialist household cleaning, protecting, and restoring products. The portfolio covers bathrooms, kitchens, floors, appliances, textiles, cars/boats/caravans, and outdoor surfaces, including limescale removers, mould removers, descalers, grout cleaners, stain removers, and floor care products. Products are distributed through major UK retailers including Tesco, Amazon, B&Q, Wickes, Ocado, and over 3,000 stockists, with global availability and market leadership in the Benelux region.

Product overview

HG International is a specialist cleaning products company established since 1969, offering a comprehensive portfolio of household cleaning, maintenance, and repair solutions. The product range includes bathroom and toilet cleaners (limescale removers, mould removers, sanitary cleaners), kitchen cleaners (oven/grill cleaners, air fryer cleaners, coffee machine descalers), floor care products (tile, parquet, laminate, natural stone, terra cotta, vinyl care lines), laundry and textile care (stain removers, laundry boosters, waterproofing products), car care (cleaners, wheel rim cleaners, upholstery cleaners, insect removers), garden and outdoor products (algae/mould removers, garden furniture cleaners), and appliance maintenance products (washing machine/dishwasher cleaners). The company also offers a dedicated ECO sub-brand for eco-friendly cleaning solutions. HG positions itself as a specialist with qualitative products that are market leaders in the Benelux region and sold worldwide at over 3000 UK stockists including Tesco, Amazon, B&Q, Wickes, and Ocado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HG mould remover foam spray
• HG drain and plug unblocker (1L)
• HG air fryer cleaner
• HG oven, grill and barbecue cleaner
• HG bathroom cleaner all surfaces
• HG sanitary area cleaner
• HG algae and mould remover
• HG garden furniture cleaner
• HG limescale remover concentrate
• HG limescale remover foam spray
• HG limescale remover for coloured sanitary ware
• HG coffee machine descaler
• HG washing machine and dishwasher deep clean and service
• HG descaler for appliances
• HG grout cleaner
• HG car cleaner and protector
• HG car wheel rim cleaner
• HG car insect remover
• HG weathered wood restorer
• HG waterproof for clothes and fabrics
• HG ECO product line
• HG natural stone care product line
• HG tile care product line

Quantifiable outcome

• Average product rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars across all products
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EcozonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHG acquired Ecozone, expanding its portfolio of eco-friendly cleaning products. Ecozone is a complementary brand focusing on environmentally conscious cleaning solutions.
• Shelter and Shelter ScotlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHG partnered with Shelter and Shelter Scotland, UK housing and homelessness charities, providing support for their campaigns related to mould and damp treatment in rental properties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dr. Beckmann: German specialist household cleaning brand with a similar problem-solving portfolio (limescale, stain removal, appliance care) sold across European retail. Direct competitor to HG in specialty cleaning SKUs and formulation-driven differentiation.
• Astonish: UK-based specialist cleaning brand distributed through mainstream grocers and discounters with comparable mid-priced positioning. Direct peer across bathroom, kitchen and laundry cleaning categories.
• Stardrops: UK heritage cleaning brand stocked at Tesco and other supermarkets, offering affordable specialty cleaning sprays. Competes with HG in UK retail on price-positioned problem-solving cleaners.
• Bar Keepers Friend: US-originated specialty cleaning brand focused on limescale, rust and stainless-steel cleaning with strong consumer following. Comparable specialty positioning and problem-solution brand architecture.
• CLR (Jelmar): Specialty limescale and calcium, lime and rust remover brand with overlapping product formats and surface-specific claims. Direct competitor in limescale and bathroom cleaning categories.
• Method Products: Design-led, eco-positioned cleaning brand selling through mainstream retail. Competes with HG's ECO sub-brand and Ecozone subsidiary for the sustainability-minded consumer.
• Ecover: Pioneer eco-cleaning brand with plant-based formulations sold through European grocers. Direct competitor in the eco-friendly household cleaning segment.

Broad incumbents

• Reckitt Benckiser: Global CPG giant whose brands (Cillit Bang, Vanish, Finish, Dettol) compete across nearly every cleaning category HG serves. Provides the multi-category shelf scale HG lacks.
• SC Johnson: Global household products incumbent with Mr Muscle, Kiwi and others in surface, specialty and pest cleaning. Competes with HG across broad retail category captaincy.
• Henkel: German multinational with Bref, Sidolin and Vernel product lines spanning bathroom, limescale and household cleaning. Competes with HG in European retail through scale and branded marketing spend.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQu8Wl9wnxhuPStybSaCciw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HGUnitedKingdom
• LinkedInnl.linkedin.com/company/hg-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/hg.uk
• Xx.com/hginternational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about HG International