What Crown Paints does

Crown Paints is a UK and Ireland decorative paint manufacturer founded in 1777, headquartered in Darwen, Lancashire, with manufacturing operations in Hull. The company operates as a subsidiary of The Hempel Group, a diversified global coatings supplier serving decorative, protective, marine, container, and yacht markets. Crown Paints produces interior and exterior paints under a multi-brand portfolio including the core Crown range, the Sandtex exterior masonry brand (with more than 60 years of market presence), the Sadolin woodcare brand, the premium CRAFTED™ decorative textured finishes line, and the easyclean® durable multi-surface range. Differentiated product technologies include Breatheasy® 99% solvent-free emulsion, Sandtex Microseal breathable masonry protection claimed to last up to 15 years, and easyclean® which is marketed as 200 times tougher than standard emulsion. Sub-brands, finishes, and colour collections (whites, neutrals, metallics, textured) are organised by range, room, and style to support colour selection.

The business serves two primary customer segments: Consumer DIY homeowners undertaking personal decorating projects, and Trade Professionals (decorators, contractors, painters) purchasing through dedicated channels. Secondary segments include architects and interior designers requiring specification tools (Fandeck, Trade Samples, Colour Visualiser) and commercial sectors such as healthcare, education, housing providers, hospitality, and local authorities. Crown monetises through one-time unit-based sales of paint cans, samples (40ml Matchpots sold on a 3-for-2 promotion), accessories, and complementary services such as professional colour matching and digital colour visualisation.

Distribution and go-to-market are multi-channel: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via crownpaints.com with free delivery over £50, a network of independent stockists, company-owned Crown Decorating Centres retail locations targeting trade buyers, and a dedicated professional site (crownpaintsprofessional.com). Marketing spans TV (Channel 4), digital video, social platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), email, content marketing via inspiration galleries and advice pages, and trade media partnerships. Sustainability commitments are integrated into the strategy through the Project Possible ESG programme, a Net Zero by 2050 target, and participation in the British Coatings Federation's PaintCare take-back scheme pilot, targeting 75% paint reuse and recycling and a 50% carbon reduction versus current disposal routes by 2032.

Name

Crown Paints

Legal name

Crown Paints

Website

https://crownpaints.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1777

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Crown Paints is a UK and Ireland decorative paint manufacturer and subsidiary of The Hempel Group, producing interior and exterior paints under brands including Crown, Sandtex, and Sadolin. It sells to consumer DIY and trade professional customers through e-commerce, independent stockists, and Crown Decorating Centres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorative Paints & Coatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Paint and Wallpaper Retailers (444120)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Decorative Coatings (IMAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural & Decorative Paints (IMAEAHAA), Architectural & Decorative Paints (IMADAKAA)

Keywords

• Decorative paint manufacturing
• Interior exterior paints
• Trade decorating supplies
• Masonry wood coatings
• Professional colour services

Headquarters

HQ city

Darwen

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Paint Sales: Direct-to-consumer and trade sales of interior and exterior paints through e-commerce, retail stockists, and Crown Decorating Centres

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Crown Paints manufactures and markets decorative paints and coatings for interior and exterior applications across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its portfolio includes the Walls & Ceilings, easyclean®, CRAFTED™, Sandtex Exterior, and Wood & Metal paint ranges, plus the Sadolin woodcare sub-brand. Products are sold through direct e-commerce, independent stockists, and Crown Decorating Centres to both consumer DIY customers and trade professionals.

Product overview

Crown Paints is a UK-based paint manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of interior and exterior paint products for consumers and trade professionals. The core product line includes Walls & Ceilings (Breatheasy® solvent-free emulsion), easyclean® (200x tougher multi-surface paint), CRAFTED™ (premium textured/velvet finishes), Sandtex Exterior (15-year masonry protection), and Wood & Metal specialty paints. The brand portfolio extends to Sadolin (woodcare) and the trade-focused Crown Decorating Centres. Products are organized by finish type (Matt, Silk, Mid Sheen, Metallic, Textured, Gloss, Satin, Eggshell) and room application. Crown also provides colour matching services, sample Matchpots, professional trade services, and digital colour visualisation tools for specification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sandtex: Exterior masonry paint brand protecting buildings for over 60 years
• Sadolin
• CRAFTED by Crown
• easyclean
• Crown Decorating Centres

Products and services

• Walls & Ceilings Paint Interior emulsion paint with no surface shine and Breatheasy® 99% solvent-free formula. Crown's most popular interior range, available in 2.5L and 5L sizes in 80 colours, for homeowners decorating living spaces.
• easyclean® Multi-surface paint formulated to be 200 times tougher than standard emulsion, providing wipe-clean properties for walls, wood and metal. Available in Matt, Kitchen and Bathroom finishes in 33 colours.
• CRAFTED™ Premium decorative textured finishes collection offering a velvety non-reflective matt finish for walls, ceilings and woodwork. Available in Flat Matt, Textured and Metallic finishes across 62 colours.
• Sandtex Exterior Durable, breathable masonry paint using Sandtex Microseal technology to seal and protect exterior walls. Designed to last up to 15 years, available in 2.5L and 5L sizes in 25 colours.
• Wood & Metal Paint Specialised paint range for interior and exterior wood and metal surfaces, part of Crown's core product portfolio.
• Sadolin Wood Protection Advanced wood protection product range for DIY and professional markets, positioned as a high-standard wood care offering within the Crown Paints brand portfolio.
• Matchpots 40ml tester paint pots sold on a 3-for-2 promotion, allowing customers to sample and test Crown paint colours before purchasing full-size cans.
• Crown Decorating Centres Company-owned trade-focused retail outlets (and associated online channel crowndecoratingcentres.co.uk) offering professional-quality paints, tools, and solutions for contractors and decorators.
• Trade Colour Services Professional specification and colour service for architects, designers and contractors, including Trade Samples, Fandeck, The Colour Edit, and the Colour Visualiser digital tool.
• Supplies & Primers Preparation and application product range including primers, brushes and rollers sold alongside Crown paint to support a finished decoration project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sandtex masonry paint designed to last up to 15 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dinosaur (Manchester Creative Agency)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Dinosaur is Crown Paints' creative agency partner for the 'Looks like…' campaign, the first unified consumer and trade communications platform. The creative direction challenges traditional paint advertising by showcasing real decorating journeys, imperfections, and emotional motivations behind home transformations.
• Channel 4coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Media partnership for the 'Looks like…' multi-channel campaign launching April 1, 2026. Channel 4 provides broadcast media support as part of the campaign's TV and multi-platform presence.
• On The ToolscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Trade platform partnership supporting the 'Looks like…' campaign. On The Tools is a trade media platform serving the UK construction and decorating trades, providing a direct channel to trade professionals.
• British Coatings FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Industry body managing the PaintCare take-back scheme pilot in the West Midlands. The initiative involves major UK paint manufacturers (Dulux, Johnstone's, Crown Paints, Craig & Rose, Valspar, Little Greene) with a goal of 75% paint reuse and recycling by 2032.
• BiffaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste management partner for the PaintCare take-back scheme pilot. Biffa handles collection and recycling of leftover decorative paint and empty packaging as part of the industry-funded initiative backed by approximately £0.5 million investment.
• The Hempel GroupcoreOthersCrown Paints is part of The Hempel Group, a world-leading coatings supplier to decorative, protective, marine, container, and yacht markets. The group is dedicated to making a significant difference to the world and operates the Hempel Foundation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dulux (AkzoNobel): UK market leader in decorative paints, owned by global coatings major AkzoNobel. Directly competes with Crown across consumer DIY, trade, and specification channels in the UK and Ireland.
• Leyland Paints: UK-based decorative paint manufacturer with strong trade channel presence. Direct competitor across consumer and trade segments, particularly in emulsion and masonry categories overlapping with Crown's core ranges.
• Valspar (Sherwin-Williams): Decorative paint brand from Sherwin-Williams operating in the UK. Co-participant in PaintCare and direct competitor across consumer and trade channels.
• Farrow & Ball: Premium UK heritage decorative paint brand. Competes with Crown's CRAFTED™ premium line on the high end of consumer and designer/specifier segments.
• Little Greene: UK premium decorative paint and wallpaper brand. Co-participant in the PaintCare scheme and direct competitor in the designer/specifier and premium DIY segments.
• Johnstone's Paints (PPG): Major UK decorative paint brand owned by PPG Industries. Direct competitor across consumer and trade segments, co-participant in the PaintCare take-back scheme, and overlapping sub-brand portfolios.
• Craig & Rose: UK heritage paint manufacturer (established 1829) competing in the mid-premium decorative segment. Co-participant in the PaintCare take-back scheme and direct brand competitor in UK retail.

Emerging players

• Benjamin Moore: North American premium decorative brand expanding internationally. Comparable premium positioning to Crown's CRAFTED™ and Sandtex ranges, and a potential future competitor in the UK specifier channel.

Broad incumbents

• Brewers Decorator Centres: Largest UK decorators' merchant with national trade retail footprint. While not a paint manufacturer, it is the most direct comparison to Crown Decorating Centres and competes for trade wallet share at retail.
• Tikkurila: European decorative paints major (PPG-owned). Comparable in product range (interior/exterior emulsions, woodcare) and serves overlapping end-uses, but with Northern European market focus rather than UK concentration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crownpaints
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrownPaints

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&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Crown Paints