Plascon
Plascon is a South African decorative, industrial, and automotive paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1893, serving Consumer/DIY buyers, professional contractors, industrial clients, and automotive refinishers across South Africa and the broader African market as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's Kansai Paint.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1893
- HeadquartersKrugersdorp, South Africa
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Plascon does
Plascon (legal entity Kansai Plascon (Proprietary) Limited) is a South African paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1893 and headquartered in Johannesburg, with corporate operations anchored at Krugersdorp and a research presence at Stellenbosch University. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's Kansai Paint Co., Ltd., a global top-10 paint manufacturer, and benefits from the parent's R&D infrastructure, including more than 500 chemists and an annual R&D budget exceeding USD 50 million. Plascon manufactures and distributes decorative, industrial, and automotive paints and coatings across consumer, professional contractor, and B2B industrial buyer segments, organized into product tiers (Premium, Quality, Value, Specialty) and multiple sub-brands including Polycell (preparation/fillers), TradePro (professional coatings), Velvaglo, Cashmere, Double Velvet, Micatex, Steeltect, Railtect, Acryline, and MasterMix. The portfolio spans interior and exterior decorative paints, waterproofing systems, woodcare, metalcare primers and finishes, road-marking paints, and industrial protective coatings.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales across four streams: decorative paint sales, industrial coatings, automotive paint products (Acryline, MasterMix), and specialty products (waterproofing, bonding agents, woodcare, preparation). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is tiered across Premium/Quality/Value/Specialty positioning. The go-to-market model is multi-channel: direct e-commerce through plascon.co.za (with colour-selection, paint-calculator, and inspiration tools), physical retail through hardware and paint stores across South Africa, and a dedicated TradePro professional contractor supply channel. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across Consumer/DIY (primary), Professional Contractors (TradePro), Industrial (Engen is one named reference), and Automotive refinish. The company maintains ISO 14001 (since 2005), OSHAS 18001:2007 (since 2007), B-BBEE Level 8 status, POPIA compliance, and has offered lead-free decorative formulations since 1998. Strategically, Plascon is expanding in two directions visible in recent activity: (i) an April 2026 joint venture with Versus Paint targeting the luxury coatings segment in Southern Africa and (ii) ongoing expansion into the rest of Africa under parent-company Kansai Paint's broader Africa strategy.
The company is privately held with no public ticker; legal name is Kansai Plascon (Proprietary) Limited, domiciled in South Africa. Leadership is anchored by CEO PR Lalla (Prejay), appointed August 3, 2017, with a mixed South African and Japanese board (Chairman Takashi Tomioka and multiple non-executive directors seconded from Kansai Paint). Headcount is reported in the 101–250 band, though the broader workforce across manufacturing operations in South Africa is likely larger. No revenue or ARR is disclosed; brand equity is reinforced through 130+ years of continuous operation, multi-tier product architecture, and regulatory certifications that meet South African public-sector and industrial procurement requirements.
Plascon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plascon
- Legal name
- Kansai Plascon (Proprietary) Limited
- Website
- https://plascon.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1893
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Plascon is a South African decorative, industrial, and automotive paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1893, serving Consumer/DIY buyers, professional contractors, industrial clients, and automotive refinishers across South Africa and the broader African market as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's Kansai Paint.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Plascon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Krugersdorp
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
Plascon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Decorative Paint Sales: Sale of consumer and professional-grade decorative paints for interior and exterior applications including walls, ceilings, doors, trims, and wood surfaces.
- Industrial Coatings: Specialized coatings for industrial applications including protective coatings, floor coatings, and rail coatings.
- Automotive Paint Products: Automotive refinish paints and products under brands including Acryline, MasterMix, and MasterMix BBR.
- Specialty Products: Waterproofing products, bonding agents, woodcare products, and preparation coatings.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Plascon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plascon manufactures and sells decorative, industrial, and automotive paint and coating products under its own Plascon brand, the TradePro professional line, the Polycell preparation range, and specialized sub-brands such as Acryline, MasterMix, Steeltect, Railtect, and Roadtect. The company operates its own e-commerce site, physical retail presence, and dedicated contractor supply channels, and benefits from Kansai Paint's global R&D.
Product overview
Plascon is a South African paint and coatings company offering a comprehensive portfolio of decorative, industrial, and automotive paints. The product range includes interior paints (Plascon Double Velvet, Cashmere, Super Acrylic Polvin, Velvaglo, Kitchen & Bathroom, One Coat), exterior paints (Plascon Micatex, Nuroof Cool, Wall & All, Wallseal), trade paints (TradePro line including primers, enamels, undercoats, and specialty coatings), woodcare products (varnishes, preservatives, deck coatings), metalcare products (primers and metal coatings), waterproofing solutions (Allseal, Multiseal), industrial coatings (Super Universal Enamel, End Rust), cleaning agents and fillers (Polycell brand), and specialty automotive coatings. The company also offers colour technology tools including a Colour Finder system and colourant systems. Products are available across multiple tiers including Premium, Quality, Value, and Speciality ranges. The company is part of Kansai Paint group and holds ISO 14001 certification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Polycell: A range of paint preparation and filler products including Polycell Polyfilla, Polycell Sugar Soap, and Polycell Brush Cleaner.
- TradePro
- True Colour
- Paramount
- Plascon Micatex
- Plascon Velvaglo
- Plascon Cashmere
- Plascon Double Velvet
- Acryline
- MasterMix
- Steeltect
- Railtect
- Roadtect
Products and services
- Plascon Double Velvet A luxurious, easy-to-clean, low-odour premium interior paint with a velvet sheen finish, targeted at homeowners for walls and trims.
- Plascon Cashmere A stylish, low-odour, stain-resistant premium interior paint with a plush matt finish, targeted at homeowners seeking premium decorative finishes.
- Plascon Micatex A premium fine-textured exterior wall coating with weather-resistant properties for residential exterior walls.
- Plascon Super Acrylic Polvin A superior quality acrylic paint for both interior and exterior surfaces, targeted at homeowners and contractors seeking versatile wall coatings.
- Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based A premium quality satin finish non-drip water-based enamel for interior walls and trim work.
- TradePro Bright Matt A water-based acrylic trade paint with a bright matt finish, targeted at professional painters and contractors.
- TradePro Water-Based Primer A water-based trade primer with quick drying and low VOC properties that seals and evens out surface porosity, targeted at professional painters and contractors.
- Plascon Allseal An easy-to-apply waterproofing solution for residential roofs and walls, targeted at homeowners and contractors.
- Plascon Woodcare Natural Deck Coating A water-based natural deck coating for treating wood surfaces, targeted at homeowners and contractors treating exterior decking.
- Plascon End Rust Anti-Rust Primer A polymer-based waterborne anti-rust primer for metal protection, targeted at industrial users and contractors requiring corrosion protection.
- Polycell Polyfilla Interior A fine general-purpose interior filler for paint preparation, targeted at homeowners and contractors preparing interior surfaces.
- True Colour Bright Gloss A good-quality bright gloss enamel with 5-year guarantee, offering good coverage and weather resistance, targeted at value-conscious homeowners.
- Plascon Super Universal Enamel A premium quality universal enamel paint, targeted at industrial and professional users requiring a versatile enamel.
- Plascon Nuroof Cool A premium roof paint for residential roofs, targeted at homeowners seeking durable roof coatings.
- Plascon Kitchen & Bathroom A premium quality paint specifically designed for kitchens and bathrooms, targeted at homeowners needing moisture-resistant interior paint.
Quantifiable outcome
- All decorative paints lead-free since 1998
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Plascon
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Plascon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Plascon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- HOOD Youth Development ProjectminorPlascon partners with HOOD Youth Development Project to channel at-risk youth into community upliftment through paint and coatings skills development.
- Versus PaintcorePlascon and Versus Paint, two leading Southern African paint and coatings companies, announced the formation of a joint venture to enrich the luxury coatings market in Southern Africa.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Plascon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Plascon social profiles
Digital presencePlascon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Plascon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plascon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Plascon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plascon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plascon
What does Plascon do?
Plascon manufactures and sells decorative, industrial, and automotive paint and coating products under its own Plascon brand, the TradePro professional line, the Polycell preparation range, and specialized sub-brands such as Acryline, MasterMix, Steeltect, Railtect, and Roadtect. The company operates its own e-commerce site, physical retail presence, and dedicated contractor supply channels, and benefits from Kansai Paint's global R&D.
Is Plascon a public or private company?
Plascon is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Plascon founded?
Plascon was founded in 1893. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Plascon based?
Plascon is headquartered in Krugersdorp, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Plascon make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Decorative Paint Sales are the primary driver. The others are industrial Coatings, automotive Paint Products and specialty Products.
Does Plascon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plascon.