Chroma

What Chroma does

Chroma Graphics Inc. is a privately held, vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of licensed automotive aftermarket accessories founded in 1972 and headquartered in Maryville, Tennessee. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes specialty products including license plates, license plate frames, decals, windshield graphics, window markers, auto ornaments, and frame hardware, using specialty films for reflective and holographic finishes. Chroma operates through three corporate structures: the parent Chroma division for B2B distribution to retail automotive chains, mass merchandisers, and warehouse distributors; the PlastiColor sub-brand for branded automotive accessories; and the MyCoolCarStuff.com D2C e-commerce division for direct consumer sales.

The company's core competitive position rests on a licensing portfolio spanning more than 30 major brand partners across two categories: automotive OEMs (Ford, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Jeep/Dodge via FCA US LLC, Harley-Davidson, Caterpillar, John Deere, Polaris, Chevrolet, GMC) and entertainment IP holders (Disney, Marvel, Star Wars/Lucasfilm, Warner Brothers/DC Comics, Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Peanuts, Paramount). Chroma leverages this portfolio to supply retailers with officially licensed, on-trend personalization products that drive consumer traffic.

Revenue is generated through three streams: wholesale hardware sales of licensed accessories to retail and e-commerce channels, licensing royalties paid by Chroma to brand partners (offset by margin on the manufactured product), and custom manufacturing services for Fortune 100 companies and smaller businesses seeking bespoke automotive accessories under their own brand identity. Distribution reaches more than 30,000 brick-and-mortar retail locations worldwide and all major e-commerce platforms, with a global sales force spanning North America, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and 11-50 employees per firmographic data.

Name

Chroma

Legal name

Chroma Graphics Inc.

Website

https://chroma-graphics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chroma Graphics is a privately held, vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of licensed automotive aftermarket accessories — including decals, license plates, frames, and windshield graphics — serving global retailers and brand licensors since 1972.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Aftermarket Accessories Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363), Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers (4413)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714), Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013)

akta.pro primary industry

Accessories & appearance products distribution (interior/exterior accessories, detailing, car care) (CRAOANAI)

Keywords

• Automotive aftermarket accessories
• Licensed automotive decals
• License plate frames
• Windshield graphics decals
• Custom auto ornaments

Headquarters

HQ city

Maryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensed Automotive Accessories Sales: Manufacture and sale of licensed automotive accessories including license plates, license plate frames, windshield graphics, window markers, auto ornaments, and decals featuring major brand licenses (Ford, Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, etc.).
2. Licensing Royalties: Royalty arrangements from licensing agreements with major brands, where Chroma manufactures and distributes products under licensed intellectual property.
3. Custom Manufacturing Services: Bespoke product design and manufacturing services for Fortune 100 companies and smaller businesses, creating custom automotive accessories and packaging.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chroma Graphics Inc. designs, manufactures, and distributes licensed aftermarket automotive accessories under its own brands (Chroma, PlastiColor, R Racing) and via the MyCoolCarStuff.com direct-to-consumer site. Its product portfolio centers on license plate frames, license plates, frame hardware, windshield graphics, window markers, auto ornaments, and decals featuring licensed designs from automotive OEMs (Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Jeep, Harley-Davidson, John Deere) and entertainment properties (Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Warner Brothers). The company operates a vertically integrated model spanning design, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and global distribution to retail chains, mass merchandisers, specialty markets, and e-commerce.

Product overview

Chroma is a vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of licensed automotive accessories founded in 1972. The company operates through three divisions: Chroma (parent company) handling distribution to retail automotive chains, PlastiColor for branded accessories, and MyCoolCarStuff.com for direct-to-consumer online sales. Product portfolio centers on customizable automotive exterior accessories including License Plate Frames, License Plates, Frame Hardware, Windshield Graphics, Window Markers, Auto Ornaments, and Decals—all featuring licensed brand designs. The company holds licensing agreements with major automotive OEMs (Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Harley-Davidson, GMC, Dodge, Ram, Caterpillar, John Deere, Polaris, International Harvester, Mr. Horsepower, R Racing, WeatherPro) and entertainment brands (Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Warner Brothers, Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Old Guys Rule, Paramount, Peanuts). Products are distributed through over 30,000 brick-and-mortar retail locations and major e-commerce platforms worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PlastiColor: Innovative, on-trend, high-quality automotive accessories combined with today's most popular and iconic brands.
• MyCoolCarStuff.com
• R Racing

Quantifiable outcome

• Products available in over 30,000 retail locations worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFord Motor Company trademark licensing partnership for officially licensed Ford automotive accessories including license plates, frames, decals, and related products distributed through automotive retail channels.
• General MotorscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerGeneral Motors trademark licensing partnership for GM-branded automotive accessories.
• HondacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHonda official licensed product partnership where Chroma designs, manufactures, and distributes Honda-branded automotive accessories.
• ToyotacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerToyota licensing partnership for automotive accessories featuring Toyota branding.
• Jeep (FCA US LLC)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFCA US LLC licensing for Mopar, Jeep, Dodge, and related automotive trademarks used in licensed automotive accessories.
• Harley-Davidson Motor CompanycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHarley-Davidson trademark licensing for automotive accessories featuring Harley, Harley-Davidson logos and Bar & Shield Design.
• DisneycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerDisney licensing for officially licensed Disney automotive accessories including characters, imagery, and related branded products.
• Star Wars (Lucasfilm Ltd.)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerStar Wars trademark licensing for automotive decals and accessories featuring Star Wars characters and imagery.
• MarvelcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMarvel licensing for officially licensed Marvel character automotive accessories.
• Warner Brothers / DC ComicscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerWarner Brothers and DC Comics licensing for automotive accessories featuring Looney Tunes, DC characters, and WB Shield branding.
• Caterpillar Inc.majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCaterpillar trademark licensing for CAT-branded automotive accessories, including Caterpillar Yellow trade dress.
• John DeeremajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerJohn Deere trademark licensing for automotive accessories featuring John Deere's green and yellow color scheme and leaping deer symbol.
• NissanmajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNissan Motor Co., Ltd. trademark licensing for automotive accessories.
• GMCmajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerGeneral Motors truck brand GMC trademark licensing for automotive accessories.
• ChevroletcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChevrolet trademark licensing for automotive accessories featuring Chevrolet branding.
• PolarismajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPolaris trademark licensing for automotive and powersports accessories.
• PlastiColorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChroma's subsidiary brand specializing in innovative, on-trend, high-quality automotive accessories combined with popular and iconic brands. Operates as separate company under Chroma umbrella.
• PlastiColorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline division of Chroma Graphics supplying officially branded automotive accessories directly to consumers through MyCoolCarStuff.com e-commerce platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pilot Automotive: Aftermarket automotive accessories manufacturer (mirrors, license plate frames, decals, truck accessories) selling through mass retail and auto parts chains. Highly comparable in channel strategy, product categories, and target customers.
• CIPA USA: Manufacturer of aftermarket automotive mirrors and accessories distributed through major retail and e-commerce channels. Direct overlap with Chroma in product categories and the same retail distribution footprint.
• Cruiser Accessories: Specialty manufacturer of license plate frames and related automotive accessories. Among the most directly comparable peers given the heavy overlap on license plate frames, a core Chroma product.
• Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation: Large manufacturer of aftermarket automotive accessories (license plate frames, mirrors, lighting, towing products) distributed through the same mass-market and auto parts retail channels as Chroma. Comparable in product mix, customer base (Walmart, AutoZone, O'Reilly), and B2B go-to-market model.

Broad incumbents

• LUND International: Aftermarket truck and SUV accessories manufacturer (running boards, grille guards, hood protectors) distributed through the same mass retail and auto parts chains. Broader product range than Chroma but comparable retail customer base.
• Bestop: Aftermarket soft tops and Jeep accessories manufacturer serving specialty and OEM channels. Larger and more vehicle-specific than Chroma but operates in the same aftermarket accessory manufacturing space.
• Covercraft Industries: Leading aftermarket automotive accessories manufacturer (vehicle covers, seat covers, floor mats) with broader product portfolio but overlapping retail distribution channels and similar B2B sales motion to major chains.
• Dorman Products: Large publicly traded aftermarket auto parts manufacturer and distributor serving similar retail and professional channels. Much broader product portfolio (drivetrain, electronics, chassis) than Chroma but a useful incumbent benchmark for the same retail customer relationships.

Emerging players

• Rampage Products: Aftermarket Jeep accessories manufacturer offering tops, lighting, and exterior accessories. Adjacent category overlap with Chroma's Jeep/Mopar licensed products and similar specialty retail distribution.
• Smittybilt: Aftermarket off-road and truck accessories manufacturer distributed through off-road specialty retailers and Amazon. Comparable product mix and channel approach, with a narrower vehicle-segment focus than Chroma.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/plasticolorinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plasticolor-molded-products
• Instagraminstagram.com/plasticolor_chromahq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Chroma