Coatings Research Group

What Coatings Research Group does

Coatings Research Group, Inc. (CRGI) is a non-profit international association of paint and coatings manufacturers founded in 1956 and headquartered in Berea, Ohio. The organization operates a 10,000 square foot ISO-9001 and ISO-17025 accredited laboratory near Cleveland staffed by scientists and chemists averaging over 25 years of experience, with senior management averaging over 30 years. CRGI serves 60+ member companies across 13+ countries, providing cooperative research and development, product formulation, optimization, testing, certification, and benchmarking services spanning architectural, industrial, automotive, and packaging coatings.

CRGI's core product offerings include product development and improvement services, raw material screenings, product benchmarking against regional and national competitors, color science (including computer color matching and point-of-sale systems), and the GREEN WISE® proprietary certification program for low-VOC coatings, including the enhanced Green Wise Gold tier aligned with California 01350 indoor air quality standards. The technology foundation is an ISO-accredited testing facility combined with a members-only searchable archive of decades of project reports and an online Problems & Answers Forum. Member-exclusive services include cooperative R&D projects, private project work, free annual Inter-Laboratory Studies, and a recurring multi-tier conference ecosystem (Board of Directors, Technical Directors twice yearly, Manufacturing annually, Product Managers/Marketing every three years).

The business model combines recurring membership dues (Full Membership for paint manufacturers, Associate Membership for raw material suppliers) with professional services revenue from testing, certification (including Green Wise to non-members), and member-specific private project work. Distribution is direct to enterprise buyers through the Berea/Cleveland laboratory, with go-to-market driven by industry networking, member referrals, and direct outreach to paint and coatings manufacturers. Standardization and ecosystem positioning are reinforced through memberships in the U.S. Green Building Council, American Coatings Association, ASTM International, and ANSI.

Name

Coatings Research Group

Legal name

Coatings Research Group, Inc.

Website

https://crgiconnect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Coatings Research Group (CRGI) is a non-profit association of paint and coatings manufacturers, founded 1956, operating an ISO-accredited Cleveland-area laboratory that delivers cooperative R&D, testing, benchmarking, and the GREEN WISE® environmental certification to 60+ member companies across 13+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Paint and coatings manufacturers pay membership dues to join the cooperative association and access shared R&D services, testing facilities, benchmarking studies, and the members-only archive.
2. Product Testing and Certification Services: CRGI provides independent testing and certification services including Green Wise certification, product prototype evaluation, and raw material screenings. Services are available to both members and non-members.
3. Private Project Work: Member-specific R&D projects to reduce development time and increase speed to market for individual member companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Coatings Research Group, Inc. (CRGI) is a non-profit international association of paint and coatings manufacturers that delivers cooperative research and development, coatings formulation, optimization, testing, and certification services through an ISO-accredited laboratory. Its core offerings include shared R&D projects, product benchmarking, raw material screenings, prototype evaluation, color science services, training via CRGI University, and the proprietary GREEN WISE® environmental certification program for low VOC coatings.

Product overview

Coatings Research Group, Inc. (CRGI) is a non-profit international association of paint and coatings manufacturers founded in 1956, offering a comprehensive suite of cooperative research and development services. The organization operates a 10,000 square foot ISO-accredited laboratory near Cleveland, OH, staffed with experienced scientists and chemists. The core offerings include: product formulation, testing, and application services; the GREEN WISE® certification program (including GOLD tier) for environmentally friendly low VOC coatings; Color Science services covering instrumentation, computer color matching, and point-of-sale applications; and CRGI University training programs. Member-exclusive services include an online problems and answers forum, searchable project archives, cooperative R&D projects, private project work, and multiple annual conferences for peer collaboration. The portfolio functions as an integrated R&D multiplier, helping member companies accelerate innovation, reduce costs, and improve competitive positioning through shared resources and knowledge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green Wise: Environmental certification program for low VOC and product performance certified coatings, including Green Wise Gold certification meeting California 01350 Small Chamber Emissions Test requirements.

Products and services

• Full Membership (Paint Manufacturer)
• Associate Membership (Raw Material Supplier/Vendor)
• GREEN WISE® Certification Program
• GREEN WISE® GOLD Certification
• Product Development and Improvement Services
• Product Prototype Evaluation

Quantifiable outcome

• Accelerated development timeline with favorable ROI for member companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoatings Research Group, Inc. is an active member of the United States Green Building Council, supporting the LEED certification framework and environmental standards for paints and coatings.
• American Coatings Association (ACA)minorOthersIndustry association membership for paint and coatings manufacturers providing industry representation and advocacy.
• ASTM InternationalminorOthersStandards organization membership for participation in development of coatings testing standards.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)minorOthersStandards organization membership for participation in national standards development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Coatings Association (ACA): Trade association representing the North American paint and coatings industry; CRGI is itself a member of ACA. Both serve coatings manufacturers with advocacy, technical resources, and industry representation, but ACA focuses on policy and trade issues while CRGI focuses on cooperative R&D and certification.
• ASTM International: Global standards organization that publishes the bulk of coating test methods (e.g., ASTM D-series paint standards). CRGI is an ASTM member and develops methods compatible with ASTM standards; both shape industry test methodology for paint manufacturers.
• Intertek: Global third-party testing, inspection, and certification firm offering paint and coatings testing across performance, VOC, emissions, and regulatory compliance. Comparable to CRGI's testing and certification scope but operates as a for-profit TIC company rather than a member cooperative.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with significant paint and coatings lab services including VOC, emissions, and performance testing. Competes with CRGI for independent paint testing work, especially for non-member manufacturers.
• UL Solutions (UL Solutions coatings testing): Global safety science company that certifies low-VOC and emissions-compliant interior building products, including coatings under programs aligned with LEED and California 01350. Competitor to CRGI's Green Wise program for third-party environmental certifications.

Regional players

• British Coatings Federation (BCF): UK-based coatings industry association that absorbed the former Paint Research Association. Provides cooperative R&D, testing, and representation to UK/European paint manufacturers; comparable mission to CRGI but serves a different geographic membership base.

Direct peers

• Atlas Material Testing Technology: Provider of weathering, durability, and environmental exposure testing services for paints and coatings. Comparable in delivering third-party accelerated and natural exposure testing to paint manufacturers, complementing CRGI's benchmarking and certification offerings.
• Q-Lab Corporation: Manufacturer of accelerated weathering testers (QUV, Q-Sun) and provider of contract weathering testing services to coatings manufacturers. Overlaps with CRGI's product performance testing capabilities for architectural and industrial coatings.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): Operator of the LEED green building rating system; CRGI is an active USGBC member and aligns Green Wise certification to LEED VOC requirements. Both organizations influence what counts as an environmentally compliant coating in commercial construction.
• AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance): Standards and certification body for protective and marine coatings, corrosion control, and surface preparation. Comparable cooperative membership and standards-development model for industrial coatings; adjacent but partially overlapping membership segment with CRGI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coatings-research-group

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Coatings Research Group