What GRAFE does

GRAFE (legal form: GRAFE GmbH & Co. KG) is a German, family-owned specialist in the modification of thermoplastics, headquartered in Blankenhain, Thuringia. The company develops and manufactures customized color and additive masterbatches as well as polymer compounds, with sustainability-focused sub-lines BIOCOLEN (bio-based polymers) and CYCOLEN (recycled polymers). Production is supported by a Technical Center equipped with ARBURG injection molding machinery and a dedicated Coloristic & Analytics Center for formulation and quality work, alongside IATF 16949:2016 (automotive) and DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 quality certifications.

The commercial model is project-based B2B: GRAFE creates roughly 10,000 color formulations per year for customers, claims a 0.2% complaint rate, and ships to more than 3,000 customers in over 60 countries with own sales representation in 11 countries. End markets span automotive, medical technology, packaging, and consumer goods. Go-to-market combines direct technical sales with application-engineering co-development, including partnerships with raw-material and equipment suppliers such as RÖHM (PLEXIGLAS), SIMONA AG, and YIZUMI (PETG 3D printing). The group operates with approximately 405 employees and has expanded via acquisition (Color Technik AG, Switzerland, 2023), making it a mid-sized specialty compounder with European-centric distribution.

Name

GRAFE

Legal name

GRAFE GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://grafe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GRAFE is a German, family-owned specialist in thermoplastic modification producing customized color and additive masterbatches and compounds (including bio-based BIOCOLEN and recycled CYCOLEN lines) for ~3,000 industrial customers in automotive, medical, packaging, and consumer goods across 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polymer Masterbatches

NAICS

Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Masterbatch Manufacturing (Color, Additive, White/Black) (IMANABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Color Masterbatches & Dispersions (IMAEAHAK), Biodegradable Additives & Masterbatches (pro-oxidant-free, bio-based modifiers) (IMAEAOAD), Recycled & Reprocessed Polymer Resin Manufacturing (rPET, rPP, rPE; PCR/PIR resins) (IMANAAAH)

Keywords

• Color masterbatches
• Additive masterbatches
• Plastic compounds
• Thermoplastic modification
• Polymer colorants

Headquarters

HQ city

Blankenhain

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Masterbatch Sales: Sale of color masterbatches, additive batches, and functional compounds for plastics modification. Customized formulations developed for specific customer applications and materials.
2. Technical Services: Technical consultation, color development services, sample production, and quality assurance support for customers. Services include pre-production simulation and analytical testing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GRAFE develops and manufactures customized color masterbatches, additive masterbatches (including BIOCOLEN biodegradable and CYCOLEN recycled-content lines), and functional compounds for thermoplastic processors. The company complements its products with in-house color development, master sample production, and quality assurance services for industrial customers across automotive, medical, packaging, consumer goods, and chemical fiber applications.

Product overview

GRAFE is a German specialist in the modification of thermoplastics, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on masterbatches, compounds, and additive solutions. The company operates through three main divisions: the Design Center (providing color development, master sample production, and trend forecasting services), Material Science (encompassing color and additive masterbatches, compounds, and specialized product lines like BIOCOLEN® for bio-based polymers and CYCOLEN® for recycled materials), and a Service Center (technical center, analytical services, and quality assurance). GRAFE serves diverse industries including automotive, medical technology, consumer goods, and packaging, delivering over 10,000 individual color creations annually and supporting customers from initial concept through series production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CYCOLEN®: Product brand for masterbatches specifically designed for coloring recycled polymers (post-industrial and post-consumer recyclates). Combines customer-specific recycled polymers with precise color matching, additive formulation, and material expertise.
• BIOCOLEN®
• eOrange
• Compalen
• GRAFECOLORS

Products and services

• BIOCOLEN BIOCOLEN is GRAFE's biodegradable masterbatch product line, providing color and additive masterbatches formulated for thermoplastic processors serving sustainability-focused applications.
• CYCOLEN CYCOLEN is GRAFE's recycled-polymer colorant product line, providing color masterbatches and additives designed for recyclate-based thermoplastics.
• Color masterbatches Customized color masterbatches produced by GRAFE for thermoplastic processors across automotive, medical, packaging, consumer goods, and chemical fiber applications.
• Additive masterbatches Additive masterbatches produced by GRAFE to deliver functional performance properties (such as UV resistance, flame retardancy, processing aids, and other additives) in thermoplastic applications.
• Functional compounds Functional thermoplastic compounds produced by GRAFE, combining color and additive performance into finished polymer compounds for industrial customers.
• Technical services (color development, master sample production, quality assurance) Technical services provided by GRAFE alongside its masterbatch and compound products, including color development, master sample production, and quality assurance for industrial thermoplastic processors.

Named customers5 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARBURGcoreTechnology or Integration · 22 April 2026Equipment partnership for technical center modernization. GRAFE invested ~250,000 EUR in three new ARBURG Allrounder 270 S compact injection molding machines. ARBURG is a German premium manufacturer of injection molding machines.
• YIZUMIcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 November 2025Partnership for 3D pellet printing applications. GRAFE developed 25 PETG color formulations specifically for 3D pellet printing, which were successfully tested and approved in collaboration with YIZUMI. YIZUMI provides granulate printers for demonstrations at trade shows like Formnext.
• SIMONA AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025Long-standing partnership for challenging mobility projects. Color precision meets high-performance requirements. GRAFE provides color expertise for SIMONA's polymer sheets and profiles used in transportation and industrial applications.
• Color Technik AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 January 2023Color Technik AG, based in Widnau, Switzerland, is a new sister company of GRAFE Polymer Solutions GmbH and part of the GRAFE Group. This expands the product range and market presence in Switzerland.
• Golden CompoundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 October 2021Project partnership for home-compostable coffee capsules. GRAFE supplies masterbatch for biodegradable capsule applications developed by Golden Compound, enabling brilliant colors in sustainable packaging.
• BrüggemannminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2021Development partnership for eOrange - a color-stable, cost-effective PA color masterbatch specifically developed for E-mobility applications.
• RÖHM (PLEXIGLAS®)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020From July 2020, GRAFE Polymer Solutions GmbH began production and sales of colored PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds in Germany. This partnership enables GRAFE to color and sell small quantities of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds, expanding their transparent color solutions portfolio.
• ORNAMINminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project for sustainable, bio-based reusable trays. GRAFE contributes color expertise for biotechnology company ORNAMIN's bio-based products.
• TECNAROminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project for sustainable, bio-based reusable trays. TECNARO provides bio-based polymers while GRAFE provides color solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cabot Corporation: Global producer of black masterbatches and specialty carbon additives for plastics; comparable on the masterbatch and additive side of GRAFE's portfolio, particularly for engineered plastics applications.
• RTP Company: US-based specialty compounder of custom-engineered thermoplastics including color and additive compounds; directly comparable in custom compounding for engineering plastics with strong automotive and industrial customer overlap.
• Tosaf Group: Israel-based global masterbatch and additive manufacturer serving similar plastics converting customers; comparable on core masterbatch offering with emphasis on custom color and functional additives.
• Avient Corporation: Global specialty formulator with a large Color, Additives & Inks masterbatch business serving automotive, packaging, and consumer goods with color and functional concentrates — directly comparable product mix and customer base to GRAFE.
• Americhem: US-based specialty color and additive masterbatch manufacturer serving medical, automotive, and consumer markets; comparable product offering with similar emphasis on custom color solutions and quality-critical end uses.
• Ampacet Corporation: One of the world's largest independent masterbatch producers, offering color, additive, and specialty masterbatches globally; directly comparable as a competitor in color and additive masterbatches for plastics converters.
• Polyplast Müller Group: European masterbatch and compound producer headquartered in Germany; directly comparable as a mid-sized German/European specialty masterbatch peer serving similar plastics converting customers.

Broad incumbents

• BASF SE: World's largest chemical company with a pigments and masterbatch offering serving automotive, packaging, and industrial plastics; comparable product overlap but at vastly greater scale and product breadth.
• Clariant AG: Large Swiss specialty chemicals company with a meaningful color masterbatch and additives business serving plastics; comparable on product portfolio but at significantly greater scale and with broader chemical exposure.

Others

• Röhm GmbH: Producer of PLEXIGLAS® (PMMA) molding compounds and GRAFE's strategic partner; adjacent as a polymer resin supplier and partner rather than direct masterbatch competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 GRAFE