TQC Sheen
TQC Sheen is a Netherlands-based Industrial Physics brand that manufactures precision test and measurement instruments for paints, coatings, adhesives, and inks, serving QC laboratories, R&D teams, and manufacturers globally via direct e-commerce and distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersCapelle Aan Den Ijssel, Netherlands
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What TQC Sheen does
TQC Sheen is a Netherlands-based brand (Capelle Aan Den Ijssel, founded 1977) that designs and manufactures precision test and measurement instruments for paints, coatings, adhesives, printing inks, and related fluids. It operates as a brand inside the Industrial Physics family of testing companies, which is backed by private equity firm KKR. The core product portfolio includes the Bresle Test Kit for soluble-salt contamination assessment on blast-cleaned surfaces, the AB3600 Beck-Koller Drying Time Recorder (six parallel tracks, sub-1% time accuracy, 1 minute to 200 hours range, ASTM D5895/ISO 9117-4/DIN EN 14022 compliant), the Master Paint Plate Multitester SP3000 cross-cut adhesion tester, DIN 53211 viscosity cups in titanium-anodized aluminum or stainless steel, and the AB3652 Automatic Film Applicator Compact for sample preparation.
The company monetizes through a mix of one-time hardware/instrument sales and recurring service revenue, including UKAS-accredited metrology, calibration, validation, preventative maintenance, and repairs. Its go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce on the Industrial Physics storefront (supporting five languages and three currencies), a global network of channel partners and distributors managed through a dedicated portal, and field-based enterprise sales for complex configurations and large accounts. Customers are horizontally distributed across paints and coatings QC laboratories, paint and adhesive manufacturers, printing ink producers, and cosmetics QC labs, with use cases spanning QC testing, R&D formulation work, and production-floor surface preparation and coating verification. TQC Sheen also engages in inorganic growth, having acquired C&W Specialist Equipment in February 2019, and benefits from parent-level initiatives such as the March 2026 exclusive Pulmac distribution partnership and the February 2026 appointment of Andrew McCauley as CEO of Industrial Physics.
TQC Sheen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TQC Sheen
- Legal name
- TQC Sheen
- Website
- https://tqcsheen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- TQC Sheen is a Netherlands-based Industrial Physics brand that manufactures precision test and measurement instruments for paints, coatings, adhesives, and inks, serving QC laboratories, R&D teams, and manufacturers globally via direct e-commerce and distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TQC Sheen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Paints and Coating Inspection Equipment
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM), Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)
Keywords
Where TQC Sheen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Capelle Aan Den Ijssel
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
TQC Sheen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware/Instrument Sales: Sale of physical testing equipment and instruments including Bresle test kits, drying time recorders, viscosity cups, and paint testing equipment. One-time capital purchase model for laboratory and quality control equipment.
- Service and Support: Equipment servicing, calibration, validation, preventative maintenance, and repairs. UKAS Accredited Metrology services offered for measurement verification and quality assurance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Online direct purchase available for standard products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
TQC Sheen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TQC Sheen manufactures and sells physical test and measurement instruments used to assess paints, coatings, adhesives, printing inks, and cosmetics. Its product portfolio includes Bresle Test Kits for surface contamination, Beck-Koller Drying Time Recorders, cross-cut adhesion multitesters, DIN 53211 viscosity cups, and automatic film applicators, complemented by UKAS-accredited calibration, validation, and maintenance services.
Product overview
TQC Sheen is a brand specializing in test and measurement equipment for paints, coatings, and surface inspection. The product portfolio includes the Bresle Test Kit for chloride/salt detection, the Drying Time Recorder AB3600 for measuring coating drying curves, the Master Paint Plate Multitester SP3000 for cross-cut adhesion testing, Viscosity Cups for flow measurement according to DIN 53211, and the Automatic Film Applicator Compact for sample preparation. These products serve paints and coatings quality control laboratories, paint manufacturers, printing ink producers, adhesive manufacturers, and cosmetics QC labs. TQC Sheen operates as part of the Industrial Physics family of testing brands.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Drying time recorder achieves better than 1 percent time accuracy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use TQC Sheen
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TQC Sheen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
TQC Sheen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PulmacstrategicIndustrial Physics announced an exclusive distribution partnership with US-based fiber analysis specialist Pulmac. Effective immediately, Industrial Physics serves as the exclusive distributor for Pulmac instruments across the United States, Canada, and the European Economic Area (EEA). The agreement marks a strategic expansion of capabilities within the pulp and paper industry, complementing the existing Technidyne portfolio.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TQC Sheen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Defelsko: Defelsko Corporation manufactures coating thickness measurement and inspection instruments widely used in industrial and protective coatings QC. Its product range overlaps with TQC Sheen's surface preparation and coating quality testing offerings for industrial paint applications.
- Kett Instrument Company: Kett Instrument Company manufactures testing and measurement equipment for coatings, moisture, and material properties — including paint film thickness gauges, viscosity testers, and surface inspection tools. It serves the same paint and coatings QC laboratory market as TQC Sheen.
- BYK-Gardner: BYK-Gardner (a brand of ALTANA) is a leading global manufacturer of testing and measurement instruments for paints, coatings, and plastics — including color, gloss, haze, viscosity, and film thickness instruments. It directly competes with TQC Sheen in coating QC laboratories across the same customer base.
- Paul N. Gardner Company: Paul N. Gardner Company (Gardco) is a US-based manufacturer and distributor of physical testing instruments for paints, coatings, adhesives, and related materials — including viscosity cups, drying time recorders, and applicators. It serves essentially the same customer base as TQC Sheen with comparable product lines.
- Elcometer: Elcometer is a UK-based manufacturer of inspection equipment for the coatings industry, offering coating thickness gauges, adhesion testers, surface profile instruments, and viscosity cups. It is one of TQC Sheen's closest direct competitors serving the same paint, coatings, and corrosion-protection QC markets.
- Erichsen: Erichsen GmbH is a German manufacturer of testing instruments for paints, coatings, and surface finishing — including cupping, impact, flexibility, viscosity, and film applicator equipment. It competes head-on with TQC Sheen in lab-grade coating test instruments and standards-compliant QC tools.
- Rhopoint Instruments: Rhopoint Instruments manufactures instruments for appearance and surface quality measurement — including gloss, haze, DOI, and surface finish testers used in paint, coating, and finishing QC. Its target customers and instrument category (coating QC laboratories) overlap with TQC Sheen's market.
- ElektroPhysik: ElektroPhysik produces coating thickness measurement and surface testing instruments used widely in paint, coatings, and corrosion-protection QC. Its product portfolio and target customer base (paint manufacturers and industrial QC labs) overlap significantly with TQC Sheen's offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Test Resources: Test Resources is a broader materials testing equipment manufacturer serving mechanical, fatigue, and structural testing markets. While it operates adjacent to TQC Sheen in industrial QC instrumentation, it overlaps in customers (industrial labs) and in supplying standardized testing equipment to manufacturing QC environments.
Emerging players
- Sheen Instruments: Sheen Instruments is a UK-based manufacturer of laboratory instruments for paint, ink, and coating testing — historically a direct predecessor/peer of TQC Sheen (TQC acquired the Sheen brand in 2009). It remains relevant as a heritage peer in coating QC instrumentation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TQC Sheen social profiles
Digital presenceTQC Sheen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TQC Sheen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
TQC Sheen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TQC Sheen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TQC Sheen
What does TQC Sheen do?
TQC Sheen manufactures and sells physical test and measurement instruments used to assess paints, coatings, adhesives, printing inks, and cosmetics. Its product portfolio includes Bresle Test Kits for surface contamination, Beck-Koller Drying Time Recorders, cross-cut adhesion multitesters, DIN 53211 viscosity cups, and automatic film applicators, complemented by UKAS-accredited calibration, validation, and maintenance services.
Is TQC Sheen a public or private company?
TQC Sheen is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was TQC Sheen founded?
TQC Sheen was founded in 1977. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is TQC Sheen based?
TQC Sheen is headquartered in Capelle Aan Den Ijssel, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does TQC Sheen make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware/Instrument Sales are the primary driver. The others are service and Support.
Who are TQC Sheen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Defelsko, Kett Instrument Company, BYK-Gardner, Paul N. Gardner Company, Elcometer, Erichsen, Rhopoint Instruments and ElektroPhysik. Test Resources is listed as a broad incumbent. Sheen Instruments is listed as an emerging player.
Does TQC Sheen have an API?
No public API is recorded for TQC Sheen.
What industry is TQC Sheen in?
TQC Sheen's product category is Paints and Coating Inspection Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAGAB, Industrial & Protective Coatings, with a secondary code of IMAIAKAM, Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.