Follmann Chemie

What Follmann Chemie does

Follmann Chemie GmbH is a family-owned German specialty chemicals producer headquartered in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, with roots dating to 1956 (when Heinrich Follmann began operating as an independent entrepreneur) and a formal company structure in place since the 1977 founding of Follmann & Co. The company employs approximately 1,000 people worldwide and operates two principal brands: Follmann, which supplies specialty chemicals for the manufacturing industry (printing inks for paper and cardboard, plastisols for wallpapers and technical textiles, wood and paper adhesives, microencapsulated fragrances, and specialty coatings); and Triflex, the wholly-owned construction-chemistry subsidiary founded in 1984, which markets fast-reactive polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resins and sealing/marking systems for the construction sector. Its reported annual turnover is around €260 million on a production base exceeding 60,000 tonnes per year.

The company's technology platform centres on in-house polymerisation facilities commissioned in 1986, which produce proprietary binders and raw materials for paint, ink, adhesive and sealant manufacturing, supplemented by domain competencies in PMMA resin chemistry and fragrance microencapsulation. It maintains a broad compliance footprint (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001; Responsible Care Global Charter signed in 2015; Chemie3 initiative membership; Blue Angel product certification; EcoVadis CSR rating) and participates in sector initiatives including the NRW Energy Efficiency Network and the VCI/VDI Chemistry4Climate initiative launched in 2020. It has been recognised as a Top 100 Innovator.

Follmann Chemie distributes directly to B2B customers in the manufacturing and construction industries via a direct sales model, with products priced on a quote basis and customer relationships emphasising collaborative product development. Revenue is generated through specialty-chemicals product sales across two primary horizontal segments (manufacturing industry and construction industry). The company is currently investing over €42 million to expand production capacity at the Minden site. Leadership has passed to the third generation, with Dr. Henrik Follmann holding overall responsibility since 2010 alongside co-managing director Dr. Thomas Damerau.

Name

Follmann Chemie

Legal name

Follmann Chemie GmbH

Website

https://follmann-chemie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Follmann Chemie is a family-owned German specialty chemicals producer, headquartered in Minden, that develops, manufactures, and distributes specialty binders, printing inks, plastisols, adhesives, microencapsulated fragrances, and PMMA resins to manufacturing-industry customers and construction-sector clients through its Follmann and Triflex brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Textile, Leather & Paper Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Polymer Compounds & Masterbatches (Compounding, Color/Fill/Additive Concentrates) (IMAEANAJ), Coating & Finishing Chemicals Application (Resins/Softening/Water-Repellent/FR/Antimicrobial) (IMAOACAD)

Keywords

• Specialty chemicals
• Printing inks
• Plastisols production
• Industrial adhesives
• Construction sealants

Headquarters

HQ city

Minden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemicals Products: Development, production and distribution of specialty products for manufacturing industry including printing inks, plastisoles, adhesives, sealants, and specialty coatings. Also includes sealing and marking systems for construction industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Follmann Chemie manufactures specialty chemicals for industrial and construction applications, including printing inks, plastisols, adhesives, microencapsulated fragrances, PMMA resins, sealants, special coatings, and binders for paint and ink. The company operates through two main brands: Follmann, which serves industrial manufacturing customers, and Triflex, which supplies coatings, sealants, and waterproofing systems for the construction sector. Annual production exceeds 60,000 tonnes across facilities including the headquarters in Minden, Germany.

Product overview

Follmann Chemie is a family-owned specialty chemicals company that operates through two main brands: Follmann and Triflex. The Follmann brand focuses on specialty chemicals for the manufacturing industry, including printing inks for paper and cardboard, plastisols for wallpapers and technical textiles, wood and paper adhesives, and microencapsulation of fragrances. The Triflex brand specializes in construction chemicals, particularly fast-reactive PMMA resins and sealing/marking systems for the building industry. The company also produces specialty coatings, industrial and building paints, sealants, and in-house manufactured binders for paint and ink production. With annual production exceeding 60,000 tonnes and revenues of around 260 million euros, the company serves diverse industries through customer-individual product and system solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Triflex: Construction chemistry brand specialising in sealing and marking systems, fast reactive PMMA resins, and products for the construction industry. Operated as Triflex KG (founded 1984) and Triflex GmbH & Co. KG.

Products and services

• Printing Inks Specialty printing inks produced by Follmann for industrial printing applications and graphic arts customers.
• Plastisols Plasticized polymer dispersions manufactured for industrial coating and molding applications.
• Wood and Paper Adhesives Adhesives formulated for bonding wood and paper substrates, supplied to manufacturers in the woodworking and paper converting industries.
• Microencapsulated Fragrances Fragrance compounds encapsulated in microscopic polymer shells for use in functional applications such as textiles, paper, and consumer product manufacturing.
• PMMA Resins Polymethyl methacrylate resins produced for industrial formulators and downstream specialty chemical manufacturers.
• Sealants and Adhesives Industrial sealants and adhesives sold to manufacturing customers for assembly and bonding applications.
• Special Coatings Functional specialty coatings tailored for specific industrial applications, supplied under the Follmann brand.
• Binders for Paint and Ink Polymer binders supplied to paint and ink manufacturers as a raw material component for their formulations.
• Triflex Construction Coatings and Sealants Liquid-applied waterproofing systems, roof coatings, and sealants for construction industry customers, including roof, balcony, parking deck, and structural applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual production volume over 60,000 tonnes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Chemistry4Climate InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, the VCI and VDI founded the Chemistry4Climate Initiative. Follmann Chemie contributes to this expert committee which develops concepts for how the chemicals industry and its supply chains can become carbon neutral by 2050.
• Responsible Care Global ChartercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Follmann Chemie signed the Responsible Care Global Charter in 2015, committing to the guidelines of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) for responsible handling and sustainable action in the chemical industry.
• Chemie3 Initiative Partners (VCI, IG BCE, BAVC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollmann Chemie participates in the Chemie3 sustainability alliance together with the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), the Industrial Mining, Chemical and Energy Union (IG BCE) and the Federal Chemical Workers' Association (BAVC). The alliance promotes sustainability in the German chemical industry.
• VCI NRW Energieeffizienz-NetzwerkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollmann participates in the NRW Energy Efficiency Network for the Paint, Ink and Adhesive Industry, working together with other companies to intensify efforts on energy efficiency, climate protection and energy transition.
• TriflexcoreOthersTriflex is a subsidiary brand of Follmann Chemie Group, specializing in fast reactive PMMA resins and construction chemical products including sealing and marking systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Covestro: Covestro is a leading polymer materials company producing specialty resins, polyurethanes, and coating raw materials. Comparable to Follmann's polymerisation capabilities and binder production for paints, inks, adhesives, and sealants.
• BASF: BASF is the world's largest chemical company with broad exposure to specialty chemicals, polymers, and resins. It competes broadly with Follmann in binders, raw materials for paints/inks, and specialty polymers, but operates at vastly greater scale across many other chemistries.
• Triflex / Kemper System comparison (Sika): Sika is a global leader in construction chemicals including waterproofing, sealing, and bonding systems, directly comparable to Follmann's Triflex subsidiary. Both produce PMMA-based and polyurethane-based sealing systems for construction and infrastructure applications.
• Hempel Group: Hempel is a global coatings manufacturer producing industrial, marine, and decorative paints, broadly comparable to Follmann's specialty coatings product line. Both serve B2B customers with tailored coating formulations and emphasize sustainability credentials.
• Evonik Industries: Evonik is a major German specialty chemicals company with overlap to Follmann in polymer chemistry, specialty resins, and additives for coatings and adhesives. A broad incumbent in the same European specialty chemicals ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Hubergroup: Hubergroup is a German family-owned printing inks manufacturer with comparable portfolio of specialty inks, varnishes, and coatings for packaging and commercial print. Similar in scale, heritage, and family-owned structure to Follmann Chemie.
• Siegwerk: Siegwerk is one of the leading European manufacturers of printing inks and coatings for packaging and label applications, directly comparable to Follmann's printing inks for paper and cardboard business. Both are mid-sized, privately/closely-held German specialty chemical firms serving packaging printers and converters.
• Sun Chemical: Sun Chemical is the world's largest producer of printing inks and pigments, with deep overlap to Follmann's printing inks business for paper and cardboard packaging. Comparable in serving packaging, publication, and commercial printing customers with specialty ink formulations.
• Flint Group: Flint Group is a major global supplier of printing inks, coatings, and pressroom chemistry, closely comparable to Follmann's inks and coatings portfolio for paper and packaging applications. Both target packaging converters, commercial printers, and label producers.
• Sakata INX: Sakata INX is a Japanese-headquartered global manufacturer of printing inks and graphic arts materials, directly comparable to Follmann's printing inks product line serving packaging and paper customers. Both develop specialty ink formulations with proprietary binder technology.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Follmann Chemie