Colorgraf
Colorgraf Spa is an Italian, third-generation family-owned manufacturer founded in 1951 that designs, produces, and sells printing inks, varnishes, and pressroom auxiliaries for label, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food packaging, and paper/cardboard printing companies, primarily in Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersLainate, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Colorgraf does
Colorgraf Spa is an Italian, privately held, third-generation family-owned manufacturer of printing inks, varnishes, and coatings, founded in 1951 by Enrico Pellegrini in Milan and headquartered in Lainate. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio spanning UV/UV LED inks, conventional offset inks, water-based flexo inks, screen printing inks, and an extensive range of varnishes and pressroom auxiliaries (washing agents, fountain solution additives, blankets), with specialty products including Pantone, security, thermochromic, fluorescent, pearlescent, and drip-off effect inks. Colorgraf serves printing companies in labels, pharmaceutical packaging, cosmetic packaging, food packaging, and general paper/cardboard segments, with notable regulated-vertical depth evidenced by GMP, German Ink Ordinance, EU Regulation 1935/2004, and UNI EN 13432:2002 compostability certifications on its UV/LED FP and LITHOFOOD PLUS lines.
The company operates from a 27,000 sqm headquarters in Lainate with a 6,000+ sqm production building inaugurated in 2011, a 1,500 sqm UV ink capacity expansion completed in 2020, and a 2,500 sqm logistics hub opened in 2024 to support new water-based flexo and screen printing lines. Production output is stated at over 4.5 million kg of products shipped annually, with a 5,500 sqm photovoltaic installation covering 30% of company energy needs. The portfolio is anchored by pioneer status in Italian UV ink technology since 1983, and recent strategic activity includes the 2024 launch of the DeltaScreen sub-brand for screen printing products and co-development of the COACH circularity measurement tool with Federchimica.
Colorgraf runs a sales-led, quote-based B2B distribution model with a dedicated commercial team, multi-year customer contracts, on-site colorimetry and spectrophotometry training, and a SharePoint-based document portal for safety data sheets and technical documentation. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no parent organization, no funding rounds, and no M&A history, reflecting continuous family ownership across the Pellegrini family. Geographic focus is primarily European, with disclosure in Italian and English.
Colorgraf firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colorgraf
- Legal name
- Colorgraf Spa
- Website
- https://colorgraf.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Colorgraf Spa is an Italian, third-generation family-owned manufacturer founded in 1951 that designs, produces, and sells printing inks, varnishes, and pressroom auxiliaries for label, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food packaging, and paper/cardboard printing companies, primarily in Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colorgraf industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Printing Inks
- NAICS
- Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910)
- SIC
- Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Printing Inks (IMAEAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Label Stock, Inks, Coatings & Laminates (Materials Supply) (IMALAKAL), Folding Carton & Paperboard Packaging Printing (IMALAKAH)
Keywords
Where Colorgraf is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lainate
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Colorgraf business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Printing Inks: Sale of printing inks including UV/UV LED, conventional offset, water-based flexo, and screen printing inks. Products sold to printing companies in various market segments including labels, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food packaging, and general paper/cardboard printing.
- Varnishes and Coatings: Sale of printing varnishes including UV offset, UV LED offset, flexo UV, screen UV, flexo water-based, and offset conventional coatings.
- Pressroom Auxiliaries: Sale of pressroom auxiliary products including washing agents, fountain solution additives, and blankets.
- Specialty Inks: Customized inks and coatings including Pantone inks, security inks, thermochromic inks, fluorescent inks, pearlescent/interferential/iridescent effects, and drip-off effects.
- Training Courses: Colorimetry and spectrophotometry training courses offered on-site or at customer locations, along with technical insights and specific subject matter training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Colorgraf product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colorgraf designs, develops, and manufactures printing inks, varnishes, and related pressroom auxiliaries for offset, flexo (water-based and UV/UV LED), and screen printing processes. Its portfolio covers conventional offset inks, UV/UV LED curing inks, water-based flexo inks, screen printing inks, plus specialty inks (Pantone, security, thermochromic, fluorescent, pearlescent) and pressroom consumables. Products are sold to printing companies serving labels, food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, cosmetic packaging, and general paper/cardboard printing markets, with quote-based direct sales and on-site technical training as supporting services.
Product overview
Colorgraf is an Italian independent ink and varnish manufacturer founded in 1951, now in its third generation of family ownership. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of printing inks (including UV/UV LED, conventional offset, water-based flexo, and screen printing inks), varnishes/coatings (UV, UV LED, water-based, and conventional), pressroom auxiliaries (washing agents, fountain solutions, blankets), and specialty products (security inks, Pantone inks, thermochromic, fluorescent, and decorative effect inks). Core UV/LED product lines include UV LED FP and LITHOFOOD PLUS (certified compostable for food packaging), while conventional offset offerings span LITHOFOOD PLUS, LITHOPLAST, BASINK, LITHOSTRONG, and vegetable oil-based UNIKA PRO BIO and UNIVERSAL PRECISA. Water-based flexo is covered by the IDROCOLOR series, and the new DeltaScreen sub-brand covers screen printing products. The company operates primarily in the label, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food packaging sectors, with a focus on sustainable and regulatory-compliant solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DeltaScreen: Screen printing products brand launched by Colorgraf for industrial decoration applications. Screen printing allows high-thickness graphics on various substrates with tactile, olfactory, and metallic effects.
Products and services
- UV/LED Printing Inks Portfolio (offset, flexo, screen) Comprehensive family of UV and UV LED curing inks for offset, flexo and screen printing applications, including low migration and compostable variants (UV/LED FP, UV LED RRM, UV SYNT LED, DELTAEXPO, UV PLAST, HI-TECH FLEXO UV 265, FP FLEXO UV 270, LED FLEXO 275, LED FP 285, QUADRICROMIE LED). Used by commercial, label, food packaging and pharmaceutical packaging printers.
- Conventional Offset Inks (LITHOFOOD PLUS, LITHOPLAST, BASINK, LITHOSTRONG, UNIKA PRO BIO, UNIVERSAL PRECISA) Oxidative and vegetable oil-based conventional offset inks for paper, cardboard and plastic substrates, including low migration, Pantone and four-color series. Used by commercial and packaging printers.
- Water-Based Flexo Inks (IDROCOLOR 901, 951, FILM 971, S.TAPE, 821) Ready-to-use and concentrated water-based flexo inks for coated/uncoated paper, corrugated board, plastic substrates and adhesive tapes. Used by packaging and label printers seeking low environmental impact solutions.
- Printing Varnishes and Coatings (UV, UV LED, Flexo UV, Screen UV, Water-Based Flexo, Offset Conventional) Range of printing varnishes and coatings for offset, flexo and screen printing covering UV, UV LED, water-based and conventional chemistries. Used to protect and finish printed materials.
- Pressroom Auxiliaries (Washing Agents, Fountain Solution Additives, Blankets) Pressroom consumables including washing agents, fountain solution additives and printing blankets to support offset and other printing operations.
- Specialty Inks (Security, Thermochromic, Fluorescent, Pearlescent/Interferential/Iridescent, Drip-off Effects) Customized specialty inks for anti-counterfeiting (wood lamp detectable security inks), brand differentiation (thermochromic, fluorescent, pearlescent, interferential, iridescent) and decorative drip-off effects. Used by security printers and premium packaging printers.
- Pantone and Custom Color Inks (BASINK and matched formulations) Custom color matching inks formulated to Pantone specifications and bespoke customer colors. Used by commercial, label and packaging printers.
- DeltaScreen Screen Printing Products Colorgraf sub-brand for screen printing products that produce high-thickness graphics with tactile, olfactory and metallic effects for industrial decoration across multiple supports.
- Technical Training Courses (Colorimetry, Spectrophotometry, Security Printing) On-site and customer-location training delivered by Colorgraf's technical staff covering colorimetry, spectrophotometry, technical deep dives, document forgery and security printing topics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.5 million+ kg of products shipped annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Colorgraf
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Colorgraf technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Colorgraf partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ILAS (Associazione Lainate per lo Sviluppo)coreColorgraf, as an associated company of ILAS, participates in the creation of the first Renewable Energy Community (REC) in Lainate called 'LA TUA CER LAINATE'. This project represents a concrete step towards a more sustainable, shared energy model. The initiative stems from discussion between companies, municipal administration, and local stakeholders, transforming energy from an operating cost into a strategic lever for competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion.
- FederchimicacoreColorgraf collaborated with Federchimica, Certiquality and Ergo Srl (first Spin off company of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa) in developing the 'COACH' tool to measure circularity of companies. This pioneering work contributed to the development of ISO 59000 series standards (ISO 59004, ISO 59010, ISO 59020) and UNI TS 11820 technical specification.
- CertiqualitycorePartner in the COACH tool development project for measuring circularity in chemical companies, contributing to ISO 59000 series standards development.
- Ergo SrlcoreFirst Spin off company of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa, collaborated with Colorgraf and Federchimica in developing the COACH circularity measurement tool.
- ATIF (Associazione Tecnica Italiana per la Flessografia)minorItalian Technical Association for Flexography that gathers operators of the flexographic supply chain including printers, prepress companies, equipment manufacturers, machinery and consumables. Membership facilitates exchange of knowledge and ongoing discussion of latest technological innovations in the industry.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Colorgraf competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sun Chemical (DIC Corporation): Sun Chemical, part of Japan's DIC Corporation, is the world's largest producer of printing inks and pigments, offering a comparable portfolio across offset, flexo, gravure, UV, and digital inks for packaging, labels, and commercial print. It is the dominant broad incumbent Colorgraf competes against in Italy and Europe.
- Flint Group: Flint Group is a global supplier of printing inks, coatings, and pressroom chemicals serving packaging (flexo, gravure) and commercial print markets. Overlaps directly with Colorgraf in UV/UV LED, water-based flexo, and offset inks supplied to label and paper/cardboard converters.
- Toyo Ink (Artience Group): Toyo Ink (now Artience Group) is a Japanese-headquartered global manufacturer of printing inks, pigments, and coatings. Overlaps with Colorgraf across UV, offset, and specialty inks supplied to packaging and label converters, but at significantly larger global scale.
Direct peers
- Siegwerk: Siegwerk is a German-headquartered, family-influenced specialist in packaging inks and coatings with strong presence in labels, flexible packaging, and food-contact applications. Closely comparable to Colorgraf in product mix (UV flexo, offset, water-based), regulatory focus (food-contact compliance), and European mid-market positioning.
- hubergroup: hubergroup is a German family-owned printing ink and coatings manufacturer serving offset, packaging, and UV/specialty applications. Comparable to Colorgraf as a European, family-influenced mid-sized ink maker competing in offset, UV, and specialty packaging ink segments.
- Epple Druckfarben: Epple Druckfarben is a German family-owned offset ink manufacturer specializing in high-quality sheetfed and heatset inks with strong regulatory and sustainability credentials. Closely comparable to Colorgraf as a European family-owned specialty offset/UV ink maker targeting premium packaging converters.
- Zeller+Gmelin: Zeller+Gmelin is a German family-owned manufacturer of printing inks, varnishes, and specialty coatings serving offset, UV, and industrial applications. Comparable to Colorgraf as a mid-sized European specialty ink and varnish maker with similar B2B converter customer base.
Emerging players
- SICPA: SICPA is a Swiss-based global leader in security inks and authentication solutions for banknotes, tax stamps, and brand protection. Compares to Colorgraf's specialty inks portfolio (security, fluorescent, thermochromic), but operates at vastly larger scale and in higher-end authentication applications.
- Marabu: Marabu is a German manufacturer specializing in screen printing, pad printing, and digital inks for industrial and graphic applications. Comparable to Colorgraf's DeltaScreen sub-brand and screen printing portfolio, but focused specifically on industrial and decorative printing rather than packaging.
- Nazdar Ink Technologies: Nazdar is a US-headquartered manufacturer of screen printing, digital, and narrow-web flexo inks with specialty focus. Comparable to Colorgraf in screen printing inks (DeltaScreen) and UV flexo narrow-web offerings serving label and industrial decoration converters.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Colorgraf social profiles
Digital presenceColorgraf compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Colorgraf financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colorgraf leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Colorgraf funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colorgraf M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colorgraf
What does Colorgraf do?
Colorgraf designs, develops, and manufactures printing inks, varnishes, and related pressroom auxiliaries for offset, flexo (water-based and UV/UV LED), and screen printing processes. Its portfolio covers conventional offset inks, UV/UV LED curing inks, water-based flexo inks, screen printing inks, plus specialty inks (Pantone, security, thermochromic, fluorescent, pearlescent) and pressroom consumables. Products are sold to printing companies serving labels, food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, cosmetic packaging, and general paper/cardboard printing markets, with quote-based direct sales and on-site technical training as supporting services.
Is Colorgraf a public or private company?
Colorgraf is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Colorgraf founded?
Colorgraf was founded in 1951. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Colorgraf based?
Colorgraf is headquartered in Lainate, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Colorgraf make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Printing Inks are the primary driver. The others are varnishes and Coatings, pressroom Auxiliaries, specialty Inks and training Courses.
Who are Colorgraf's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sun Chemical (DIC Corporation), Flint Group and Toyo Ink (Artience Group). Direct peers are Siegwerk, hubergroup, Epple Druckfarben and Zeller+Gmelin. Emerging players are SICPA, Marabu and Nazdar Ink Technologies.
Does Colorgraf have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colorgraf.
What industry is Colorgraf in?
Colorgraf's product category is Printing Inks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAHAG, Printing Inks, with a secondary code of IMALAKAL, Label Stock, Inks, Coatings & Laminates (Materials Supply). Its NAICS code is 325910 and its SIC code is 2851.