Koch chemistry
Koch-Chemie GmbH is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer, founded in 1968, producing cleaning and care products for automotive, marine, industrial, and leather applications under the Koch-Chemie, COLOURLOCK, and THE FINISHER brands, serving professional and consumer customers across 60+ countries through distributor and dealer networks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersUnna, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Koch chemistry does
Koch-Chemie GmbH is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1968 and headquartered in Unna, Germany. The company develops, produces, and sells cleaning and care chemistry products for automotive, marine, industrial, and leather applications, operating as a vertically integrated producer that controls formulation, manufacturing, and distribution in-house. Its product portfolio spans pre-wash foams (e.g., PreFoam efficient), rim cleaners, multi-purpose cleaners (Eulex and Eulex M for matte finishes), polishes, ceramic coatings (Ceramic Allround C0.02, Ceramic Body Cb0.01 with claimed 36-month paint protection), shampoos (Nano Magic), and silicone oil-free bodyshop-safe products (e.g., Plast Star), plus a Pressure Sprayer Series of application equipment.
The company serves two distinct customer groups through three brands: Koch-Chemie (premium core brand for business customers including car washes, automotive workshops, professional detailers, marine operators, and industrial facilities), COLOURLOCK (leather cleaning, care, and repair for automotive, marine, furniture, and fashion), and THE FINISHER (professional-grade consumer products for discerning car and boat enthusiasts via direct online sales). It sells primarily through a certified international distributor network spanning 60+ countries with regional partners (e.g., Vehicle Plaza in Austria, CleanFox in the Netherlands/Belgium, AVAN Chemicals in Japan, Waxit in Australia), supplemented by national sales representatives in Germany and a dealer network. Marine was added as a new business segment in 2024, and the firm maintains multi-language digital presence across 13 country websites plus organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Xing) and an ExpertBlog for demand generation. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, VC/PE backing, or public listing, and is led by Managing Directors Vincent Pheby and Christian A. Mähler, with Andrew Werkheiser listed as Chief Executive Officer in the leadership record.
Koch chemistry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Koch chemistry
- Legal name
- Koch-Chemie GmbH
- Website
- https://koch-chemie.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Koch-Chemie GmbH is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer, founded in 1968, producing cleaning and care products for automotive, marine, industrial, and leather applications under the Koch-Chemie, COLOURLOCK, and THE FINISHER brands, serving professional and consumer customers across 60+ countries through distributor and dealer networks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Koch chemistry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Cleaning and Care Chemicals
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)
- SIC
- Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners) (IMACANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen) (CRADAKAG), Shoe & Leather Care (Polishes, Protectants, Cleaners) (CRADAKAL), Eco-Friendly Specialty Cleaners (Oven, Degreasers, Limescale, Metal) (CRAJAOAK)
Keywords
Where Koch chemistry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Unna
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Koch chemistry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Sale of cleaning and care chemical products for car wash chemistry, vehicle detailing, workshops, industry, and marine applications. Products sold to business customers and private consumers through distributors, dealers, and direct channels.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Koch chemistry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Koch-Chemie researches, produces, and sells high-quality cleaning and care chemical products for car wash chemistry, vehicle detailing/valeting, workshops, and industrial applications. The portfolio is organized under three brands: the main Koch-Chemie brand for automotive/workshop/industry, COLOURLOCK for leather care and repair, and THE FINISHER for professional-grade consumer car and boat care products. The company expanded into the marine segment in 2024.
Product overview
Koch-Chemie GmbH is a German chemical products company founded in 1968, specializing in high-quality cleaning and care products. The company operates a unified product portfolio organized under three distinct brands: the main Koch-Chemie brand (premium products for automotive, workshops, and industry), COLOURLOCK (specialized leather care for cars, boats, furniture, and fashion), and THE FINISHER (professional-grade consumer products for cars and boats). Products are segmented into business customers (automotive, marine, industrial, and COLOURLOCK for professionals) and private customers (car care, boat care, and leather care). Key product lines include pre-cleaners, rim cleaners, polishes, ceramic coatings (Ceramic Allround C0.02, Ceramic Body Cb0.01, Ceramic Effect Polish), multi-purpose cleaners (Eulex, Eulex M), shampoos (Nano Magic), and application equipment (Pressure Sprayer Series). The company expanded into marine sector in 2024. Notably, Koch-Chemie researches, produces, and sells its own products—a vertically integrated approach in the cleaning chemistry industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- COLOURLOCK: Premium leather care brand offering products for cleaning, caring for and repairing leather and imitation leather surfaces in cars and boats, for furniture and fashion.
- THE FINISHER
Products and services
- Koch-Chemie (Main Brand) Premium main brand offering high-quality cleaning and care products for car wash chemistry, vehicle preparation, workshops, and industry. The company's flagship brand representing its core expertise since 1968.
- COLOURLOCK Premium leather care brand offering products for cleaning, caring for, and repairing leather and imitation leather surfaces in cars, boats, furniture, and fashion. Includes color refreshment and long-term protection solutions.
- THE FINISHER Professional-grade care and cleaning products for discerning car and boat enthusiasts. Offers cleaning and care products for paintwork, interiors, and upholstery in highest quality for first-class results. Served in adapted container sizes for individual consumer needs.
- Automotive Products High-end products for vehicle detailing including pre-cleaners, rim cleaners, polishes, ceramic sealants, and bodyshop-safe products (silicone oil-free). For professional car washes, automotive workshops, and dealerships.
- Marine Products Premium products for boat care, both exterior and interior, launched in 2024. Includes cleaning, polishing, and protection products for sailing boats, motorboats, and other watercraft.
- Industrial Products Powerful, efficient system solutions for industrial applications, including cleaning chemicals and surface care products for industrial facilities.
- Ceramic Allround C0.02 Ceramic coating/ceramic sealant for vehicles providing long-term paint protection after ceramic coating application.
- Ceramic Body Cb0.01 Paint protection product that protects paint for up to 36 months from environmental damage.
- Eulex and Eulex M Eulex is a multi-purpose cleaner suitable for standard vehicles; Eulex M is a multi-purpose cleaner specifically suitable for matte vehicles.
- Nano Magic Shampoo Vehicle shampoo available in both professional range and private customer line with different container sizes for each segment.
- Insect & Dirt Remover Product for removing insect remains and road dirt. Available in both professional and private customer lines with the same formulation.
- Ceramic Effect Polish Ceramic-effect polish product with 5-10ml consumption per vehicle. Features strong foaming action.
- PreFoam efficient Pre-wash foam product for pre-cleaning vehicles before the main wash.
- Pressure Sprayer Series Series of pressure pump sprayers comprising 5 different variants for applying cleaning products.
Companies that use Koch chemistry
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Koch chemistry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Koch chemistry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vehicle Plaza (Austria)coreInternational distributor for Austria, serving the Austrian market with Koch-Chemie products. Located in Orth an der Donau.
- eko GRADO spol s r.o. (Czech Republic)coreInternational distributor for Czech Republic, operating as eko-detailing.cz.
- Car Spa AS (Norway)coreInternational distributor for Norway, serving the Norwegian market.
- Gakra Sp. z o.o. (Poland)coreInternational distributor for Poland with established presence in the Polish market.
- KOCH AVTOMARKET LLC (Russia)coreInternational distributor for Russia, operating the kcugmbh.ru website.
- Waxit International (Australia)coreInternational distributor for Australia serving the Australian and Oceania markets.
- AVAN Chemicals Co., Ltd. (Japan)coreInternational distributor for Japan, providing Koch-Chemie products to the Japanese market.
- Morelli Group Ltd. (United Kingdom)coreInternational distributor for United Kingdom operating through slimsdetailing.co.uk.
- CleanFox Industries B.V. (Netherlands/Belgium)coreInternational distributor serving both Netherlands and Belgium markets.
- SODIMACZA (France)coreInternational distributor for France serving the French market.
- bits + bytes it-solutions GmbH & Co. KGminorData protection officer provider and privacy policy responsible entity. Located in Kreuztal/Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Koch chemistry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Turtle Wax: Mass-market auto care brand spanning washes, waxes, polishes, and interior cleaners distributed globally in retail. Larger scale and broader price-point coverage than Koch-Chemie, but plays in overlapping product chemistry (cleaning, polishing, protection).
- Liqui Moly: German manufacturer of automotive chemicals — lubricants, additives, and car-care products. Similar German mid-market heritage but broader industrial/automotive scope (oils, additives) beyond Koch-Chemie's pure cleaning and surface-care focus.
Regional players
- Dr. Schutz: German manufacturer of specialty floor and surface care chemistry (cleaners, coatings, sealants) for professional and consumer markets. Comparable vertically-integrated German specialty chemical manufacturer with adjacent surface-treatment focus rather than automotive.
Emerging players
- ValetPRO: UK-based detailing chemicals brand offering pre-washes, polishes, and coatings to professional detailers. Overlaps in vehicle care chemistry categories with Koch-Chemie but smaller scale and narrower geographic presence.
- COLOURLOCK / Furniture Clinic (analog): UK-based leather care, restoration, and recoloring brand selling to upholstery, automotive, and fashion trades. Directly comparable to Koch-Chemie's COLOURLOCK sub-brand in leather cleaning, recoloring, and repair chemistry.
Direct peers
- Sonax: German premium manufacturer of car wash, detailing, and care chemistry sold through workshops and consumer channels. Most direct competitor to Koch-Chemie given shared German heritage, premium positioning, and overlapping product portfolio across pre-wash, polish, and sealant categories.
- Griot's Garage: US premium car care brand selling polishes, compounds, and ceramic coatings to enthusiasts and detailers. Comparable premium positioning, chemistry-led product line, and content-driven marketing approach to Koch-Chemie's THE FINISHER line.
- Autoglym: British manufacturer of professional vehicle care products (shampoos, polishes, glass cleaners) sold to car care professionals and consumers. Highly comparable in formulation-driven cleaning chemistry, vertical manufacturing, and international distributor model.
- Meguiar's: Iconic US-based auto care brand offering polishes, cleaners, and ceramic coatings to detailers and enthusiasts globally. Comparable in product categories (polishes, waxes, ceramic sealants) and dual B2B/B2C distribution model to Koch-Chemie.
- Chemical Guys: US-based car care chemicals manufacturer with strong enthusiast and pro-detailing channel presence. Overlaps directly in interior/exterior cleaners, polishes, and ceramic coatings, and competes in DTC and pro channels similar to Koch-Chemie's THE FINISHER brand.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Koch chemistry social profiles
Digital presenceKoch chemistry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Koch chemistry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Koch chemistry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Koch chemistry 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 Koch chemistry
What does Koch chemistry do?
Koch-Chemie researches, produces, and sells high-quality cleaning and care chemical products for car wash chemistry, vehicle detailing/valeting, workshops, and industrial applications. The portfolio is organized under three brands: the main Koch-Chemie brand for automotive/workshop/industry, COLOURLOCK for leather care and repair, and THE FINISHER for professional-grade consumer car and boat care products. The company expanded into the marine segment in 2024.
Is Koch chemistry a public or private company?
Koch chemistry is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Koch chemistry founded?
Koch chemistry was founded in 1968. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Koch chemistry based?
Koch chemistry is headquartered in Unna, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Koch chemistry make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Koch chemistry's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Turtle Wax and Liqui Moly. Dr. Schutz is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are ValetPRO and COLOURLOCK / Furniture Clinic (analog). Direct peers are Sonax, Griot's Garage, Autoglym, Meguiar's and Chemical Guys.
Does Koch chemistry have an API?
No public API is recorded for Koch chemistry.
What industry is Koch chemistry in?
Koch chemistry's product category is Automotive Cleaning and Care Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACANAK, Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners), with a secondary code of CRADAKAG, Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen). Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 2842.