What Bartoline does

Bartoline is a UK-based manufacturer of decorating sundries, founded in 1876 and headquartered in Beverley, East Yorkshire. The company produces solvents, fillers, adhesives, sealants, cleaners, paint strippers and woodcare products, marketed under both the core Bartoline name and a portfolio of sub-brands including Paint Predator, 1876 The Professional Range, Clean Spirit, Creocote, EASIPASTE, Superstik and the #SavetheBrush range. It operates from a single manufacturing site centred on a £5 million liquid manufacturing plant reportedly providing the largest liquid filling capacity of its kind in Europe, and is certified to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 with an EcoVadis Gold rating placing it in the top 5% of its sector.

The company's revenue model is anchored in B2B sales of branded and own-label decorating consumables to two principal channels: UK DIY multiples — B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Wilkinson and B&M — and a longer tail of builders' merchants and trade decorating centres. Distribution extends to more than 70 countries, providing geographic diversification beyond the UK retail core. Products are differentiated at the formulation level (e.g., non-flammable Paint Predator paint strippers and water-based Clean Spirit degreaser), with sustained 97%+ OTIF delivery performance cited as a service differentiator. Bartoline is privately held, employs around 100 people, and is led by Managing Director Paul Robbins.

Operationally, Bartoline pursues a product-led growth strategy, launching three new sub-brand ranges in 2022–2023 and investing in a dedicated trade channel through the recruitment of a Trade Account Director from Harris Brushes. Strategic emphasis is on regulatory-aligned formulations, retailer-grade compliance credentials, and capacity-led scale economics rather than digital or platform-based differentiation.

Name

Bartoline

Legal name

Bartoline Limited

Website

https://bartoline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bartoline is a UK manufacturer of decorating sundries — solvents, fillers, adhesives, sealants, cleaners, paint strippers and woodcare — supplying UK DIY multiples (B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Wilkinson, B&M), builders' merchants and export distributors across 70+ countries from its Beverley, East Yorkshire site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorating Sundries Manufacturing

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

akta.pro primary industry

Paint, Stain & Finishes Retail (Coatings, Sundries) (CRAIADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adhesives, Sealants, Caulks & Tapes Retail (CRAIADAL)

Keywords

• Decorating sundries manufacturing
• Paint solvents production
• Wallpaper adhesives supply
• Woodcare timber treatments
• Home improvement chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverley

HQ country

United Kingdom

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. Product Sales - Retail: Bartoline sells its decorating sundries products through leading UK DIY multiples and supermarkets. Products are distributed extensively through retail outlets throughout the United Kingdom.
2. Product Sales - Trade/Wholesale: Distribution through trade decorating centres and builders merchants, with the 1876 The Professional Range targeting professional decorators and over the counter trade sales.
3. Export Sales: Growing export sales with distributors in over 70 countries. The company can produce bespoke formulations and local language packaging for individual market requirements.
4. Private Label/OEM Manufacturing: Customer's private label requirements represent a significant part of the company business. Services include original design concept to finished product. Toll manufacturing is also a growing specialty.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bartoline manufactures decorating sundries for the home improvement industry, producing solvents, fillers, adhesives, sealants, cleaners, paint strippers and woodcare products at two Beverley production plants. Products are sold under proprietary brands including Paint Predator, Clean Spirit, and the 1876 Professional Range, and distributed through UK DIY multiples, builders' merchants and export distributors. The company also provides private label, OEM and toll manufacturing services.

Product overview

Bartoline is Europe's leading manufacturer of decorating sundries for the home improvement industry, established in 1876. The company offers a diverse portfolio of physical products across multiple categories: Adhesives (PVA, wallpaper adhesives including EASIPASTE, tile adhesives, wood glues, grab adhesives), Woodcare (Raw and Boiled Linseed Oil, Teak Oil, Creocote, Patent Knotting), Solvents (White Spirit, Low Odour White Spirit, Turpentine, Methylated Spirits), Fillers (Lightweight, Powder, Quick Drying, Exterior, Plaster Skim, Flexible/Decorators Caulk, Linseed Oil Putty), Paint Strippers (Paint Predator Fast Action and Heavy Duty, TX10), Cleaners (Sugar Soap, Brush Cleaner, Brush Restorer, Clean Spirit eco-alternative), Woodcare/Protectors, BBQ products, and the professional trade range '1876 The Professional Range'. Products are manufactured in the UK at two Beverley production plants and distributed through retail, wholesale, trade outlets, and exports to over 70 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paint Predator: Non-flammable paint and varnish stripper product line available in Fast Action and Heavy Duty variants.
• 1876 The Professional Range
• Clean Spirit
• Creocote
• EASIPASTE
• Superstik

Products and services

• Paint Predator A sub-brand of non-flammable paint and varnish strippers sold under two variants: Paint Predator Fast Action (strips up to three layers in 30 minutes) and Paint Predator Heavy Duty (strips in excess of six layers in a two-coat application). Both are methylene-chloride free and non-caustic, suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Sold through DIY multiples, trade merchants and international distributors.
• 1876 The Professional Range A comprehensive suite of professional quality decorating supplies comprising 32 SKUs covering white spirits, powder fillers, ready-mix filler, plaster skim, wallpaper adhesives, caulk, adhesives and sealants. Targeted at professional decorators and over-the-counter trade sales through builders' merchants and trade decorating centres.
• Clean Spirit A water-based, low VOC alternative to White Spirit used for cleaning paint from brushes, rollers, spills and surfaces. Non-hazardous, virtually odourless, non-flammable and contains biodegradable ingredients. Targeted at professional decorators and DIY consumers seeking a safer solvent.
• Adhesives A range of adhesives including PVA adhesives, wallpaper adhesives (such as EASIPASTE), tile adhesives, wood glue and Superstik grab adhesive, covering consumer DIY and professional trade bonding applications.
• Solvents Paint solvents including White Spirit BS245, Premium Low Odour White Spirit, Turpentine Substitute, Pure Turpentine and Methylated Spirits, used for paint thinning, brush cleaning and general DIY purposes.
• Fillers A range of fillers including Ready Mixed (Lightweight, Quick Drying, Exterior), Powder Fillers, Patching Plaster, Plaster Skim and Repair, Instant Filler, Flexible Filler/Decorators Caulk and Linseed Oil Putty, used for repairs to walls, ceilings, wood and stone.
• Woodcare Wood treatment products including Raw Linseed Oil, Boiled Linseed Oil, Teak Oil, Creocote Oil Based Timber Treatment and Patent Knotting, for protecting and maintaining wooden surfaces internally and externally.
• BBQ Range Outdoor living products including Barbecue Lighting Fluid, Barbecue Grill Cleaner, Lantern and Torch Oils (Citronella, Lemongrass) and Lamp Oil, used for BBQ lighting, cleaning and fuel purposes.
• Home & Garden Home and garden maintenance products including Premium Paraffin for heaters, Fungicidal Wash for mould and algae control, and All Purpose Wipes for cleaning hands and tools.
• Decorating Sundries Decorating preparation and maintenance products including Sugar Soap (liquid, powder, wipes), Brush Cleaner, Brush Restorer, Wallpaper Stripper, TX10 Paint Stripper, Bitcote Black Bitumen Paint and Quick Clean Paint Wipes, for both consumer DIY and professional use.
• #SavetheBrush Brush and roller cleaning and restoration products including Roller Rescue, designed to clean glosses, undercoats, primers and emulsions from painting tools.
• Private Label, OEM and Toll Manufacturing Contract manufacturing services providing customers' private label requirements from original design concept through to finished product, including toll manufacturing as a growing specialty.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 97% of customer retail orders on time and in full
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBartoline has distributors in over 70 countries around the world with product availability across most continents. The export department handles enquiries and can produce bespoke formulations and local language packaging to fit individual market requirements.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Dulux (AkzoNobel): Dulux is AkzoNobel's flagship decorative paint brand in the UK and supplies a complete decorating ecosystem including fillers and sealants, giving it broader portfolio competition with Bartoline across the same major retail customers.
• Sika AG: Sika is a Swiss specialty chemicals company with a substantial sealants, adhesives, and fillers business including the Everbuild brand — competing with Bartoline across construction adhesives and sealants in the UK trade channel.
• Crown Paints: Crown Paints is a leading UK paint manufacturer owned by Hempel that also offers decorating sundries, competing with Bartoline at the retailer shelf while operating in a broader paint-and-coatings portfolio.
• Rust-Oleum: Rust-Oleum is a global specialty coatings manufacturer (part of RPM International) with paint preparation and stripping products that overlap with Bartoline's Paint Predator and surface preparation categories.

Direct peers

• Unibond (Henkel): Unibond is Henkel's UK consumer adhesives and sealants brand, directly comparable to Bartoline's wallpaper adhesives (EASIPASTE), grab adhesives (Superstik), and sealants sold through the same UK DIY multiples.
• Everbuild (Sika): Everbuild manufactures sealants, adhesives, fillers, and building chemicals in the UK and is a direct competitor in Bartoline's adhesives and sealants categories, with overlapping distribution through builders' merchants.
• Selley (Henkel): Selleys, owned by Henkel, manufactures sealants, adhesives, and decorators' fillers across multiple geographies — directly comparable to Bartoline's product portfolio in sealants and surface preparation categories.
• Ronseal (Sherwin-Williams): Ronseal is a UK woodcare and fillers brand owned by Sherwin-Williams, competing head-to-head with Bartoline's Woodcare range (Creocote, Linseed Oils, Teak Oil) and decorative fillers in retail and trade channels.
• Polycell: Polycell is a UK specialist in fillers, sealants, and surface preparation products, directly overlapping Bartoline's filler and decorators' caulk lines and competing for the same DIY shelf space in B&Q and Wickes.

Regional players

• Tor Coatings: Tor Coatings is a UK-based protective and decorative coatings manufacturer with related sundries offerings, competing with Bartoline primarily in the UK trade and contractor channel rather than direct retail DIY distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bartoline-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/bartoline_ltd?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Bartoline