What Red Spot Paint does

Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., Inc. is a specialty coatings manufacturer founded in 1903 and headquartered in Evansville, Indiana. The company develops and produces high-performance coatings for plastic, glass, film, and metal substrates, organized around four core cure technologies: thermal, ultraviolet (UV), in-mold, and physical vapor deposition (PVD). Its proprietary product lines include the UVT200 UV curable coating (commercialized 1993, used by 40+ OEMs globally for automotive lighting), UVT610 Gen IV (launched 2008 for exterior optical durability), 318LE/318LEM laser etch coatings (since 1985, with GM/Ford/Daimler Chrysler approvals), in-mold coatings that combine painting and molding in a single step, primers and adhesion promoters for substrates including Noryl GTX, PC/ABS, PP, and TPO, and PVD coatings positioned as an eco-friendly alternative to hexavalent chromium plating.

The company sells primarily through a direct B2B enterprise motion, with custom quote-based pricing, minimum order quantities, and 15+ working day manufacturing lead times. Field technical representatives and sales offices are positioned in Plymouth, Michigan (automotive cluster), Mississauga, Canada, and Apodaca, Mexico (manufacturing). Red Spot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan's Fujikura Kasei Co., Ltd. since 2008 and operates as the Americas arm of the Fujikura Kasei Global (FKK Global) network alongside Fujichem Sonneborn Ltd. (Europe/Africa) and majority-owned JVs Red Spot Korea (1998) and Arpol Red Spot Tintas in Brazil (2003). It also operates an A2LA-accredited analytical and test laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 since 2024) and is certified to ISO 9001 (since 1995) and ISO 14001 (since 2013).

Red Spot's primary customer segment is automotive OEM (Ford, GM, Toyota, VW, Honda, PACCAR, Mack, Deere), with adjacent exposure to heavy truck, consumer electronics (Sony, LG), cosmetics packaging (L'Oréal, Shiseido, Dior), motorcycles/ATVs (Kawasaki, Yamaha, Polaris), sports equipment, and film & sheet markets. The company employs 300+ people across its US, Canada, and Mexico operations with nearly 40% of staff dedicated to new coating development. No public revenue disclosure or external funding is available.

Name

Red Spot Paint

Legal name

Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., Inc.

Website

http://redspot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Red Spot Paint is a chemicals firm providing coatings, chemistry, polymers, automotive, paint, project management, and technical services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Coatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Surface Materials & Coatings for Interiors/Exteriors Manufacturing (Upholstery Materials/Decor Films/Paints for Trim) (IMACAKAL)

Keywords

• Specialty coatings
• UV curable coatings
• Plastic coatings
• Automotive coatings
• In-mold coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Evansville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Specialty Coatings Manufacturing: Custom manufacturing and direct sales of specialty high-performance coatings for plastics, glass, film, and metal. Products categorized by cure technology: air, thermal, UV, and in-mold curing. Operates as a custom manufacturer requiring firm release dates and minimum order quantities.
2. Technical Services: Provides analytical sciences, test lab services, and technical support including formulation, color matching, and on-site technical assistance. Revenue generated through product sales with technical services bundled as value-added support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., Inc. is a specialty chemical coatings manufacturer that develops and produces high-performance coatings for plastics, glass, film, and metal substrates. Products are categorized by cure technology—thermal, UV, in-mold, and air-dry—and serve automotive, heavy truck, transportation, cosmetic packaging, film & sheet, and sports equipment markets. The company also provides complementary analytical, testing, and technical services.

Product overview

Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., Inc. is a specialty chemicals manufacturer offering high-performance coatings for plastics and select other materials including glass, film, and metal. Founded in 1903 and headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, the company categorizes its product offerings by cure technology: Thermal, UV (ultraviolet), In-Mold, and related coating systems. The product portfolio includes: Thermal Coatings for interior/exterior and lighting applications; UV Coatings (UVT200 and UVT610 Gen IV) for automotive lighting and optical applications; In-Mold Coatings (IMC) for single-step painting and molding; Functional Hardcoats addressing specific performance characteristics; Primers/Adhesion Promoters for substrate preparation; Clear Coatings for transparent finish applications; Pigmented Coatings with custom color development; Laser Etch Coatings (318LE/318LEM) for laser marking; and PVD Coatings for decorative metal finishes. The company also offers complementary services including Analytical Sciences Laboratory, Test Lab Services (A2LA accredited), and Technical Services for customer support. Red Spot serves markets including automotive (interior, exterior, lighting), heavy truck, transportation (non-auto), sports equipment, film & sheet, containers & closures, and PVD applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UVT200: Industry standard UV curable coating technology commercialized in 1993, used by over 40 OEMs globally for automotive lighting applications
• UVT610 Gen IV
• 318LE
• 318LEM

Products and services

• Thermal Coatings High-performance thermal curing coatings for plastics, glass, film, and metal substrates used in interior, exterior, and lighting system applications.
• UV Coatings (UVT200 & UVT610 Gen IV) Ultraviolet curable coating technologies offering scratch resistance, chemical resistance, and exterior durability for polycarbonate headlamps, tail lamps, side markers, and other optical clear applications.
• In-Mold Coatings (IMC) In-mold coating technology that enables painting and molding of parts in a single step, eliminating secondary painting operations for automotive interior and exterior parts on flexible and rigid substrates.
• Functional Hardcoats Functional coatings that deliver specific performance characteristics including weather resistance, scratch/abrasion resistance, high pencil hardness, stain resistance, chemical resistance, perfume resistance, easy-clean, anti-graffiti, and anti-reflective properties.
• Primers/Adhesion Promoters Primer coatings using thermal technology for substrates including Noryl GTX, PC/ABS, PP, TPO, SMC, RIM, and Metton in automotive and non-automotive applications.
• Clear Coatings Transparent coating technologies covering PVD, metals, glass, most plastics, and basecoat technologies using both thermal and UV cure methods.
• Pigmented Coatings Custom color development and formulation for solid tones, metallic, pearl, and special effect pigments using water-borne and solvent-borne technologies for automotive interiors and exteriors.
• Laser Etch Coatings (318LE & 318LEM) Two-component laser marking coatings with high solids, low VOC, stain/chemical resistance, and weather durability used for automotive applications including radio buttons, approved by GM, Ford, and Daimler Chrysler.
• PVD Coatings Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) vacuum coating technology providing mirror-like surface finishes and thin metal layers as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional chrome plating for automotive, heavy truck, appliance, and packaging applications.
• Analytical Sciences Laboratory Services Advanced chemical instrumentation services including infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and gas chromatography for defect analysis, contamination detection, and coverage evaluation.
• Test Lab Services A2LA-accredited physical testing laboratory providing environmental tests (humidity, salt fog, fuel immersion), abrasion testing (Taber, RCA, Wyzenbeek, ASTM), mechanical testing (adhesion, drop impact, gravelometer), and accelerated weathering (xenon arc, carbon arc).
• Technical Services Technical support services including paint testing, problem identification, paint adjustment, problem resolution, defect causality analysis, paint line audits, cost reduction ideation, and new paint line development consultation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 OEMs globally use UVT200 technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Arpol TintascoreJoint Venture · 1 January 2003Joint venture with Brazilian partner Arpol Tintas to form Arpol Red Spot Tintas (ARST). Serves South America with liquid and powder coatings for markets including motorcycle helmets and ATMs. 65 employees, 2 facilities with over 5,000 m2.
• Fujikura Kasei Co., Ltd. (FKK)flagshipOthers · 1 January 2000FKK became the parent company of Red Spot Paint in 2008. FKK is a Japanese company known worldwide for coatings for automotive, electronics, and cosmetic packaging applications. FKK handles development, sales, and support in Asia and India. Red Spot handles Americas. The three-company global network (FKK, Red Spot, Fujichem Sonneborn) forms FKK Global.
• Fujichem Sonneborn Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Part of FKK Global network. Fujichem Sonneborn (formerly Sonneborn & Rieck Ltd.) handles UV, water-based, and solvent-based coatings for Europe and Africa markets. Acquired by FKK in 2010 and renamed from Sonneborn & Rieck Ltd.
• Red Spot Korea, Inc.coreJoint Venture · 1 January 1998Majority-owned joint venture established in 1998 to serve South Korean market with locally manufactured UV curable coatings. Manufacturing facility in Choongjoo with 45,425 liters (12,000 gallons) per month capacity. Sales offices in Seoul and Gimhae.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Axalta Coating Systems: Global coatings supplier serving automotive OEMs with refinish, OEM, and industrial coatings. Directly competes with Red Spot in automotive plastic coatings and OEM specifications, with overlapping customers across lighting, interior, and exterior.
• Kansai Paint: Japanese coatings manufacturer with strong automotive OEM business globally, particularly in Asia. Comparable to Red Spot as a specialty automotive coatings supplier serving global OEMs from a strong base in Japan.
• Mankiewicz: German specialty coatings manufacturer focused on high-quality coatings for plastics, automotive interiors, and aviation. Highly comparable to Red Spot as a specialty plastic coatings supplier serving automotive OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: Large diversified coatings major supplying automotive OEM coatings, industrial coatings, and specialty finishes. Overlaps with Red Spot across automotive OEM programs but operates at much broader scale across many coating categories.
• BASF Coatings: Division of BASF providing automotive OEM coatings, refinish, and industrial coatings globally. Directly competes for OEM specifications in the same North American and global automotive accounts as Red Spot.
• Nippon Paint Holdings: Major Asian-headquartered coatings company with automotive OEM, industrial, and decorative coatings portfolios. Competes with Red Spot in OEM coatings programs and through its global parent network.
• AkzoNobel: Global paints and coatings major supplying automotive, industrial, and specialty coatings. Overlaps with Red Spot in OEM automotive coatings and specialty plastic/lighting finishes.
• Sherwin-Williams: Largest North American coatings company, primarily known for architectural and industrial finishes but with industrial and OEM-adjacent offerings. Adjacent competitor to Red Spot in industrial and specialty coatings.
• RPM International: Holding company of specialty coatings brands serving industrial, roofing, and OEM markets. Comparable to Red Spot as a specialty coatings consolidator but with much broader industrial and architectural exposure.

Others

• Fujichem Sonneborn Ltd. Sister company within the FKK Global Network, acquired by Fujikura Kasei in 2010 and renamed from Sonneborn & Rieck Ltd. Supplies UV, water-based, and solvent-based coatings in Europe/Africa. Adjacent/related rather than competing head-to-head in Red Spot's Americas core.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-spot-paint

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

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 Red Spot Paint