AURO

What AURO does

AURO Pflanzenchemie Aktiengesellschaft is a German manufacturer of natural paints and coatings, founded in 1983 in Braunschweig by chemist Dr. Hermann Fischer. The company produces wall paints, lacquers, wood finishes, lime-based systems, primers, and an anti-mould product family, organized under three sub-brands: COLOURS FOR LIFE (the core line with 1,000+ color shades), Designer's Collection (a premium 96-shade palette co-curated with interior designer Edward Bulmer), and Classic Edition. Its central technology is Replebin®, a proprietary biogenic binder manufactured in-house from plant alcohol esters derived from non-food corn and wheat residues, which replaces petroleum-derived binders in most wall paints and plasters; the Ecolith line additionally combines mineral raw materials with graphene for enhanced flexibility and durability on facade and interior surfaces.

AURO serves two principal customer segments: health- and environment-conscious end-consumers (homeowners and DIY buyers) and professional tradespeople (painters, decorators, woodworkers) who require both ecological credentials and professional-grade technical performance. Distribution is hybrid: a network of specialist retailers (Facheinzelhändler) and DIY chains, a curated authorized online retailer list (auro-24.de, naturbaustoffcentrum.de, and others), the company's own D2C e-commerce site (shop.auro.de), and a physical Shop & Showroom at the Braunschweig headquarters. The company monetizes through unit-priced one-time product sales at retail (typical price range €12.99–€49.90 per litre) and wholesale to dealers, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue component.

The business is differentiated by a dense third-party certification stack (EN 71-3 toy safety, DIN EN 13300 Class 1 wet scrub and opacity, AgBB emissions, IUG allergen-friendly, Bremer Umweltinstitut biogenicity) and by 40+ years of consistent sustainability positioning, including NABU conservation partnerships, renewable-energy operations since 2012, and CO2-neutral shipping via DPD. AURO operates as a privately-held Aktiengesellschaft led by CEO Edwin Hribek and Supervisory Board Chairman Prof. Dr. Arnim von Gleich, with 11–50 employees and no disclosed external investors, parent company, or M&A history.

Name

AURO

Legal name

AURO Pflanzenchemie Aktiengesellschaft

Website

https://auro.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AURO is a German manufacturer of natural, plant- and mineral-based paints and coatings founded in 1983. It produces wall paints, lacquers, wood finishes, and facade coatings under COLOURS FOR LIFE, Designer's Collection, and Classic Edition, using its proprietary Replebin® biogenic binder, and sells in nearly 30 countries via specialist retailers and e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Braunschweig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product sales (own e-commerce): AURO operates its own direct-to-consumer online shop (shop.auro.de) and a physical Shop & Showroom at its Braunschweig headquarters, selling the full product range including wall paints, lacquers, wood oils, lime products, and accessories at retail prices.
2. Wholesale distribution through specialist retailers and DIY stores: AURO sells its products in bulk to specialist retailers (Facheinzelhändler) and DIY chains who resell to end-consumers and professional tradespeople. The company provides a dealer search tool, authorised online retailer listings, and colour-mixing services through certified dealers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AURO Pflanzenchemie Aktiengesellschaft manufactures and sells a full line of natural paints, wood finishes, lacquers, lime-based coatings, and cleaning products formulated from plant- and mineral-based renewable raw materials. The company's formulations are anchored on its proprietary Replebin® biogenic binder, with the Ecolith mineral paint line incorporating graphene-enhanced technology. Products are distributed through specialist natural-building retailers, DIY stores, the company's own online shop, and a physical showroom across approximately 30 countries.

Product overview

AURO is a manufacturer of natural paints and coatings operating since 1983, offering a comprehensive portfolio organized under sub-brands: COLOURS FOR LIFE (primary brand with 1000+ colors), Designer's Collection (premium Edward Bulmer curated palette), and Classic Edition (traditional formulations). Core products span interior wall paints (including Replebin®-based formulas, clay paints, lime paints), exterior facade paints (including graphene-enhanced Ecolith line), wood finishes (lacquers, wood varnishes, hard oils), and lime-based mineral systems. The company pioneered biogenic binder Replebin® and cobalt-free formulations meeting EN 71-3 toy safety standards. Products are distributed through specialist retailers, online shops, and the company's own shop showroom in Braunschweig, with presence in nearly 30 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• COLOURS FOR LIFE: Main product line of natural paints and coatings available in over 1000 color shades, featuring the biogenic binder Replebin and mineral pigments.
• Designer's Collection
• Classic Edition

Products and services

• Natural Wall Paints (interior)

Quantifiable outcome

• Stiftung Warentest named AURO Aqua Holzlasur Nr. 160 as Testsieger (test winner) in Holzlasuren test (Heft 05/2006), outperforming conventional paint brands.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURO and NABU share the motto 'Für Mensch und Natur' (For People and Nature). AURO has supported NABU for nearly 40 years, focusing on species conservation, forest preservation, and ecosystem protection. Founder Dr. Hermann Fischer has served on the NABU board since 2019, including the NABU Kuratorium (advisory council). AURO is also a member of the NABU-Unternehmensinitiative (corporate initiative).
• NABU International NaturschutzstiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURO is the exclusive supporter of NABU International's elephant conservation project near Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania. The partnership funds beehive fences to protect crops from elephants, elephant tracking, early warning systems for local communities, and environmental education in schools. The Tanzanian Elephant Foundation implements the on-ground work.
• education biotropicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURO supports the 'education biotropical' organisation which cultivates a rainforest area 96% destroyed west of the Andes. The project also supports the Shuar-Indian people who produce the traditional pigment Ipiak (Achiote) from the annatto plant, used by AURO as a complementary pigment in its plant-based wall glaze paints.
• B.A.U.M. e.V. (Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURO is an active member of B.A.U.M., Europe's largest environmental business initiative with around 550 members. B.A.U.M. connects economic, ecological, and social sustainability principles. AURO recognises the B.A.U.M. Ehrenkodex for environmentally conscious corporate management.
• DPD (delivery service)minorOthersAURO uses DPD for CO2-neutral parcel delivery. DPD achieves carbon neutrality through internal CO2 reduction measures (insetting) and offsetting remaining emissions through external certified projects. This supports AURO's commitment to climate-friendly logistics.
• Edward Bulmer (Interior Designer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURO collaborates with Edward Bulmer, interior designer and colour pioneer, to create the Designer's Collection. The collection offers 96 carefully selected natural mineral pigment shades across wall paints, clay paints, and lacquers, combining high aesthetic standards with ecological formulation. The collaboration targets professional interior designers and conscious consumers seeking authentic, natural colours.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Earthborn Paints: UK-based natural and clay paint brand with strong eco-credentials (EU Ecolabel, Allergy UK approval). Comparable to AURO on natural-paint positioning and certifications but serves primarily the UK market, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• DAW SE (Caparol / Alpina): Germany's largest paint manufacturer, owner of Caparol, Alpina, Alligator and other architectural coatings brands. Relevant as the dominant conventional incumbent whose DIY-chain shelf presence, scale and R&D budgets define the competitive frame AURO operates within.
• Tikkurila: Nordic paints and coatings major (now part of PPG) offering decorative and professional coatings across Northern and Eastern Europe. Comparable as a broad architectural coatings incumbent with growing sustainable product lines overlapping AURO's positioning in DACH/Nordic markets.
• Jotun: Norwegian global coatings major with decorative, protective and marine paints. Relevant as a broad incumbent expanding sustainable decorative ranges in EMEA and selected international markets where AURO's distribution already operates.
• AkzoNobel (Dulux / Sikkens): Global paints and coatings major with Dulux, Sikkens and Herbol brands. Relevant as a broad incumbent that has launched low-VOC and 'eco' product lines, representing the scaled-competition threat to AURO's natural-paints niche across European and international markets.

Direct peers

• Biofa Naturprodukte: German manufacturer of natural plant-based paints, oils and waxes for interior and exterior use. Directly competes with AURO in the German Naturfarben segment with overlapping product lines (wall paints, wood finishes, oils) and a similar specialist-retail + DTC distribution model.
• Kreidezeit Naturfarben: German natural paint manufacturer specialising in chalk-, casein-, clay- and lime-based coatings plus plant-based oils and waxes. Directly comparable to AURO on product portfolio (clay paints, lime paints, wood oils) and on the health-conscious / ecological DIY consumer segment.
• BEECK'sche Farbwerke: German mineral paint specialist producing silicate and lime paints for historical restoration and ecological architecture. Closest direct competitor to AURO's Kalksortiment and Profi-Silikatfarbe lines, serving overlapping professional painter and heritage-building buyers in Germany.
• Livos Pflanzenchemie: German plant-chemistry coatings manufacturer producing natural oils, waxes, lacquers and paints. Directly competes with AURO in plant-based wood finishes and natural interior paints, with a similar specialist-retail and DIY distribution footprint in Germany and selected European markets.

Emerging players

• Graphenstone: Spanish coatings company commercialising graphene-enhanced mineral and ecological paints. The most direct technology analogue to AURO's COLOURS FOR LIFE Ecolith graphene-enhanced line, representing an emerging competitor combining mineral/ecological positioning with graphene performance claims.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AUROtv
• Facebookfacebook.com/AURO.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auro-pflanzenchemie-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/auro_naturalpaints_official
• Xx.com/AURO_AG

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 AURO