dreco
dreco is a Düsseldorf-based, third-generation family-owned B2B contract manufacturer of private-label laundry, dishwashing, and household cleaning products, supplying retail chains, discounters, and wholesalers across Germany and Europe from three production facilities in Germany and the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersDüsseldorf, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What dreco does
dreco Werke Wasch- und Körperpflegemittel GmbH is a Düsseldorf-based, third-generation family-owned contract manufacturer of private-label household cleaning and laundry care products, founded in 1966. The company develops and produces liquid and powder laundry detergents, fabric softeners, hand and machine dishwashing detergents, and household cleaners, supplying these exclusively on a B22B basis to retail chains, discounters, and wholesalers under the customer's own brands. Manufacturing is conducted across three sites — Düsseldorf (powder, headquarters and administration), Bitterfeld-Wolfen (liquids, acquired from the former Chemie AG in 1992), and Kerkrade, Netherlands (powder, opened September 2024 using Schugi-Hosokawa process technology). The product portfolio is anchored by proprietary process technologies including Mikro-Caps-Technologie for controlled-release fabric softeners and the Schugi-Hosokawa powder line, and is supplemented by the re/loop PillowBag sustainable packaging solution developed with Mondi (50% post-consumer recycled content, ISCC PLUS certified).
Revenue is generated through negotiated B2B contracts and quote-based pricing on private-label manufacturing volumes; the company does not disclose financial figures publicly and does not sell directly to end consumers. Customer acquisition is relationship-driven via direct sales, industry association memberships (IKW, VCI), and referrals, targeting enterprise retail buyers across Germany and international markets. dreco maintains IFS-HPC quality certification (since 2018, QMS since 1999), RSPO 2026 sustainable palm oil certification, AISE Charter for Sustainable Cleaning commitment, and ISCC PLUS certification for the recycled-content packaging line. The company employs between 11 and 50 people and is led by Geschäftsführer Milo Drehsen, with no disclosed institutional, private equity, or venture capital ownership.
dreco firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- dreco
- Legal name
- DRECO Werke Wasch- und Körperpflegemittel GmbH
- Website
- https://dreco-werke.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- dreco is a Düsseldorf-based, third-generation family-owned B2B contract manufacturer of private-label laundry, dishwashing, and household cleaning products, supplying retail chains, discounters, and wholesalers across Germany and Europe from three production facilities in Germany and the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where dreco is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Düsseldorf
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
dreco business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Private Label Manufacturing: dreco develops and manufactures high-quality private-label (retail brand) washing, cleaning, and dishwashing products for retailers, discounters, and wholesalers. Revenue is generated through product sales to B2B customers under their brands. The company offers both standard formulations and custom-developed products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
dreco product offering
Product offeringCore offering
dreco develops and manufactures high-quality private-label (retail brand) washing, cleaning, and dishwashing products for retailers, discounters, and wholesalers across Germany and international markets. The company offers both standard formulations and custom-developed products in powder and liquid formats, with three production facilities in Düsseldorf, Bitterfeld-Wolfen (Germany), and Kerkrade (Netherlands). Revenue is generated exclusively through B2B product sales under retailer brands, not through direct consumer channels.
Product overview
dreco is a private-label contract manufacturer of household cleaning and laundry care products. The company's core offering consists of a comprehensive portfolio of consumer packaged goods including liquid laundry detergent, powder laundry detergent, fabric softener, hand dishwashing detergent, machine dishwasher detergent, and household cleaners. dreco operates as a third-party manufacturer (private-label/retail brand) producing high-quality products for trading companies and discounters, offering both standard formulations and customized solutions in various quality grades, fragrances, and packaging sizes. The product portfolio is complemented by the re/loop PillowBag sustainable packaging solution developed in partnership with Mondi, which contains 50% post-consumer recycled content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pulverwaschmittel (Powder Laundry Detergent)
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% post-consumer recycled content in re/loop PillowBag packaging, ahead of EU 2030 target of 35% recycled content
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use dreco
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
dreco technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
dreco partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MondicoreMondi and dreco partnered to launch the re/loop PillowBag packaging solution containing 50% post-consumer recycled content for powder detergent applications. The solution uses ISCC PLUS mass balance approach for traceability and is designed for compatibility with polyolefin mechanical recycling streams. This positions dreco as an early adopter ahead of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation's 2030 target of 35% recycled content.
- Raw Material Suppliers (namhafte Rohstofflieferanten)minordreco maintains close partnerships with reputable raw material suppliers to ensure consistent quality and access to innovative ingredients for product formulations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
dreco competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dalli Group: German family-owned private-label manufacturer of detergents, fabric care, and personal care products serving European retailers. Closely comparable business model to dreco with similar mid-sized Mittelstand profile and B2B private-label focus.
- McBride: UK-listed European leader in private-label household and personal care products including laundry detergents and cleaning. Comparable as a pure-play private-label manufacturer with broad product portfolio serving European discounters and retailers.
- Werner & Mertz: German manufacturer of sustainable cleaning products, both branded (Frosch, Erdal) and private-label, headquartered in Mainz. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping B2B/private-label detergent and household cleaner manufacturing in Germany with strong sustainability positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Henkel: Global German FMCG major with leading laundry & home care division (Persil, Vernel, Sidolin) that also operates contract manufacturing for private-label customers. Comparable for category overlap and German market presence, though operates at vastly greater scale than dreco.
- Procter & Gamble: Global FMCG leader with major laundry and home care brands (Ariel, Tide, Fairy) and significant European manufacturing presence. Comparable category overlap but vastly larger scale and primarily branded model.
- Reckitt Benckiser: Global household cleaning and hygiene major (Calgon, Finish, Vanish) with broad European manufacturing footprint. Overlaps with dreco in household cleaners and dishwashing categories, though operates primarily in branded products.
- Unilever: Global FMCG major with household cleaning brands (Persil, Omo, Domestos) and substantial European manufacturing footprint. Comparable in product categories served, though larger and broader portfolio.
- Colgate-Palmolive: Global household and personal care manufacturer (Ajax, Palmolive, Soupline) with European operations. Overlaps with dreco in fabric softener and household cleaner categories.
Regional players
- Kao Corporation: Japanese FMCG major with home care and laundry detergent brands (Attack, Magiclean) and some European presence. Comparable in cleaning product categories but primarily focused on Asian markets.
- Church & Dwight: US-based household products manufacturer with selective European presence. Comparable in household cleaners category but primarily serves North American market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
dreco social profiles
Digital presencedreco compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
dreco financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
dreco leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
dreco subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
dreco funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
dreco 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 dreco
What does dreco do?
dreco develops and manufactures high-quality private-label (retail brand) washing, cleaning, and dishwashing products for retailers, discounters, and wholesalers across Germany and international markets. The company offers both standard formulations and custom-developed products in powder and liquid formats, with three production facilities in Düsseldorf, Bitterfeld-Wolfen (Germany), and Kerkrade (Netherlands). Revenue is generated exclusively through B2B product sales under retailer brands, not through direct consumer channels.
Is dreco a public or private company?
dreco is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was dreco founded?
dreco was founded in 1966. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is dreco based?
dreco is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does dreco make money?
One revenue line is on record: private Label Manufacturing.
Who are dreco's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dalli Group, McBride and Werner & Mertz. Broad incumbents are Henkel, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive. Regional players are Kao Corporation and Church & Dwight.
Does dreco have an API?
No public API is recorded for dreco.