Teslin

What Teslin does

PPG TESLIN® Substrate is a high-performance synthetic paper product line developed, manufactured, and marketed by PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE: PPG), a Fortune 500 specialty chemicals and coatings company founded in 1883 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Teslin is operated by a dedicated Teslin Substrate Products group within PPG that supplies converters, printers, and manufacturers with a single core substrate material available in multiple product grades tailored to specific printing processes and end-use applications.

The substrate is engineered for four primary application pillars: tags and labels (durable product identification, hazardous material warning, and traceability labels for food and pharmaceuticals); print and laminated materials (waterproof menus, tear-resistant maps, heavy-duty industrial manuals); secure credentials and ID cards (government-issued credentials and identification documents); and laminated cards and key tags (insurance cards, membership cards, key tags with embedded electronics). Functional properties cited include tensile strength, smoothness, static decay and dissipation performance, tear resistance, water resistance, and compatibility with multiple print technologies and lamination processes.

The product is sold on a B2B industrial basis through PPG's direct sales organization and authorized industrial distributors worldwide, with pricing not publicly disclosed and quotes handled through the PPG Teslin Substrate Products group. Revenue is not reported at the product-line level; Teslin is consolidated within PPG Industries' reporting, making standalone financial benchmarking impractical from public disclosures. The product has been in commercial use for nearly two decades and is described as used worldwide in billions of security credentials.

Name

Teslin

Legal name

PPG Industries, Inc.

Website

https://teslin.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PPG TESLIN® Substrate is a high-performance synthetic paper product line owned by PPG Industries, sold B2B to converters, printers, and manufacturers for secure credentials, durable labels, specialty printing, and laminated card applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Synthetic Paper Substrate

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Performance & Specialty Polymers (PPS, LCP, PI/PAI, PAEK) (IMAEANAI)

Keywords

• Synthetic paper substrate
• Secure credential materials
• Durable product labels
• Laminated print materials
• Specialty printing substrates

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PPG TESLIN® Substrate is a high-performance synthetic paper engineered for durability, security, and high printability. It is sold as a substrate material in multiple product grades to industrial converters, printers, and manufacturers for use in durable product labels, secure credentials and ID cards, laminated cards and key tags, and specialty printing applications such as waterproof menus and tear-resistant maps.

Product overview

PPG TESLIN® Substrate is a single, unified product—a high-performance synthetic paper engineered for durability and innovation. The product portfolio centers on this one core substrate material, which is available in multiple product grades tailored for specific printing processes and end-use applications. The substrate is offered in different grades compatible with various print technologies and is supported by technical documentation covering mechanical, electrical, and general properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PPG TESLIN® Substrate A high-performance synthetic paper substrate engineered for durability, security, and high printability, available in multiple product grades for laminated print projects, durable product labels (product identification, hazardous-material warning, traceability labels for food and pharmaceuticals), secure credentials and ID cards, laminated cards and key tags (including with embedded electronics), and specialty printing applications such as waterproof menus, tear-resistant maps, and heavy-duty industrial manuals. Sold to industrial converters, commercial printers, and manufacturers, as well as government and security firms.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• DuPont Tyvek: DuPont's Tyvek is a spun-bonded synthetic substrate used for durable labels, wristbands, envelopes, and protective print applications — directly comparable to Teslin in functional use cases (durable, tear-resistant printable substrate).
• Yupo Corporation: Yupo is one of the world's largest manufacturers of synthetic paper (polypropylene-based), serving labels, packaging, and specialty printing — a direct competitor in the synthetic paper substrate category Teslin occupies.
• Polyart (Arjobex): Polyart is a PE-based synthetic paper brand from Arjobex used for durable labels, tags, and specialty printing applications — competing head-to-head with Teslin in the same converter/printer customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Avery Dennison: Avery Dennison is a global leader in label materials and RFID inlays, supplying durable and specialty labels to the same end markets Teslin serves (food, pharma, industrial) — overlapping in label substrates and embedded electronics applications.
• Agfa-Gevaert: Agfa produces specialty printing substrates, inks, and digital printing systems, serving the specialty print and secure credential markets where Teslin substrates are converted.
• 3M: 3M produces specialty films, labelstocks, and durable materials overlapping with Teslin's specialty printing and durable label applications, though as part of a far broader industrial portfolio.
• PPG Industries: PPG is the parent corporation and owner of Teslin; while Teslin is a small product line within PPG, the broader PPG specialty chemicals and coatings portfolio provides the industrial scale, distribution, and R&D infrastructure supporting Teslin.
• Neenah (Technical Materials): Neenah produces specialty papers and substrates including durable label and tag stocks, serving similar converters and printers as Teslin, though with a broader portfolio of fiber-based and technical materials.

Regional players

• Mitsubishi Paper Mills: Mitsubishi Paper Mills produces specialty and synthetic printing papers primarily for the Japanese and broader Asian markets, offering comparable durable substrate products to converters in the region.

Emerging players

• HID Global (Assa Abloy): HID Global supplies secure credential and ID card solutions, often specifying Teslin-class substrates; while primarily a system integrator rather than substrate producer, it represents an adjacent player in the secure credential value chain Teslin serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Teslin