Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik

What Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik does

Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik, operating under the CLOU brand, is a German wood care and surface coatings company founded in 1917 by Alfred Clouth in Ober-Ramstadt, Germany. Originally serving professional woodworkers (Tischler, Schreiner), the company expanded into the DIY (Heimwerker) market in the 1970s. In 2025, the CLOU brand became part of DAW SE, a privately held, fifth-generation family-owned paint manufacturer that is the third-largest construction paint producer in Europe and the market leader in Germany and Austria.

CLOU's product portfolio centers on wood care chemistry — wood stains (Holzbeize being the iconic flagship product in a distinctive, recognizable bottle), wood oils, wood preservatives, weather protection paints, primers, and lacquers — organized into a four-category system covering Repair (Reparatur), Care (Pflege), Protection (Schutz), and Design (Gestaltung). Adjacent lines extend the scope to clear/colored/white lacquers, bathroom and kitchen specialty coatings, metal anti-rust lacquers, WPC care oils, interior wall paints, plasters, effect paints, and color mixing services via the Alpina Color system.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market, distributing through a specialized professional dealer network serving craftsmen and through retail/home improvement stores reaching DIY consumers, with a dealer locator and digital tools (product finder, color apps) on clou.de. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales of physical coatings products, with no subscription, licensing, or enterprise contract model disclosed. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, consistent with a private B2B/B2C retail brand strategy.

Name

Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik

Legal name

DAW SE

Website

https://clou.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik (CLOU) is a 1917-founded German wood care and coatings brand, now part of DAW SE since 2025, serving professional craftsmen and DIY consumers across the DACH region with wood stains, lacquers, oils, and surface protection products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wood Coatings and Finishes

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Coatings & Finishes (IMAEAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wood Coatings & Finishes (IMADAKAD)

Keywords

• Wood care products
• Wood stains and lacquers
• Wood protection coatings
• DIY wood finishing
• Professional woodworker supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Offenbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wood Care Products Sales: Revenue generated from manufacturing and selling wood staining, protection, care, and finishing products to professional craftsmen and DIY consumers through retail and dealer channels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CLOU manufactures and sells wood care, wood protection, and wood finishing products — including wood stains (Holzbeize), lacquers, wood oils, weather-protection paints, primers, and metal-protection coatings — organized in a four-category system covering Repair, Care, Protection, and Design of wood surfaces. The portfolio serves both professional woodworkers (joiners, carpenters) and DIY consumers through dealer networks and retail channels primarily in the DACH region.

Product overview

CLOU is a traditional German wood finishing and care brand established in 1917, now part of the DAW SE portfolio since 2025. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around four core categories: Repair, Care, Protection, and Design. Product lines include wood stains (Holzbeize - the iconic flagship product), lacquers (clear, white, colored, and specialized formulations for bathrooms/kitchens), wood oils, wood weather protection paints, wood protection primers, metal protection lacquers, WPC care oils, and cleaning products. The brand also provides color mixing services (Alpina Color system) and covers broader interior/exterior paint categories including plasters, primers, effect colors, and application tools. CLOU serves both professional woodworkers (its historical core market) and DIY consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CLOU Holzbeize (Wood Stain) The signature wood staining product and hallmark of the CLOU brand since its founding in 1917, recognizable by its distinctive bottle design. Used for coloring and treating wood surfaces by professional woodworkers and DIY consumers.
• Holz-Lasuren (Wood Stains / Lasures) Wood staining products that penetrate the surface to provide color while allowing the wood grain to show through, for exterior and interior wood.
• Holz-Wetterschutz-Farben (Wood Weather Protection Paints) Paints formulated to protect exterior wood from weather damage, UV exposure, and environmental factors.
• Holz-Öle (Wood Oils) Oil-based treatments that nourish and protect wood surfaces while enhancing natural appearance for interior and exterior wood.
• WPC-Pflege-Öle (WPC Care Oils) Specialized oils for maintaining and protecting Wood-Plastic Composite (WPC) surfaces such as decking.
• Holzschutz-Grundierungen (Wood Protection Primers) Primers designed to prepare wood surfaces for topcoat application, improving adhesion and providing wood protection.
• Holz-Reiniger für Außen (Wood Cleaners for Exterior) Cleaning products formulated for exterior wood surfaces to remove dirt, algae, and weathering effects before refinishing.
• Klarlacke (Clear Lacquers) Transparent clear lacquers that protect wood and other surfaces while maintaining their natural appearance.
• Buntlacke (Colored Lacquers) Colored lacquer products for various interior applications, available in multiple color options.
• Weißlacke (White Lacquers) White lacquer products for interior wood surfaces providing clean, bright finishes.
• Weißlacke für Außen (White Lacquers for Exterior) Weather-resistant white lacquers formulated for exterior wood applications.
• Buntlacke für Außen (Colored Lacquers for Exterior) Colored lacquers designed for outdoor use with UV and weather resistance.
• Anti-Rost Metallschutzlacke (Anti-Rust Metal Protection Lacquers) Specialized lacquers for metal surfaces providing rust protection and durable finishes.
• Bad & Küche Fliesen-Lacke (Bath & Kitchen Tile Lacquers) Specialized lacquers designed for tile surfaces in bathrooms and kitchens, providing durable, water-resistant finishes.
• Bad & Küche Möbel-Lacke (Bath & Kitchen Furniture Lacquers) Lacquers formulated for furniture in wet environments, offering protection against moisture and humidity in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Feine Farben Lack (Fine Colors Lacquer) Fine quality lacquers for wood surfaces providing smooth finish and refined color.
• SOS Produkte (Quick-Repair Products) Quick-repair products designed for urgent wood damage and restoration needs.
• Weiße Innenfarben (White Interior Paints) White paint products for interior walls and ceilings.
• Bunte Innenfarben (Colored Interior Paints) Colored paint products for interior applications available in various shades.
• Effektfarben (Effect Paints) Specialty decorative paints with special visual effects for distinctive interior wall finishes.
• Mineral Beton (Mineral Concrete Coating) Mineral-based coating products for concrete surfaces.
• Putze (Plasters) Plaster products for wall finishes and texturing.
• Grundierungen (Primers) General purpose priming products for preparing various surfaces before topcoat application.
• Renovierung & Reinigung (Renovation & Cleaning Products) Products for renovation projects and surface cleaning across wood and other substrates.
• Werkzeuge (Application Tools) Application tools and accessories for painting and coating projects.
• Mischservice Alpina Color Lacke (Alpina Color Lacquer Mixing Service) Color mixing service offering custom colors using the Alpina Color system for lacquers.
• Farbmischcenter (Color Mixing Center) In-store or counter color mixing service for custom paint and lacquer colors.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DAW SEcoreOthers · 1 January 2025DAW SE acquired the CLOU brand in 2025, integrating it into the DAW brand portfolio. DAW SE is a leading European paint and coatings manufacturer, third largest in Europe, and market leader in Germany and Austria. CLOU operates as a brand under DAW SE's corporate structure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: Global coatings major whose wood-care brands (Bondex, Sadolin, Sigma) compete directly with CLOU in DACH and across Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent with significant wood finishes exposure through multiple brand subsidiaries.
• AkzoNobel (Dulux / Sikkens): Global paint and coatings major with overlapping Sikkens wood coatings and Dulux woodcare lines. Comparable as a large incumbent with broad coatings portfolio including dedicated wood finishes serving professional and consumer channels.
• Alpina Farben (DAW SE): Sister brand within DAW SE's portfolio and Germany's leading interior paint brand for DIY consumers. Highly relevant as a portfolio sibling to CLOU under the same parent and shared distribution infrastructure, including the Alpina Color mixing service cited for CLOU lacquers.

Direct peers

• Osmo Holz und Color: German specialist manufacturer of wood finishes, oils, and stains for interior and exterior wood. Highly comparable to CLOU as a DACH-focused, professional-grade wood care brand with overlapping product categories (Holz-Öle, Lasuren, Wetterschutz).
• Remmers GmbH: German manufacturer of wood protection products including stains, primers, oils, and weather protection paints. Direct peer given shared wood-coatings focus, professional craftsmen channel, and family-ownership profile.
• Rubio Monocoat: Belgian specialty wood oil manufacturer serving professional joiners and DIY consumers with single-layer wood finishes. Comparable as a wood-care specialist targeting similar professional and end-consumer use cases with a strong brand identity.
• Sadolin (PPG): European wood stain brand under PPG that offers comparable Holz-Lasuren and weather protection products. Overlaps with CLOU on professional woodworker and DIY use cases in DACH and broader Europe.
• PNZ Produkte: German wood oil and wood stain specialist targeting DIY and professional woodworkers with natural and traditional wood finishes. Comparable niche wood-care brand serving overlapping Tischler and Heimwerker customer segments in DACH.
• Bondex (PPG): Long-established German wood stain and wood protection brand, now part of PPG/Dulux group. Directly competes with CLOU in DIY retail woodcare categories (Lasuren, Holzschutz) across Germany.

Regional players

• Keimfarben: German premium mineral paint manufacturer with comparable German-speaking market focus and professional/DIY channel model. Adjacent peer because it competes for shelf space in the same German retail paint category though its core products are mineral facade paints rather than wood finishes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 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 Alfred Clouth Lackfabrik