What Wooshin does

Wooshin Pigment Co., Ltd. (주)우신피그먼트 is a South Korean specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1977 by CEO Chang Sung-sook (장성숙) and headquartered in Seoul, with production facilities in Iksan (Plants 1 and 2, totaling over 32,000 m² and 190 billion KRW in cumulative investment) and an R&D center in Cheonan. The company produces inorganic, organic, hybrid, and surface-treated powder pigments plus water-based and solvent-based liquid colorants, organized under four proprietary brands: AQUALOR® (eco-friendly water-based colorants, including a Zero VOC line developed with LANXESS in 1997), SOLOR® (premium solvent-based colorants), GEOLOR® (powder pigments including non-toxic GF Series hybrids developed in 2006), and COSMELOR® (cosmetic-grade pigment dispersions with REACH registration for EU markets). It also exclusively distributes LANXESS's Bayferrox® iron oxide pigments in Korea, processing semi-finished imports domestically into 200+ finished products.

Wooshin sells primarily through a direct B2B enterprise field-sales model organized by product vertical — paint/coatings, plastics and paper, concrete/construction, and domestic accounts — with dedicated sales teams per category. The company claims 40-50% domestic Korean pigment market share, 90% share of the Korean eco-friendly liquid colorant market, and approximately 500 industrial customers across paints, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, construction, toys, and personal care. Anchor customers include KCC, Samhwa Paint, Noroo Paint, and Jebipyo Paint in coatings, plus COSMAX, Paragon, and L'Oréal Group affiliates in cosmetics. Its value proposition centers on import substitution (30%+ cost reduction vs. finished imports), regulatory compliance (ISO 9001/14001, RoHS, EN71 Part 3, REACH, Green Label), and proprietary hybrid pigment chemistry that replaces toxic heavy-metal pigments.

The business generates revenue from one-time product sales of manufactured pigments and colorants, supplemented by domestic distribution margins on distributed Bayferrox® products. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated directly through sales representatives, with sample requests handled through the company website. The stated '7315' corporate vision targets 700 billion KRW in revenue, 300 billion KRW in exports, and 15% operating margin, against historical revenue of approximately 450 billion KRW and exports of approximately 60 billion KRW. Recent strategic priorities include a Vietnam local office for Southeast Asian expansion, completion of the Iksan 2nd factory in 2025, and entry into cosmetic active ingredients (PDRN solutions).

Name

Wooshin

Legal name

Wooshin Pigment Co., Ltd. (주)우신피그먼트

Website

https://wspigment.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wooshin Pigment is a South Korean specialty chemicals manufacturer producing water-based, solvent-based, and powder pigments for paints, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and construction. It holds 40-50% domestic Korean pigment market share and serves 500+ industrial customers across four proprietary brands plus exclusive LANXESS Bayferrox® distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Pigments

NAICS

Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (325130)

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Pigments & Dyes (IMAEAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Color Masterbatches & Dispersions (IMAEAHAK), Color Lakes & Pigment Preparations (Aluminum Lakes, Encapsulated Pigments) (AFAJAEAE), Color Blends & Formulation Systems (Standardized Blends, Shade Matching) (AFAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Industrial pigment manufacturing
• Water-based colorants
• Powder pigments
• Cosmetic colorants
• Eco-friendly pigments

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Pigment & Colorant Product Sales: B2B manufacturing and sales of liquid colorants (water-based, solvent-based, universal), powder pigments (inorganic, organic, hybrid), and cosmetic colorants to industrial customers. Revenue from direct product sales to 500+ domestic and international companies across paints, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, construction, and other industrial sectors.
2. Distributed Bayferrox® Products (LANXESS): Exclusive Korean distribution of LANXESS's Bayferrox® iron oxide pigments, imported from Germany and sold domestically under own brand after domestic processing as GEOLOR®.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wooshin Pigment manufactures and sells industrial pigments and pre-dispersed liquid colorants organized under four proprietary brands: AQUALOR® (eco-friendly water-based colorants), SOLOR® (premium solvent-based colorants), GEOLOR® (inorganic, organic, hybrid, and surface-treated powder pigments), and COSMELOR® (high-purity cosmetic colorants). The company also exclusively distributes LANXESS's BAYFERROX® iron oxide pigments in Korea, serving 500+ industrial customers across paints/coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and construction materials.

Product overview

Wooshin Pigment (우신피그먼트) is a leading South Korean manufacturer of industrial pigments and colorants established in 1977. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio organized around four integrated brands representing elements essential to human survival: AQUALOR® (water-based colorants), GEOLOR® (powder pigments), SOLOR® (solvent-based colorants), and COSMELOR® (cosmetic colorants). The AQUALOR® brand offers water-based and universal colorants across multiple series (WP, WD, WR, WPZ, UP, UD, WL, WCT, WCC, WW) for paints, coatings, automotive refinish, leather, container, wood, and industrial applications with low/zero VOC formulations. GEOLOR® encompasses inorganic (IO), organic (OR), mixed (MX), hybrid (HB), and surface treated (ST) powder pigments for construction materials, plastics, and engineering applications. SOLOR® provides solvent-based colorants (GP, GD, LW, CP, Toner Series) for industrial coatings, flooring, and wood staining. COSMELOR® delivers cosmetic-grade pigment dispersions (WC, UV Gel, NM Series) for nail, lip, eye, and facial cosmetics with REACH-compliant formulations. The company also exclusively distributes BAYFERROX® iron oxide pigments from LANXESS (Germany).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AQUALOR®: Eco-friendly water-based liquid colorants; brand name derives from AQUA (water) and COLOR. Covers water-based, universal, and water/solvent hybrid colorant lines for paint, ink, paper, leather, and industrial coatings.
• GEOLOR®
• SOLOR®
• COSMELOR®
• BAYFERROX®

Products and services

• AQUALOR® Water-Based Liquid Colorants Eco-friendly water-based liquid colorant brand combining 'AQUA' and 'COLOR'. Provides low- and zero-VOC pigment dispersions for water-based paints and inks, paper coating, wood paint, leather coating, container coating, wood stain, automotive refinish, rubber latex gloves, toys, modeling clay, and seed/detergent coating applications. Includes multiple optimized series (WP, WD, WR, WPZ Zero VOC, UP/UD universal, WL leather, WCT container, WCC heat-reflective, WW wood coating), all heavy-metal-free with RoHS and EN71 Part 3 certification on key WP series.
• SOLOR® Solvent-Based Liquid Colorants Premium solvent-based colorant brand for alkyd, PU, epoxy, and other solvent-based resin systems used in industrial coatings, flooring, wood staining, and waterproofing applications. Product lines include GP (in-plant universal), GD (POS in-can universal), LW (wood stain), CP (CAB resin), and Toner Series (epoxy/urethane floor and waterproof coating), available in base and option colors.
• GEOLOR® Powder Pigments Eco-friendly powder pigment brand combining 'GEO' (earth/soil) and 'COLOR'. Includes IO Series (inorganic pigments), OR Series (organic pigments), MX Series (mixed/blended pigments), HB Series (hybrid organic-inorganic pigments), ST Series (surface-treated TiO2 for engineering plastics with high heat resistance and 92%+ TiO2), and GF Series (non-toxic hybrid pigments). Applications include colored concrete, paving blocks, paint, flooring, marble stone, PC/ABS compounds, brake linings, PCM coating, and plastics.
• COSMELOR® Cosmetic Colorants Cosmetic colorant brand combining 'COSMETIC' and 'COLOR'. Provides high-purity pigment dispersions for color cosmetics, nail products, and personal care items. Includes WC Series water-based colorants (Type 1 resin-free, Type 3 light-fastness/spread UP, Type 5 REACH-registered special formulations), UV Gel for gel nail polish (TPGDA and HDDA resin types), and NM Series (NC-based for solvent-based nail lacquer) for nail polish, eyebrow tattoo, lip tint, eyeliner, mascara, BB cream, and facial color cosmetics.
• BAYFERROX® (LANXESS Iron Oxide Pigments) — Distributed in Korea High-quality iron oxide pigments sourced exclusively from LANXESS (Germany) and distributed in Korea by Wooshin Pigment. Provides superior weather fastness, light fastness, and dispersibility for architectural, coatings, and plastics applications. Wooshin imports semi-finished materials from LANXESS and processes them domestically into finished products sold under the GEOLOR® brand, enabling 30%+ cost reduction vs. imported finished pigments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30%+ cost reduction vs. imported finished pigment products through domestic manufacturing from LANXESS semi-finished materials
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LANXESS (Germany)coreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive Korean distribution partnership for LANXESS's Bayferrox® iron oxide pigments. Wooshin imports semi-finished materials from LANXESS and processes them domestically into finished pigment products sold under its own GEOLOR® brand. Partnership began after CEO Chang Seong-sook personally pursued technical cooperation with LANXESS (formerly Bayer Chemical) starting 1980, eventually securing the agreement to manufacture domestically. This partnership enabled 30%+ cost reduction vs. importing finished products.
• COSMAXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading global cosmetics OEM/ODM manufacturer and key partner for COSMELOR® cosmetic colorants. COSMAX relies on COSMELOR® for consistent color performance and quality in color cosmetic formulations for global beauty brands.
• ParagoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-class cosmetics OEM/ODM manufacturer and key partner using COSMELOR® products. Paragon trusts COSMELOR®'s consistent performance and superior quality for its cosmetic formulations.
• L'Oréal Group affiliatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWooshin Pigment's cosmetic pigments are included in the supply chain of L'Oréal Group's global beauty operations, serving as a core supplier for color cosmetic ingredients.
• Dankook University Industry-Academia Cooperation FoundationminorOthersCheonan R&D Center is located at Dankook University's Industry-Academia Cooperation building, enabling joint research and development activities for new pigment technologies.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chromaflo Technologies: Specialty manufacturer of pigment dispersions and colorants for paints, coatings, thermoset plastics, and industrial applications. Closely comparable to Wooshin's AQUALOR water-based and SOLOR solvent-based liquid colorant platforms.
• Cathay Industries: Global iron oxide and inorganic pigment manufacturer with comparable synthetic iron oxide product portfolio serving paints, coatings, plastics, and construction. Closest direct peer given Wooshin's GEOLOR inorganic pigment line and BAYFERROX distribution.
• Venator Materials: Global manufacturer of titanium dioxide pigments and color pigments, including surface-treated TiO2 for engineering plastics. Directly comparable to Wooshin's GEOLOR ST Series surface-treated TiO2 products for PC/ABS applications.
• DCL Corporation: Specialty manufacturer of organic and inorganic pigments, including complex inorganic color pigments (CICP) and hybrid pigments. Highly comparable to Wooshin's GEOLOR HB and OR series and direct competition in engineering plastics and coatings.
• Trust Chem: Chinese manufacturer and distributor of organic and inorganic pigments supplying paints, coatings, plastics, and inks globally. Direct competitive comparable given Wooshin's identification of Chinese producers as key competition in commodity inorganic pigments.
• Heubach Group: Global manufacturer of inorganic and organic pigments, including hybrid and anti-corrosive pigments, serving paints, coatings, plastics, and printing inks. Closely comparable to Wooshin's GEOLOR powder pigment portfolio and color matching capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Sun Chemical (DIC): World's largest pigment producer and part of DIC Corporation, with broad portfolios across organic, inorganic, and specialty pigments for inks, coatings, plastics, and cosmetics. Comparable in product range and customer base, though at significantly greater scale.
• LANXESS (Inorganic Pigments business): German specialty chemicals major that is both Wooshin's exclusive raw material partner (Bayferrox) and a competitor in global iron oxide pigments. Comparability is in product category, though LANXESS operates at vastly larger scale across multiple chemistries.
• Clariant (now Heubach for pigments): Swiss specialty chemicals major that divested its pigments business to Heubach; historically a direct competitor in organic pigments and colorants for paints, plastics, and cosmetics. Comparable in customer base and product breadth.

Regional players

• Nippon Kayaku: Japanese specialty chemicals company producing organic pigments, dyes, and functional colorants for inks, coatings, and electronics. Comparable product portfolio but primarily serves Japan and broader Asia, providing regional competitive overlap in Korean and Southeast Asian markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wooshinkorea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wooshin-pigment

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Wooshin