Berlac México

What Berlac México does

Berlac México (legal name: Berlac Pinturas y Químicos de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.) is a Mexican specialty chemical manufacturer and distributor headquartered in León, Guanajuato. Founded in 2001 as Kem Design de México in cooperation with Germany's Bomix and acquired by the Swiss-based Berlac Group in 2003, the entity was re-established in its current form in 2016 to consolidate the group's Mexican operations. It operates as one of seven medium-sized companies within the Berlac Group, a Swiss private conglomerate with presence across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

The company's product portfolio spans five interlocking lines: release agents (solvent-based, water-based, silicone-based, and wax-based formulations for plastics, PU, rubber, and EVA molded parts), plasticizer-free pigmented pastes sourced from sister company ISL in Germany, protective paints and coatings including proprietary IMC (In-Mold Coating) technology in 1K/2K water- and solvent-based variants, auxiliary products (mold cleaners, degreasers, corrosion protection), and application equipment and accessories. Its in-house R&D laboratory in León supports custom formulation and rapid technical response. Target verticals are automotive (Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers producing steering wheels, headrests, instrument panels, wheels, and PU molded interior components), footwear (PU soles and heels), refrigeration, plastics, and general industrial applications (highway marking paints, household appliances, eyeglass frames).

Commercially, Berlac México runs a quote-based B2B specialty chemical model with no public pricing. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, with sales representatives deployed throughout Mexico providing on-site consultation, workshops, and training at customer plants. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified (valid through 2026-2029) and emphasizes environmentally friendly formulations (solvent-free, CFC-free, plasticizer-free). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the operation is a privately held subsidiary within the Berlac Group with no institutional investors or public shareholders on record.

Name

Berlac México

Legal name

Berlac Pinturas y Químicos de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.

Website

https://berlac-mexico.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Berlac México is a León-based specialty chemicals subsidiary of the Swiss Berlac Group, manufacturing and distributing release agents, pigmented pastes, coatings, and auxiliary products for Tier 1/Tier 2 automotive suppliers, footwear manufacturers, and general industrial customers across Mexico, North America, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Chemical Manufacturing (325)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAEAGAF

Packaging & Can Coatings

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants

Keywords

• Specialty chemical manufacturing
• Release agents
• Surface coatings
• Polyurethane pigmented pastes
• Industrial chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

León

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Chemical Specialty Products: Manufacturing and commercializing specialty chemical products including release agents, pigment pastes, coatings, and auxiliary products for industrial applications
2. Technical Services and Consulting: Technical support, workshops, and training courses provided at customer plants for product application optimization

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Berlac México develops, manufactures, and distributes specialty chemical surface solutions for plastics, including release agents, pigmented pastes, paints and coatings, and auxiliary products. The company serves automotive, footwear, and general industrial manufacturers in North America and Latin America with polyurethane processing-focused offerings and complementary application equipment. Products are backed by an in-house R&D laboratory in Mexico for custom formulation and on-site technical support, workshops, and training at customer plants.

Product overview

Berlac México operates as a specialty chemical solutions provider, offering a portfolio of five interconnected product lines: Release Agents for mold release in injection molding processes; Pigmented Pastes for coloring polyurethane systems; Paints and Coatings for surface protection and aesthetics; Auxiliary Products for process optimization including cleaning and maintenance; and Equipment & Accessories for product application. These products serve the automotive, footwear, and general industrial sectors, with the core focus being on polyurethane processing where release agents and coatings work together in manufacturing workflows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Release Agents (Desmoldantes)

Quantifiable outcome

• More quality, more performance, more value for products
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Berlac GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company headquartered in Switzerland. Berlac México is part of the globally operating Berlac Group consisting of seven medium-sized companies with presence in Europe, Asia, and America. The Group specializes in development and manufacture of sophisticated surface coating and coloring solutions for plastics.
• ISL (Germany)coreTechnology or IntegrationSister company providing high-quality pigment paste products. ISL is located in Germany and Berlac México sources pigment pastes from this sister company for their product offerings. The products are free of plasticizers and offer excellent weathering resistance.
• Bomix (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman company that cooperated with Berlac México at founding in 2001 when the company was originally established as Kem Design de México S. de R.L. de C.V.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Chem-Trend: Global leader in release agents and molding lubricants for PU, rubber, and plastics, serving automotive and footwear end-markets — directly comparable to Berlac México's core desmoldante and coatings business.
• Axel Plastics Research Laboratories: Specialty formulator of release agents, anti-stats, and surface treatments for plastics, rubber, and PU molding — competes head-to-head in Berlac México's release-agent and pigment-paste niches.
• Stoner Inc: Manufacturer of release agents, mold cleaners, and coatings for PU, plastics, and rubber — overlapping product portfolio and customer base with Berlac México's release-agent and auxiliary lines.
• Münch Chemie International: Manufacturer of release agents, pigments, and process auxiliaries for PU, rubber, and plastics — comparable product breadth and end-market overlap with Berlac México.

Broad incumbents

• Henkel: Adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings giant serving automotive and industrial markets; competes with Berlac in surface treatment/coatings supply, particularly to Tier 1s.
• Covestro: Leading PU systems house and coatings raw-material supplier; competes upstream/downstream of Berlac in the PU molded-parts ecosystem, including automotive interior applications.
• Evonik Industries: Global specialty chemicals major with additives, release agents, and PU chemistry — overlaps with Berlac's PU-molding focus but as part of a much broader portfolio; competes at automotive Tier 1s and global footwear brands.
• PPG Industries: Global coatings major with industrial, automotive, and specialty coatings portfolios — overlaps with Berlac's paints/coatings line but operates on a vastly different scale and product breadth.
• BASF Coatings: Global chemicals major with industrial coatings and surface treatment solutions; competing with Berlac in automotive and industrial coatings but serving customers across a far wider portfolio.

Regional players

• Daicel (formerly Solvay Plastics): Asian specialty chemicals supplier with release-agent and surface chemistry products — comparable functionally but operates primarily outside of Latin America where Berlac México sells.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berlac-ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/BerlacMexico

Compliance1 record

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 Berlac México