LOBA On Top

What LOBA On Top does

LOBA GmbH & Co. KG, doing business as LOBA On Top, is a German specialty-chemicals manufacturer founded in 1922 and headquartered in Ditzingen near Stuttgart. The company designs, produces, and distributes finishing and care systems for wood and parquet floors, wooden terraces, and adjacent resilient and mineral floor coverings. Its core technology stack rests on water-based 1K and 2K finishes, oxidative cross-linking oil systems, proprietary LOBASAND ceramic and zirconium abrasives, and a one-component water-based UV finish (Rush) developed with the Dresden Institute of Wood Technology that cures in seconds under portable UV lamps. Product categories span filling, sealing and coloring, finishing (varnishes and on-site UV), oiling (including High Solid variants up to 100% natural raw materials), terrace care, and professional or DIY cleaning/care lines.

LOBA operates a hybrid B2B and B2C go-to-market model. The professional channel serves flooring installers, contractors, distributors, architects and planners, and sports facility managers through regional distributors, dedicated field sales, and the LOBA Wakol Connected Systems joint venture with Wakol in Poland and North America (Loba-Wakol, LLC). Owned subsidiaries in Brazil and China (Loba Trading Shanghai Co., Ltd.) handle direct distribution in those regions, while the LOBA Home e-commerce storefront at lobahome.com targets DIY homeowners. Pricing is quote-based B2B with no public tiers disclosed, supported by 30+ language versions of the corporate website and annual community engagement via the LOBA Flooring Award. Since 2018, LOBA has been a subsidiary of the international ARDEX Group (4,000+ employees), with operations spanning more than 60 countries.

Name

LOBA On Top

Legal name

LOBA GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://loba.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

LOBA On Top is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer, founded in 1922 and part of the ARDEX Group since 2018, that designs and distributes water-based finishes, oils, UV-curing systems, and abrasives for wood, parquet, and terrace floors across 60+ countries via distributors, joint ventures with Wakol, and a DIY e-commerce channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wood Floor Finishing Products

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

akta.pro primary industry

Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen) (CRADAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wood & Laminate Surface Cleaners & Polishes (CRAJACAD)

Keywords

• Wood floor finishes
• Parquet floor care
• Floor varnishes
• Wood floor oils
• Floor abrasives

Headquarters

HQ city

Ditzingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional wood floor finishing products: LOBA designs, finishes, and cares for wood and parquet floors. The company sells a comprehensive range of products including filling, sealing, coloring, finishing, oiling, cleaning, and care products for hardwood floors and wooden terraces. Products are sold through professional distributors, direct sales, and e-commerce (LOBA Home). Revenue is generated through product sales with pricing typically B2B quote-based.
2. LOBASAND abrasives and pads: Proprietary line of ceramic and zirconium abrasives and pads for floor preparation, sold as consumable hardware products.
3. LOBA Wakol Connected Systems: Joint product line combining LOBA finishing products with Wakol adhesives in integrated flooring systems, sold through joint venture channels.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

LOBA On Top designs, manufactures, and sells chemical finishing and care products for wood and parquet floors. The portfolio includes fillers, primers, stains, water-based 1K and 2K varnishes, on-site UV finishes, impregnating oils, terrace treatments, professional and DIY cleaning/care products, and LOBASAND abrasives. Products are sold through dedicated B2B channels (Professionals & Distributors, LOBA Industrial, Architecture & Planning) and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel (LOBA Home).

Product overview

LOBA On Top is a family enterprise with nearly 100 years of heritage specializing in design, finishing, and care products for wood and cork surfaces, as well as resilient and mineral floor coverings. The product portfolio centers on chemical floor treatment solutions organized into categories: Filling Hardwood Floors (gap fillers), Sealing and Coloring (primers and stains), Finishing (1K and 2K water-based varnishes, UV finishes), Oiling (impregnating oils including High Solid variants), and Terrace Care. Supporting product lines include Professional Floor Cleaning and Care, Home DIY Floor Care (LOBASAND abrasives, tools, and accessories), LOBA Industrial for industrial applications, and LOBA Wakol Connected Systems (joint venture). Named products include EasyPrime (primer), Viva matt (water-based finish), and 2K ImpactOil Color (two-component oil). The company emphasizes environmentally friendly, low-emission systems with formulations up to 100% natural raw materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LOBASAND: Abrasives and pads product line for floor sanding applications.
• LOBA Industrial
• LOBA Home
• LOBA Wakol Connected Systems

Products and services

• Filling Hardwood Floors Products for filling gaps and joints in hardwood flooring surfaces, used by professional installers during floor finishing.
• Sealing and Coloring Hardwood Floors
• Finishing Hardwood Floors and More (1K, 2K, on-site UV finishes and additives)
• Oiling Hardwood Floors
• Oiling Wooden Terraces (Deck line)
• Professional Floor Cleaning and Care
• LOBA Home — DIY Home Floor Cleaning and Care
• LOBASAND Abrasives and Pads
• LOBA Industrial
• LOBA Wakol Connected Systems
• EasyPrime (primer)
• Viva (water-based finish)
• 2K ImpactOil Color

Quantifiable outcome

• UV finish cures in seconds, minimizing downtime for commercial projects such as shops, restaurants, museums, showrooms, hotels, cafeterias, and schools.

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Wakol (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture with Wakol in Poland for combined adhesive and floor finishing systems. LOBA Wakol Connected Systems provide integrated solutions combining Wakol adhesives with LOBA finishing products for seamless wood floor installation.
• Wakol (North America) — Loba-Wakol, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture Loba-Wakol, LLC in North America (Wadesboro, NC 28170). Manages the LOBA Wakol Connected Systems brand and distribution in North America. Contact: Tel. (704) 527 5919, [email protected].

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Berger-Seidle: German manufacturer of parquet lacquers, oils, adhesives, and wood floor care products. Direct peer in the German and European professional installer channel.
• Bona: Swedish-founded global manufacturer of wood floor finishes, adhesives, and sanding equipment. Directly competes with LOBA in water-based varnishes, oils, and abrasives across professional and DIY channels worldwide.
• Wakol: German flooring adhesives manufacturer and LOBA's joint venture partner in Loba-Wakol Connected Systems. Comparable customer base of professional flooring installers; competing and complementary offering.
• Rubio Monocoat: Belgian manufacturer of single-layer wood oils and finishes. Direct competitor to LOBA's oiling product lines, particularly in the professional and high-end residential parquet segment.
• Pallmann (Uzin Utz Group): German wood floor finishing brand owned by Uzin Utz. Competes head-to-head with LOBA in professional varnishes, oils, and parquet installation systems across Europe and global markets.
• Osmo Holz und Color: German manufacturer of wood finishes, oils, and waxes. Direct competitor to LOBA in hardwood finishing and DIY/Home segments, with strong German retail presence.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: Global coatings giant with architectural and industrial wood floor finish offerings. Far larger scale; competes with LOBA in commercial and specification-driven floor coating projects.
• Uzin Utz: German parent company of Pallmann. Diversified flooring systems manufacturer offering substrates, adhesives, and wood floor finishing — overlapping with LOBA's professional channel but broader portfolio.

Others

• ARDEX Group: LOBA's parent company and broader building materials platform. Comparable end-customer base (flooring contractors, architects) but covers substrates, adhesives, and screeds rather than finishing, making ARDEX the parent ecosystem rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Saicos: German specialty manufacturer of wood finishes and oils, focused on wood surfaces including flooring, decking, and furniture. Comparable product chemistry and target installer base, smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LOBAOnTop1922
• Facebookfacebook.com/www.loba.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loba-on-top
• Instagraminstagram.com/loba_on_top

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 LOBA On Top