Cole & Wilson

What Cole & Wilson does

Cole & Wilson is a UK-based specialty chemicals supplier founded in 1927 in Huddersfield, specialising in formulations for professional textile care. The company develops and markets a portfolio of dry-cleaning solvents, wet-cleaning detergents, stain-removal products, and finishing agents designed for delicate fibres including wool, silk, and leather. Flagship offerings include the HiGlo dry-cleaning solvent (a 100% biodegradable, odourless alternative to perchloroethylene compatible with multisolvent machines), the AquaWave total wet-cleaning concept (which processes delicate textiles from dry to dry in under 60 minutes), the Pro-Fit wet-cleaning series, the Sultra-Line dry-cleaning and stain-removal product line, and the Sultraspot six-bottle professional spotting kit.

The business serves a professional B2B customer base — primarily independent dry-cleaning establishments and combined dry/wet cleaning shops — through specialised consumables, supported by training delivered via the Christeyns Academy and advisory services. Pricing is quote-based via direct and distributor sales rather than publicly listed; the model is fundamentally a specialty-chemicals, consumables-replenishment business where customers integrate formulations into recurring operational workflows.

In 2014 Cole & Wilson was acquired by Christeyns, a Belgian-headquartered provider of professional cleaning and textile-care solutions. The Cole & Wilson brand has been retained post-acquisition and is positioned within Christeyns' Professional Textile Care division, which provides global distribution across 20+ countries via country-specific portals and an online product catalogue. Cole & Wilson's competitive positioning rests on heritage brand recognition in the UK dry-cleaning chemicals market and on differentiated proprietary formulations addressing environmental-compliance and processing-efficiency requirements.

Name

Cole & Wilson

Legal name

Cole & Wilson

Website

https://coleandwilson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cole & Wilson is a UK-based specialty chemicals supplier, founded in 1927 and acquired by Christeyns in 2014, that formulates dry-cleaning solvents, wet-cleaning detergents, and stain-removal products for professional textile-care operators handling delicate fibres such as wool, silk, and leather.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Textile Care Chemicals

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Cleaning & At-Home Dry-Clean Kits (CRAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Delicates & Specialty Fabric Wash (Wool, Silk, Baby) (CRAJAAAG), Stain Removers & Pre-Treaters (CRAJAAAC), Eco-Friendly Laundry Care (Detergents, Boosters, Stain Removers) (CRAJAOAC)

Keywords

• Dry cleaning chemicals
• Wet cleaning detergents
• Textile care solvents
• Stain removal products
• Professional laundry chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Huddersfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cole & Wilson manufactures and supplies proprietary chemical formulations for professional textile care, including dry cleaning solvents (notably HiGlo, a 100% biodegradable alternative to perchloroethylene), wet cleaning detergents and softeners (Pro-Fit series), premium dry cleaning pre-brushing agents, enhancers, finishers, and stain removers (Sultra-line and Sultraspot), and the AquaWave total wet cleaning concept. Products are sold to professional dry cleaning shops, wet cleaning shops, industrial laundries, and on-premise laundries through Christeyns' global B2B distribution network.

Product overview

Cole & Wilson, acquired by Christeyns in 2014, operates as an acquired brand within Christeyns' Professional Textile Care division. The company offers a portfolio of cleaning solutions for delicate textiles including the Pro-Fit series (wet cleaning detergents, bleaching agents, softeners), Sultra-Line (pre-brushing agents, cleaning enhancers, dry cleaning finishers, stain removers), HiGlo (biodegradable dry cleaning solvent), Sultraspot stain removal products, and AquaWave total wet cleaning concept. These products serve dry cleaning and wet cleaning shops, industrial laundries, and on-premise laundries requiring gentle care for wool, silk, leather, and other delicate fabrics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C&W Quality Stamp: Quality certification stamp for gentle care solutions used in dry cleaning and textile care.

Products and services

• Pro-Fit Series Dedicated wet cleaning product line containing detergents, bleaching agents, and softeners for a classic wash process; intended for professional dry and wet cleaning operations handling delicate textiles.
• Sultra-Line
• HiGlo Dry Cleaning Solvent
• Sultraspot Stain Removers
• AquaWave Total Wet Cleaning Concept

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing delicate textiles from dry to dry in less than 60 minutes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ChristeynscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Cole & Wilson, founded in 1927 and based in Huddersfield, was acquired by Christeyns in 2014. The acquisition brought together Cole & Wilson's exceptional products and esteemed reputation in the dry cleaning sector with Christeyns' global distribution capabilities. Cole & Wilson had held the position of the UK's leading provider of chemicals for dry cleaning prior to the acquisition.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Renzacci S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of dry cleaning and wet cleaning machinery as well as associated chemistry. Comparable in serving the same European dry cleaning shop operator, with complementary rather than purely competing equipment-plus-chemical bundles.

Broad incumbents

• Christeyns: Belgian parent of Cole & Wilson and broader specialty chemical group spanning professional textile care, food hygiene, medical, and industrial cleaning. Most directly comparable as the umbrella entity but addresses a far wider portfolio of customers and use cases.
• Diversey: Large multinational provider of professional cleaning, hygiene, and laundry solutions. Comparable in its commercial laundry chemistry portfolio but addresses a broader institutional and foodservice customer base than Cole & Wilson's delicate-textile focus.
• Ecolab: Global giant in commercial cleaning, sanitisation, and laundry chemistry serving hospitality, healthcare, and industrial laundry. Overlaps with Cole & Wilson in industrial laundry and textile care chemistry but operates at vastly greater scale across many end markets.
• Procter & Gamble Professional: Commercial division of P&G marketing Tide and Ariel-based professional laundry chemistry to hotels, healthcare, and on-premise laundries. Adjacent in industrial detergent formulation but lacks Cole & Wilson's specialised dry-cleaning solvent and delicate textile expertise.

Others

• The Chemours Company: Major producer of perchloroethylene (PERC) used in traditional dry cleaning. While not a direct chemistry competitor to Cole & Wilson's solvent line, regulatory and commercial dynamics around PERC directly shape HiGlo's market opportunity.

Direct peers

• Seitz GmbH: German producer of professional dry cleaning and wet cleaning chemistry, including PERC alternatives, spotting agents, and finishing products. Operates in overlapping textile-care categories and competes for the same European professional cleaner accounts.
• Kreussler & Co. GmbH: German specialty chemical manufacturer focused on professional textile care, with a portfolio of dry cleaning solvents (including the SYSTEMK4 hydrocarbon family), wet cleaning detergents, and stain removal products serving the same European professional cleaner customer base as Cole & Wilson.
• Realstar Srl: Italian manufacturer of professional dry cleaning and laundry chemicals including solvents, detergents, and stain removers, serving dry cleaners and wet cleaning shops across Southern Europe — direct overlap with Cole & Wilson's product positioning.

Emerging players

• Werner & Mertz (Frosch / Green Care Professional): German eco-focused cleaning products group with both consumer (Frosch) and professional cleaning ranges. Comparable in sustainability positioning and European professional cleaning focus, though more general-purpose rather than delicate-textile specialised.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coleandwilson

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 Cole & Wilson