What Holland Colours does

Holland Colours N.V. is a Dutch specialty chemicals company, listed on Euronext Amsterdam (AMS: HOLCO) and headquartered in Apeldoorn, that develops, manufactures, and commercializes solid and liquid colorants, color masterbatches, and functional polymer additives for plastics, coatings, elastomers, and adhesives. Founded in 1979, the company employs 251-500 people and serves five end-markets: Packaging (its primary focus, particularly PET and polyolefins), Building & Construction (rigid and flexible PVC), Coatings/Sealants/Adhesives, Coated Fabrics, and Specialty Applications. Manufacturing and/or sales operations span the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Indonesia, Canada, and Mexico, organized into EMEIA, Americas, and Asia divisions.

The company's product platform combines traditional pigment and masterbatch solutions (e.g., Holcobatch for PVC) with a focused suite of functional additives for PET packaging and recycling — including TintMask for color neutralization of discolored rPET, ViscoBoost for intrinsic viscosity restoration, CircStab for degradation prevention across multiple recycling cycles, TasteGuard for acetaldehyde scavenging, LightGuard for UV protection, HolcoSlip for anti-scuff performance, Sort for NIR-detectable black colorants, and HolcoPearl ReWhite for upgrading white opaque rPET in dairy packaging. Several of these additives have received external recognition for recyclability, notably APR Design for Recyclability and RecyClass technology approval for CircStab, positioning the company to benefit from tightening EU and global recycled-content mandates.

Holland Colours operates a direct, field-sales go-to-market model, co-designing bespoke formulations with polymer producers, converters, and brand owners. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated per application; revenue is generated through one-time product sales rather than licensing or recurring subscriptions. All employees are shareholders of the company, which is reflected in messaging around high service levels. In FY2025/2026, revenue was €109.0 million (-2.9% reported, +0.5% constant currency), EBIT was €4.6 million, and the contribution margin was 47.6% of revenue, indicating margin compression versus the prior year. The company is currently transitioning leadership, with Chris Roggeband nominated to succeed Coen Vinke as CEO effective 1 October 2026.

Name

Holland Colours

Legal name

Holland Colours

Website

https://hollandcolours.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Holland Colours is a Dutch specialty chemicals company that develops and manufactures colorants, masterbatches, and functional polymer additives for packaging, construction, and coatings markets worldwide, with a strategic focus on PET recycling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty chemicals (colorants, masterbatches, and polymer additives)

NAICS

Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Adhesive Manufacturing (325520)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080), Adhesives & Sealants (2891)

akta.pro primary industry

Masterbatch Manufacturing (Color, Additive, White/Black) (IMANABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Color Masterbatches & Dispersions (IMAEAHAK), Plastic Compounding & Masterbatch (IMANAOAB)

Keywords

• Color masterbatches manufacturing
• Polymer functional additives
• PET recycling solutions
• PVC coloring systems
• Packaging color concentrates

Headquarters

HQ city

Apeldoorn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Colorants and Masterbatches: Holland Colours develops, produces and commercializes solid and liquid colorants, masterbatches and additives for coloring rigid and flexible PVC (building & construction), PET and polyolefins (packaging), as well as color concentrates for coatings, elastomers and adhesives. Revenue is generated through direct product sales of custom-formulated color and additive concentrates to polymer producers, converters, and brand owners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Holland Colours develops, produces, and commercializes solid and liquid colorants, color masterbatches, and advanced polymer additives for coloring rigid and flexible PVC (building and construction), PET and polyolefins (packaging), as well as color concentrates for coatings, elastomers, and adhesives. The portfolio includes branded functional additives such as TintMask®, ViscoBoost, CircStab®, TasteGuard®, LightGuard®, HolcoSlip, Sort®, and HolcoPearl® ReWhite, alongside Holcobatch masterbatches, sold as bespoke formulations co-designed with customers.

Product overview

Holland Colours is a global specialty chemicals company providing solid and liquid colorants, color masterbatches, and functional polymer additives for plastics, coatings, and fabrics. The core portfolio centers on Holcobatch masterbatches and a suite of functional additives including TintMask® (rPET color neutralization), ViscoBoost (IV restoration), CircStab (recycling stabilizer), LightGuard (UV protection), TasteGuard® (acetaldehyde scavenging), HolcoSlip (anti-scuff), Sort® (sortable black colorant), and HolcoPearl ReWhite (white rPET upgrading). The company operates across packaging, building & construction, coatings/sealants/adhesives, coated fabrics, and specialty application markets, serving global customers with custom co-design solutions and a focus on sustainability and circular economy support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HolcoPET: Product brand for PET-focused colorants and additives, including HolcoPET CircStab, a stabilizer for PET recycling.
• CircStab
• HolcoPearl ReWhite
• LightGuard
• TintMask
• ViscoBoost
• TasteGuard
• HolcoSlip
• Holcobatch

Products and services

• TintMask® Sublimation-stable colorant formulation that neutralizes the yellow or greenish tint in discolored recycled PET (rPET), turning it into higher-valued shades; available in liquid and solid formats for use in PET flake or granule processing.
• ViscoBoost Functional additive that improves intrinsic viscosity (IV) of recycled PET by rebuilding polymer structure; supplied in solid Holcomaster format, compatible with standard single and twin screw dosing at standard processing temperatures, FDA-compliant for food packaging.
• CircStab® (HolcoPET CircStab) Next-generation stabilizer for PET recycling that preserves brightness (L*), minimizes yellowing (b*), reduces acetaldehyde levels, and prevents molecular degradation to maintain IV strength; recognized by APR Design® for Recyclability and RecyClass.
• LightGuard® (including LightGuard 400) UV resistance and light-blocking additive for PET packaging that protects nutrients, vitamins, and flavors from light degradation in juice, beer, detergents, cosmetics, and pharma applications; available in solid and liquid formats.
• TasteGuard® Bio-based, renewably sourced acetaldehyde (AA) scavenger for PET packaging that catches AA migration to protect taste of non-sparkling water and beverages; improves recyclability by reducing scrap rate and energy consumption.
• HolcoSlip Bio-based, food-contact safe slip/anti-scuff agent for PET preforms that reduces coefficient of friction to prevent scratching and scuffing during preform release and storage, enabling ~10% more preforms per octabin.
• HolcoPearl® ReWhite Mono-material additive that upgrades white opaque recycled PET (rPETo), enabling up to 50% rPETo content in UHT/ESL dairy packaging while restoring whiteness, brightness, and light-blocking performance.
• Sort® NIR-detectable black colorant for PET that maintains visual black depth while enabling automated sorting systems (e.g., Tomra, Suez) to recognize and sort black PET packaging; tested with no interaction with metal detectors at Loma.
• Holcobatch masterbatch Color masterbatch with lower melting point than conventional alternatives, enabling quicker and more even color dispersion; used in building & construction applications such as rigid and flexible PVC window frames and piping.
• Solid Colorants Solid pigment and colorant concentrates for coloring rigid and flexible PVC, PET, polyolefins, and other polymers across packaging, building & construction, coatings, and specialty applications.
• Liquid Colorants Liquid colorant formulations optimized for coatings, silicone compounding, extrusion, and molding applications in the coatings, sealants, and adhesives market.
• Custom Colorants and Additives Bespoke colorant and additive concentrates co-designed with customers for specific polymer and application requirements, supporting unique color matching and functional performance needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• CircStab reduces yellowing while preserving brightness (L*) and viscosity (IV) in recycled PET through multiple recycling cycles
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Penn Color: US-based manufacturer of color concentrates and masterbatches for plastics, coatings and fibers, with strong presence in packaging and specialty applications. Highly comparable to Holland Colours' co-design model and focus on custom color and additive formulations.
• Teknor Apex: Specialty compounder producing color masterbatches, additive concentrates and engineered thermoplastic materials for packaging, building products and consumer goods. Overlapping product portfolio and customer base with Holland Colours.
• Chromaflo Technologies: Supplier of specialty colorants, pigment dispersions and chemical additives for plastics, coatings and thermosets. Directly comparable to Holland Colours' liquid colorants business serving coatings, sealants and adhesives markets.
• Ampacet Corporation: One of the largest global producers of color and additive masterbatches for plastics, serving packaging, construction, and specialty polymer applications. Closely comparable to Holland Colours in product category (masterbatch, color concentrates, functional additives) and customer base of converters and brand owners.
• Avient Corporation: Global specialty polymer materials company offering color masterbatches, additives, and specialty engineered materials including sustainable solutions for PET, PVC and polyolefins. Directly comparable through its Specialty Color and Additives segment serving packaging and building & construction.

Broad incumbents

• Cabot Corporation: Global specialty chemicals company with a masterbatch and specialty additives business serving packaging, infrastructure and consumer applications. Comparable through color masterbatch and additive offerings but with a much broader chemicals portfolio.
• BASF Colors & Effects (BASF): Global chemicals giant with a pigments and effect pigments portfolio serving plastics, coatings and printing applications. Overlaps with Holland Colours' colorant capabilities, but at vastly greater scale and with a much broader chemicals platform.
• Clariant (Heubach Group pigments): Specialty chemicals major with a historically significant pigments and colorants business (pigments now part of Heubach). Comparable through pigments and colorant offerings for plastics and coatings, though operating across a much wider portfolio.

Emerging players

• Lifocolor Farben GmbH: European specialist in color masterbatches and additive masterbatches for plastics packaging, medical and technical applications. Comparable niche specialty positioning to Holland Colours, though smaller and more regionally focused.
• GRAFE Advanced Polymer Materials: German-based specialist in color and additive masterbatches, functional pigments and polymer compounds. Comparable custom-formulation approach to Holland Colours, primarily serving European plastics converters with a strong specialty additive focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holland-colours
• Xx.com/hollandcolours

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Holland Colours