Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek

What Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek does

Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek, trading as Nelf Paints, is a Dutch manufacturer of professional paints, lacquers, primers, and specialty coatings founded in 1916 and headquartered in Marrum, Friesland. The company operates as a subsidiary of PearlPaint Group and runs a 101–250 employee organization serving construction, industrial, marine, and heritage restoration end markets, with named enterprise projects including Walibi, Provincie Drenthe, Nordsee Hotel Borkum, and Kasteel Duivenvoorde.

The product portfolio spans multiple chemistry platforms: waterborne and solventborne topcoats (Nelfalite family including Titan SB, Xcellent Resist, and Xtreme 4 Seasons), primers (Nelfapre), two-component polyurethane industrial coatings (Nelfadur), epoxy systems (Nelfapox), industrial metal coatings (Nelfamar), wood impregnation (Nelfalin), wall paints (Nelfamur), thinners (Nelfasol), and the recently launched Nelfagreen Aqua Protect biobased waterborne exterior system (2023). A dedicated Nelf Marine division addresses shipbuilding and offshore maintenance. The range is designed to allow professional painters and project contractors to source complete coating systems from a single supplier.

Nelf sells through a hybrid go-to-market combining dedicated NELF sales points with a network of Dutch professional wholesalers and B2B distributors such as Rozema Coatings, and it has begun extending commercial activity into Germany. Revenue mechanics are split between project-based enterprise coatings contracts and high-volume SMB painter volume moving through wholesale channels. The company is privately held, with no public financial disclosures, and operates with group-level support from parent PearlPaint Group.

Name

Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek

Legal name

Nelf Lakfabrieken B.V.

Website

https://nelf.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nelf Paints is a Dutch manufacturer of professional paints, lacquers, primers, and specialty coatings founded in 1916, serving construction, industrial, marine, and heritage restoration customers in the Netherlands and Germany via wholesalers and dedicated sales points.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marrum

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Paint and Coating Product Sales: Nelf generates revenue from the sale of its full range of professional paints, primers, topcoats, industrial coatings, marine coatings, wood stains/impregnators, wall paints, and related paint accessories (thinners, cleaners, siccatifs). Products are sold through a network of Dutch wholesalers and dedicated NELF sales points.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek (Nelf) manufactures and supplies professional paints, primers, topcoats, varnishes, lacquers, industrial coatings and marine coatings. The company produces its products at a manufacturing facility in Marrum, Netherlands, and sells them under multiple brands (Nelf, Koopmans, Nautifloor) to professional painters, contractors, industrial applicators and marine-sector customers primarily through wholesalers and dedicated sales points.

Product overview

Nelf Paints (Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek) is a Dutch paint manufacturer established in 1916, producing professional-grade coatings for the construction, maintenance, and industrial markets. The product portfolio consists of multiple integrated product lines organized by application: the Nelfagreen Aqua Protect line (water-based biobased exterior system with primer, matte, satin, gloss, and uniprimer); the Nelfalite premium line including Xcellent Resist (interior water-based with gloss/matte/satin finishes), Titan SB (silicone-modified alkyd for exterior), Xtreme 4 Seasons (all-season topcoat), and Xtreme System (decking stain system); the Nelfapre primer line (Xtreme Grondlak, 4 Seasons Grondlak, Aqua Protect Uniprimer, Xcellent Unigrond, Snelgrond, and specialty primers); the Nelfadur 2-component polyurethane industrial coatings and varnishes (Topfinish, Vernis 2DN, Lakverf 2DN); the Nelfamar industrial metal coatings line (HB Coatings, Vinylcoating, Aluminium Dekverf, IJzerglimmer); and supporting products including Nelfalin wood impregnation treatments, Nelfamur wall paints, Nelfapox epoxy coatings, Nelfasol thinners, and cleaning products. The company also maintains a specialized Nelf Marine division for maritime coatings. Products meet BREEAM-HEA9 standards and are distributed through professional paint dealers across European markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nelf Marine: Specialized maritime coatings for ships, yachts, and inland shipping - protecting hulls, decks, engine rooms, and interiors
• Nelfagreen Aqua Protect
• Nelfalite
• Nelfapre
• Nelfadur
• Nelfamar
• Nelfalin
• Nelfamur
• Nelfapox
• Nelfasol

Products and services

• Nelf Professional Paints and Primers

Quantifiable outcome

• Nelfalite Titan SB: maintenance term of up to 10 years possible
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Eisenga Meesterschilders (Bussum)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Winner of the Nationale SchildersVakprijs 2016 for the 'Houten Huis' project in Naarden, where Nelf products were used. Eisma's Schildersblad revisited the project 5 years later to verify durability, showcasing the quality of the paint system used.
• PearlPaint GroupcoreOthersPearlPaint Group is the parent/group company of Nelf Lakfabrieken B.V. The PearlPaint Group logo appears on the Nelf website footer. The privacy policy applies to 'Nelf Lakfabrieken B.V. en de aan haar gelieerde ondernemingen' (Nelf Lakfabrieken B.V. and its affiliated enterprises).
• Vakwerkhuis te WoudenbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinner of the schildersvakprijs (painter's craft prize) contracted to repaint Kasteel Duivenvoorde. Works with Nelf Meesterlakken for the restoration project.
• Lucas Hut Schilderwerken (Assen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainting contractor that performed the exterior renovation of Nordsee Hotel Borkum using Nelf products, including Nelfamur Topcoat AC. Works with Nelf for many years.
• Kuurman SchildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainting contractor partnered with Provincie Drenthe for the maintenance of bridges, viaducts, and sluices using Nelf products including the 4 Seasons system and Nelfadur 2-component systems.
• RSP Recreatiebouw (Zeewolde)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecreational building company that constructed and painted 20 beach houses for Haagse Strandhuisjes using Nelf products. Built and painted the houses from multiplex plating in their own factory and delivered them ready-to-place on the beach.
• Hagemans Verf (Nijmegen, Arnhem, Venray, Groesbeek, Gennip)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale distributor of Nelf products with multiple locations across the Nijmegen region. Account manager Willem Klaas van Velthoven participates in the Business Breakfast Club of Ronald McDonald Huis Nijmegen. Member of the Ronald McDonald Huis Business Breakfast Club.
• Asser Glas en VerfhandelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional wholesaler (grossier) of Nelf products, serving as the distributor for the Nordsee Hotel Borkum project.
• FOV Friesche Olie- en VerhandelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Nelf products in Friesland. Peter van der Veen, Commercial Director, states: 'We are proud to sell a brand like Nelf, Nelf stands for quality and sustainable paint systems.'
• Bureau Onder-houd (Uitgeest)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsultancy partner that participated in the 5-year review of the Houten Huis project in Naarden, providing advisory input alongside Nelf and Eisenga Meesterschilders.
• Ronald McDonald Huis NijmegenminorOthersCharitable organization supported through Nelf's sponsorship of paint products for room renovations. Nelf technical advisor Peter Paul van de Ven is a member of the Business Breakfast Club of the organization, which connects businesses that support the charity through both financial contributions and in-kind support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Flügger: Danish-listed paint manufacturer selling decorative and protective coatings across Northern Europe. Comparable in scale and segment focus; primarily a regional player rather than a direct Dutch channel competitor.
• DAW (Caparol): German coatings group with strong architectural paint brands (Caparol, Alpina) and an active Dutch subsidiary. Regional peer competing in similar professional and specification channels across the Benelux market.
• Meffert AG (Düfa, ProfiTec): German paint manufacturer with the Düfa and ProfiTec brands serving professional painters across Europe. Comparable mid-tier scale and product breadth; competes primarily in DACH/NL distribution.

Direct peers

• Jotun: Norwegian global coatings company with strong decorative, protective, and marine divisions. Directly competes with Nelf Marine in maritime coatings and with Nelf industrial lines in protective coatings for harsh environments.
• Hempel: Danish coatings company specializing in marine, protective, and decorative paints. Direct peer to Nelf Marine division and competes for industrial marine accounts across Northern Europe.
• Koopmans Verf: Dutch paint brand visible in Nelf product imagery, focused on professional architectural and industrial coatings in the Netherlands. Direct domestic peer sharing Dutch wholesalers and pro-painter channel.
• Wijzonol: Dutch independent paint manufacturer focused on professional and DIY architectural coatings. Closest head-to-head domestic competitor in the Netherlands, with similar brand heritage and shared wholesaler channels.
• Boss Paints (BPF): Dutch independent paint manufacturer producing architectural, industrial, and marine coatings under the Boss Paints and BPF brands. Comparable mid-sized domestic competitor targeting similar professional and industrial segments.

Broad incumbents

• AkzoNobel: Global Dutch paints and coatings major (Dulux, Sikkens, International) headquartered in Amsterdam. Largest incumbent in the Dutch professional paint market with overlapping product breadth spanning architectural, industrial, and marine coatings; competes head-to-head with Nelf at Dutch wholesalers.
• PPG Industries (Sigma Coatings): Global coatings major with the Sigma Coatings and Histor brands active in the Benelux architectural and protective coatings market. Directly comparable product mix (primers, topcoats, industrial finishes) targeting similar professional painters and industrial applicators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NELFpaints
• Facebookfacebook.com/nelfpaints
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nelfpaints

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nederlandsche Elektrische Lakfabriek