Verband der deutschen Lack-und Druckfarbenindustrie

What Verband der deutschen Lack-und Druckfarbenindustrie does

Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. (VdL) is a German non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1900, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, that represents approximately 85% of German manufacturers of paints, coatings, and printing inks. It serves over 200 member companies, including German firms and German subsidiaries of foreign manufacturers, providing collective industry representation before German and EU political and regulatory bodies, technical guidelines (VdL-Richtlinien), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), market statistics, webinars, and public-facing campaigns such as #LebeFarbe and #LebePulverlack. The association is led by President Dr. Harald Borgholte and Hauptgeschäftsführer Dr. Martin Kanert, and is affiliated with the broader Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI) and with CEPE at the European level.

VdL does not sell commercial products. Its revenue model is membership-dues based, supplemented by publication sales and seminar fees, with financial figures not publicly disclosed. It operates with a small staff of 11-50 employees and functions as the recognized central voice of the German coatings and printing ink industry, coordinating input on regulatory files such as the Druckfarbenverordnung, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and the European Court of Justice ruling on titanium dioxide. In 2025 the association marked its 125th anniversary and updated its industry sustainability targets (VdL-Branchenziele 2025).

Name

Verband der deutschen Lack-und Druckfarbenindustrie

Legal name

Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V.

Website

https://wirsindfarbe.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie (VdL) is a Frankfurt-based non-profit industry association founded in 1900 that represents approximately 85% of German paint, coating, and printing ink manufacturers, providing regulatory advocacy, technical guidelines, and member services to over 200 member companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

The Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie (VdL) is a registered non-profit industry association that represents approximately 85% of German manufacturers of paints, coatings, and printing inks (over 200 member companies). It delivers advocacy, regulatory representation, technical guidelines, environmental product declarations, industry statistics, training webinars, publications, and public-facing campaigns on behalf of its members to policymakers, regulators, and the broader public.

Product overview

The Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie (VdL) is a trade association representing manufacturers of paints, coatings, and printing inks in Germany. The organization does not offer commercial products but provides member services including publications (Wir sind Farbe magazine, VdL Jahresbericht annual report), technical guidelines (VdL-Richtlinien), environmental product declarations (EPDs), market statistics, webinars, and public awareness campaigns (#LebeFarbe, #LebePulverlack). The association also operates recruitment portals (lacklaborant.de) for training in the industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wir sind Farbe - Das Magazin
• VdL Jahresbericht
• VdL-Richtlinien Technical and environmental guidelines for the paint and printing ink industry, including guidelines for rendering masonry and concrete, used by member companies for compliance and best practice.
• Verbands-Umweltproduktdeklarationen (EPDs) Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for building paints, wood lacquers, powder coatings, and renders, providing lifecycle assessment data for the industry.
• Statistiken und Infografiken Annual industry statistics service providing production, sales volumes, imports/exports, and market segment data for paints, colors, and printing inks.
• Informationsmaterial Pulverlacke Information materials on powder coatings covering processing, safety, and environmental aspects, used by manufacturers and processors.
• VdL-Webinare Online seminars for members covering occupational safety, crisis management, and industry topics, including crisis management seminars with press training.
• Mitgliederverwaltung (Member Portal) Exclusive online member area providing access to information folders, safety guidelines, videos, and industry resources for member companies.
• Lacklaborant.de Career and education portal promoting training as a paint laboratory technician (Lacklaborant/in) in the paint and printing ink industry.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVdL is affiliated with VCI, the German Chemical Industry Association, which represents the broader chemical industry interests at national and international levels. This membership provides VdL members with access to wider chemical industry networks and resources.
• CEPE (European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVdL maintains membership in CEPE, the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry. Through this European federation, VdL participates in EU-level policy discussions affecting the coatings industry and coordinates with paint and ink associations across Europe.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CEPE - European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry: CEPE is the European federation of national paint and printing ink associations, of which VdL is a member. It is directly comparable because it serves the same product categories (paints, coatings, printing inks) at the EU level, performing equivalent advocacy, technical guidance, and statistics functions across multiple national member associations including VdL itself.
• British Coatings Federation (BCF): BCF is the UK trade association for paints, coatings, printing inks, and wallcoverings manufacturers. It is directly comparable to VdL because it represents the same industry verticals in a single national market, offering analogous services including advocacy, technical guidance, training, and sustainability/EPD programs.
• American Coatings Association (ACA): ACA is the US trade association for paint and coatings manufacturers. It is directly comparable to VdL because it represents the same product categories in a single national market, performs equivalent advocacy and technical functions, and is a counterpart member of CEPE.
• FATIPEC - Federation of Associations of Technicians of the Paint, Varnish, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry of Continental Europe: FATIPEC is the European federation of national technical/scientific associations for the paint and printing ink industry. It is comparable to VdL because it serves the same industry verticals across Europe with a focus on technical and scientific coordination, complementing CEPE's more policy-oriented role.

Regional players

• Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA): CPCA is the national trade association for the Canadian paint and coatings industry. It is comparable to VdL because it represents the same product category in a single national market, performs equivalent advocacy and member services, but is geographically separate.
• Australian Paint Manufacturers' Federation (APMF): APMF is the Australian national trade association for the paint and surface coatings industry. It is comparable to VdL because it represents the same product category in a single national market with similar advocacy and technical functions, but operates in a different geographic territory.
• Japan Paint Manufacturers Association (JPMA): JPMA is the national trade association for paint manufacturers in Japan. It is comparable to VdL because it represents the same paint manufacturing industry in a single national market, with similar advocacy, statistics, and standards-setting functions, but serves a different geographic territory.

Broad incumbents

• Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI): VCI is the German Chemical Industry Association and serves as VdL's parent. It is broadly comparable as a German industry association performing chemical-sector advocacy, but covers a much wider portfolio (petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals) and operates at a larger scale than VdL's paint/ink focus.
• European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC): CEFIC is the overarching European chemical industry council and a counterpart to VCI at the EU level. It is broadly comparable to VdL as an industry advocacy organization but covers the entire chemicals value chain rather than VdL's paint/ink specialization.

Others

• Industrieverband Klebstoffe (IVK): IVK is the German Adhesives Industry Association. It is thematically adjacent to VdL because it represents a closely related specialty chemicals segment (adhesives/sealants) within the German market, sharing regulatory and sustainability concerns with VdL's coating industry members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Lackverband_VdL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoLz37SNks7UduMJnciXKhA
• Facebookfacebook.com/wirsindfarbe.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verband-der-deutschen-lack-und-druckfarbenindustrie-e-v
• Instagraminstagram.com/wirsindfarbe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Verband der deutschen Lack-und Druckfarbenindustrie