Name

Dulux UK

Legal name

AkzoNobel Decorative Coatings B.V.

Website

https://dulux.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Slough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Decorative Paint Sales: Dulux generates revenue through the sale of consumer decorative paints and coatings to homeowners and DIY consumers via retail partners (e.g., B&Q, hardware stores) and direct e-commerce through dulux.co.uk. Products include interior paints, exterior paints, woodcare, and specialty finishes under the Dulux, Cuprinol, and related brands.
2. Professional/Trade Paint Sales: Dulux Trade serves professional decorators and contractors through the Dulux Select Decorator network and trade-specific product ranges, generating revenue from higher-volume, repeat professional purchases.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dulux UK manufactures and sells decorative interior and exterior paints and coatings under the Dulux master brand and related sub-brands (Cuprinol woodcare, Hammerite metal paints, Dulux Heritage period colours, Polycell fillers). Distribution runs through major UK retailers such as B&Q, independent hardware stores, the dulux.co.uk e-commerce site, and a dedicated trade channel (duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk), complemented by the vetted Dulux Select Decorators professional network and consumer support tools such as the Visualizer AR app and Colour Play.

Product overview

Dulux UK is a decorative paints and coatings brand owned by AkzoNobel, offering a comprehensive consumer product portfolio centered on interior and exterior decorative paints. The core product lines include Dulux Easycare (washable/tough finish), Dulux Simply Refresh (one-coat color), and Dulux Quick Dry (water-based woodwork paints), supplemented by sub-brands covering woodcare (Cuprinol), heritage period colors (Dulux Heritage), metal protection (Hammerite), and wall repair (Polycell). The portfolio extends to professional trade products (Dulux Trade) and a vetted contractor network (Dulux Select Decorators). Digital tools include the Dulux Visualizer augmented reality app, the Colour Play recommendation engine, and Peel & Stick sample testers. The brand annually announces Colour of the Year collections, with 2026's 'Rhythm of Blues' representing the latest color trend offering. Sustainability initiatives include participation in paint recycling trials and low-VOC product formulations aligned with green building standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dulux Easycare: Washable and tough paint product line
• Dulux Simply Refresh
• Dulux Trade
• Dulux Heritage
• Cuprinol
• Hammerite
• PolyCell

Products and services

• Dulux Interior and Exterior Paints Decorative interior and exterior paints for walls, ceilings, and exterior surfaces of UK homes, covering emulsions, vinyl matt, silk, and specialty finishes for residential consumer use.
• Dulux Easycare Washable and durable wall paint designed to resist stains, scuffs, and wear so that interior walls retain a freshly painted appearance for longer.
• Dulux Simply Refresh One-coat refresh paint providing single-layer colour coverage for quick room transformations, aimed at consumers seeking fast decorating solutions.
• Dulux Quick Dry Water-based paints for woodwork applications including skirting boards, bannisters, furniture, and door frames, offering fuss-free and budget-friendly wood transformation.
• Cuprinol Woodcare Water-based woodcare and outdoor paint products for fences, decks, sheds, and garden wood, sold under the AkzoNobel-owned Cuprinol brand in the UK.
• Dulux Heritage Premium heritage paint collection offering traditional, historically accurate colours for period properties, restoration projects, and classic interior schemes.
• Hammerite Metal paints and protective coatings for metal surfaces including gates, railings, pipes, and other exterior metalwork.
• Polycell Decorating fillers, wall repair products, and surface preparation solutions used before painting.
• Dulux Visualizer App Augmented-reality mobile application that uses the smartphone camera to scan existing wall colours and virtually apply Dulux paint colours to walls, helping consumers visualise finishes before purchase.
• Dulux Colour Play Interactive web tool that learns user colour preferences from swipe-based room image feedback and provides personalised Dulux paint recommendations.
• Dulux Peel & Stick Samples Peel-and-stick paint sample format from the Dulux Simply Refresh range that allows consumers to apply real paint patches to walls and re-peel them when deciding.
• Dulux Select Decorators Network Vetted professional decorator network through which UK consumers can find approved tradespeople, with decorators gaining referrals from Dulux brand presence.
• Dulux Trade Professional Paint Range Professional trade paint range serving UK decorators and contractors through duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk, with specification data, trade-specific grades, and volume purchasing for contract jobs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9% VOC-free emulsions maintain 'Good' indoor air quality readings during paint drying, compared to fluctuating 'Poor' or 'Bad' levels from standard durable paints, as demonstrated by nooku monitoring data.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• B&QcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 March 2026B&Q is a key retail distribution partner for Dulux paints in the UK and is participating in the UK PaintCare paint recycling trial. B&Q collects leftover paint and tins in selected stores for assessment, reuse, or responsible disposal, supporting the initiative's goal of reaching 75% recycling by 2032.
• British Coatings Federation (BCF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Dulux is one of six major UK paint manufacturers (alongside Johnstone's Paint, Crown Paints, Craig & Rose, Valspar, and Little Greene) participating in the PaintCare take-back scheme, an industry-funded initiative managed by the British Coatings Federation with waste partner Biffa. The scheme, backed by approximately £0.5 million in investment, pilots in the West Midlands from March 2026 to test paint collection models with a goal of 75% paint reuse and recycling by 2032.
• nookucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Dulux UK partnered with indoor air quality monitoring company nooku to demonstrate how Dulux paint formulations influence indoor air quality. The collaboration showcases Dulux's water-based and low-VOC paints, with nooku monitoring data showing 'Good' air quality readings during drying when using Dulux's 99.9% VOC-free emulsions, compared to fluctuating 'Poor' or 'Bad' levels from standard durable paints. The partnership aligns with green building standards BREEAM, LEED and WELL.
• BiffaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiffa serves as the waste management partner for the PaintCare paint recycling scheme, handling the collection, processing, and responsible disposal of leftover paint and packaging collected from participating retailers and manufacturers.
• Stacey SolomoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStacey Solomon served as Dulux Colour of the Year 2024 Ambassador and hosts Channel 4's 'Renovation Rescue' show, which features Dulux products. The partnership drives consumer engagement through home transformation content and social media promotion.
• Channel 4coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDulux has an ongoing content partnership with Channel 4, featuring in shows 'Changing Rooms' (Season 2) and 'Renovation Rescue'. The brand creates editorial content, colour palettes, and room transformation showcases tied to these shows, reaching millions of UK viewers.
• DreamWorks / Gabby's Dollhouse: The MovieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDulux is a proud partner of Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie, creating an exclusive palette of Gabby's brightest rainbow colours for children's bedroom decorating. This partnership targets families and parents with young children through entertainment-driven content.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• B&Q (Kingfisher): Largest UK home improvement retailer and a key distribution partner for Dulux. While not a direct paint manufacturer, B&Q's private-label and exclusive brand strategy makes it both a channel partner and a competitive force in the UK paint market.

Direct peers

• Crown Paints: One of the largest UK decorative paint manufacturers; a direct competitor to Dulux across consumer and trade channels. Co-participant with Dulux in the UK PaintCare recycling scheme.
• Farrow & Ball: Premium UK decorative paint brand with high-end design-led positioning and a strong DTC and showroom retail footprint. Competes with Dulux for design-conscious consumers willing to pay a premium.
• Johnstone's Paint: Major UK trade and consumer paint brand owned by PPG Industries. Competes head-to-head with Dulux Trade in the professional decorator channel and is a fellow PaintCare participant.
• Valspar (Sherwin-Williams): Paint brand owned by global coatings major Sherwin-Williams, sold through UK retail channels. Listed among the six co-investing manufacturers in the UK PaintCare scheme alongside Dulux.
• Craig & Rose: Historic UK paint brand focused on heritage and designer colour ranges. Direct competitor to Dulux Heritage in the period/decorator segment and a PaintCare participant.
• Little Greene: Premium UK decorative paint brand with strong design-led positioning. Competes with Dulux in the premium consumer segment and is a fellow PaintCare co-investor.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: Global paints and coatings incumbent that owns Johnstone's. Competes with Dulux across the UK decorative and protective coatings markets as part of a much larger portfolio.
• Sherwin-Williams: Global paints and coatings incumbent with multiple UK and international brands, including Valspar. A broader portfolio competitor to AkzoNobel/Dulux in the decorative coatings market.

Regional players

• Dulux Group (historical / ANZ): Historically the ANZ Dulux business, now separate from AkzoNobel. Operates the Dulux brand in Australia and New Zealand with a similar decorative paints and coatings portfolio, providing a geographic peer for the Dulux UK operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/duluxuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/dulux
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dulux-trade-paint-expert

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Dulux UK