Druckfarben

What Druckfarben does

Druckfarben SRL is an Italian specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1971 and headquartered in Albino, Lombardia. The company develops and produces microencapsulation-based products, including scented varnishes and inks, microencapsulated fragrances and active ingredients, hot wax carbon inks, chemical coatings for carbonless copy paper, and thermoprinting papers for leather measuring machines. Its proprietary microencapsulation technology encapsulates fat-soluble substances—fragrances, essential oils, antibacterial agents, anti-odour compounds, and other functional ingredients—within microscopic spheres resistant to temperatures above 300°C, enabling integration into high-temperature textile and paper production processes via foulardaggio, exhaustion, spray, or washing methods.

The company serves four primary industrial verticals: paper manufacturers (scented papers, notebooks, tissue), textile finishers (long-lasting fragrance and functional finishes), printers (scented packaging, labels, promotional materials), and tanneries (thermoprinting paper rolls for leather measuring machines, supplied for over 40 years). Its 'Caress & Smell' scented varnish system releases fragrance through mechanical activation. Production capacity spans laboratory quantities of 1 kg to 8 tons per day, with a catalog of over 100 fragrance variants and custom fragrance development services. Documented geographic reach covers Italy, Europe, Asia, and the United States, where the company collaborates with major international groups in graphic arts and fabric ennobling.

Druckfarben operates a direct-sales business model with no publicly disclosed pricing. Customers engage through website contact forms or direct outreach, and the company provides technical support and process optimization as part of the sales engagement. The company is privately held, with no disclosed institutional investors, external funding rounds, or parent company. Pricing follows a pay-as-you-go unit model scaled by volume. The company employs 18 people and operates as an Italian Società a Responsabilità Limitata (SRL).

Name

Druckfarben

Legal name

DRUCKFARBEN SRL

Website

https://druckfarben.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Druckfarben SRL is an Italian specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1971 that produces microencapsulated scented varnishes, fragrances, hot wax carbon inks, chemical coatings, and thermoprinting papers for the paper, textile, printing, and leather industries across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemical Coatings

NAICS

Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Textile, Leather & Paper Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Color Masterbatches & Dispersions (IMAEAHAK), Hygiene Paper Raw Materials & Components (Pulp, SAP, Nonwovens, Elastics, Adhesives, Fragrances) (IMAMAGAI)

Keywords

• Scented varnishes
• Microencapsulation technology
• Specialty chemical coatings
• Carbon paper inks
• Thermoprinting papers

Headquarters

HQ city

Albino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scented Varnishes and Coatings: Production and sale of water-based, solvent-based, acrylic, vinyl, and UV-curable scented varnishes and inks applicable on paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, and fabric in various printing processes (flexo, silk-screen, offset, roto-offset, gravure, spray). Over 100 fragrances available in catalog, with custom fragrance options.
2. Hot Spot Inks and Chemical Coatings: Specialized inks including carbon hot wax inks for carbon paper production (made with selected raw materials and high percentage of natural waxes), alcohol-based dyes for tinter machines, and CF/CB chemical coatings for carbonless copy paper.
3. Products for Tanneries: Thermoprinting paper rolls for leather measuring machines, available in multiple colors (white, black, grey/silver, orange, gold) and sizes. Supplied to the leather industry for over 40 years.
4. Microencapsulated Substances: Sale of microencapsulated fragrances (fruit, flowers, ambiance, spices, stinks, food scents), essential oils (lemon, lavender, citronella, stone pine), active ingredients (aloe, arnica, vitamin E, caffeine, antibacterial), and functional ingredients (mosquito repellents, refreshing, sanitizing effects).
5. Packaging Services: Provision of complete and finished scented packaging solutions according to customer needs, in addition to just selling scented coatings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Druckfarben SRL manufactures scented varnishes and inks, microencapsulated fragrances and functional substances, hot spot carbon paper inks, CF/CB chemical coatings, and thermoprinting papers for leather measuring machines. Its proprietary microencapsulation technology encapsulates fat-soluble substances within microscopic spheres resistant to temperatures above 300 degrees, serving the textile, paper, printing, leather, and chemical coatings industries.

Product overview

Druckfarben SRL, founded in 1971, is a specialty chemicals company offering scented varnishes, microencapsulation technology, and related chemical products. The core product portfolio includes scented varnishes (water-based, solvent-based, acrylic, vinyl, and UV) that release fragrances through a 'caress & smell' microcapsule system, hot spot carbon paper inks and chemical coatings, and thermoprinting papers for tanneries. The company produces microcapsules with dimensions of a few micrometers resistant to temperatures above 300 degrees, serving the textile and paper industries. Their microencapsulated offerings include over 100 fragrance variants across fruit, flower, food, ambiance, and spice categories, as well as essential oils and functional active ingredients (antibacterial, anti-mosquito, anti-odour). Production capacity ranges from 1 kg (laboratory quantities) up to 8 tons per day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scented Varnishes and Inks Water-based, solvent-based, acrylic, vinyl and UV varnishes and inks that release fragrances when applied to paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, and fabric. Applied via flexo, silk-screen, varnisher, lacquerer, offset, roto-offset, gravure, spray, or manual brush methods. Targets printing and packaging companies.
• Microencapsulation Technology (Microcapsules) Microscopic sphere technology that encapsulates fat-soluble substances and protects them from external agents. Produces microcapsules resistant to temperatures above 300 degrees, integrated into fabrics and paper products. Targets textile and paper manufacturers.
• Scented Microcapsules (Fragrances and Essential Oils) Microencapsulated fragrances including fruit scents (apricot, cherry, pineapple), flower scents (jasmine, rose, lavender), food scents (coffee, chocolate, vanilla), ambiance fragrances (amber, sandalwood), and essential oils. Targets textile, paper, and printing product manufacturers.
• Microencapsulated Finishing Substances Microencapsulated functional additives including Vitamin E, Aloe, Ginseng, Acerola, Caffeine, Antibacterial, Anti-Mosquito, and Anti-Odour agents for textile finishing applications. Targets textile manufacturers and fabric finishers.
• Hot Spot Inks (Carbon Paper Inks) Carbon hot wax inks based on natural waxes for carbon paper production, suitable for printing business forms and confidential documents. Available in black, red, and blue colors. Targets business forms printing companies.
• CF and CB Chemical Coatings (Patinas) CF and CB patinas for carbonless copy paper production, available in water-based or ethyl alcohol-based formulations. Targets carbonless copy paper manufacturers.
• Alcohol-Based Dyes for Tinter Machines Color dyes for paper dyeing using tinter machines, available in all shades of color. Targets paper converters and stationery manufacturers.
• Adhesives and Solvents for Continuous and Self-Bagged Forms Reversible glue for self-wrapped continuous forms, wettable glue for envelopes and stamps, rubber for cliché thickness, and solvents for cleaning rubber clichés. Targets business forms printing companies.
• Thermoprinting Papers for Tanneries Thermoprinting paper rolls for leather measuring machines, available in colors (white, black, grey/silver, orange, gold) and sizes (2cm-11cm height, 40-200 meters length). Targets the leather/tanneries industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fragrance release lasting even months after application on supports
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Givaudan: World's largest fragrance and flavor company with extensive microencapsulation technology for personal care, textile, and consumer products. Overlaps with Druckfarben's scented and microencapsulated fragrance offerings but operates at vastly greater scale, broader geographic reach, and a much larger portfolio.
• Sun Chemical: World's largest producer of printing inks and pigments, part of DIC Group, with extensive specialty varnish and coating offerings. Overlaps with Druckfarben's printing inks and varnishes business, but at much larger scale and across broader application areas including packaging, commercial, and digital printing.
• LANXESS: German specialty chemicals company with strong leather chemicals business and broader portfolio including additives, material protection, and consumer protection products. Overlaps with Druckfarben's leather industry specialty products but operates at vastly greater scale across multiple industrial end-markets.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Major global producer of flavors, fragrances, and microencapsulation solutions across consumer goods, textiles, and packaging. Directly comparable in microencapsulated fragrance and active ingredient offerings, though IFF serves a far broader market and customer base than Druckfarben's niche focus.

Direct peers

• Flint Group: Global supplier of printing inks, varnishes, and coatings for packaging and commercial printing. Directly comparable in printing inks and varnishes product categories, though operating at significantly larger scale than Druckfarben across multiple printing technologies.
• Symrise: Global specialty chemicals company with major microencapsulation capabilities for fragrances, flavors, and functional ingredients in textile, paper, and consumer applications. Directly comparable as a microencapsulation provider serving similar end-markets to Druckfarben, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Siegwerk: Leading manufacturer of printing inks and varnishes with strong European presence and specialty packaging solutions. Directly comparable to Druckfarben's printing inks and varnishes product line, including UV-curable and water-based formulations for graphic arts applications.
• Hubergroup: European-headquartered specialty printing inks, varnishes, and coatings manufacturer with focus on packaging and graphic arts. Comparable to Druckfarben in printing inks and varnishes for packaging applications, with similar specialty focus and regional European orientation.
• STAHL Group: Specialty chemicals company focused on the leather industry, providing coatings, finishes, and processing chemicals. Comparable to Druckfarben's leather industry products (thermoprinting papers for tanneries), though with a substantially broader leather chemicals portfolio and larger global footprint.

Emerging players

• Kuraray: Japanese specialty chemicals company with microencapsulation technology and functional materials for textiles, paper, and consumer applications. Comparable to Druckfarben's microencapsulation capabilities for industrial applications, particularly in textile finishing and specialty paper segments, though Kuraray operates across a much broader chemicals portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/druckfarben

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 Druckfarben