SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

What SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. does

SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., operating as SP SAMHWA, is a 78-year-old South Korean paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1946 and publicly listed on the Korean stock market. The company manufactures and sells paints and coatings across 14 product categories — architectural, waterproofing/flooring, fire-resistant, wood, industrial, PCM, powder, can coating, synthetic resin, plastic, industrial plant, polyurea, automotive, and pet-exclusive — with notable proprietary assets including a patented bio-based waterproof material, an iLux premium architectural series, Super Deck polyurea technology, and a 1200-color digital palette. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Color Design Center provides architectural color design services, while Powton (powder coatings) and Karocle (automotive) extend the portfolio into specialized industrial and automotive segments.

SP SAMHWA generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of manufactured paint and coating products to a nationwide authorized dealer network (대리점), which resells to end customers across architectural, industrial, and specialty applications. Dealers place orders through the dedicated paintnet.co.kr web ordering portal, and the company supplements this channel with a direct-to-consumer presence on the Naver Smart Store. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers are routed to dealers or the company directly for quotes. The company also invests in brand and content assets — the Waterproof Encyclopedia, newsletter, Instagram/YouTube presence, and community sponsorships — to support channel pull and brand differentiation.

SP SAMHWA is led by co-Representative Directors Bae Maeng-dal (배맹달) and Kim Hyun-jung (김현정), operates from a Seoul headquarters with an Ansan manufacturing facility and a Gyeonggi-do business center, and has signaled early-stage overseas operations alongside its predominantly domestic Korean footprint. The company presents as a mature, category-leading, distribution-led coatings business executing a measured product modernization and brand repositioning strategy.

Name

SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

Legal name

SP SAMHWA CO., LTD.

Website

https://samhwa.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SP SAMHWA is a 78-year-old South Korean publicly listed paint and coatings manufacturer offering 14 product categories across architectural, industrial, waterproofing, and specialty coatings, distributed through a nationwide dealer network and direct online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural & Industrial Coatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Decorative Coatings (IMAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB), Industrial Protective Coatings (IMAEAHAB), Industrial Protective Coatings (IMADAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural coatings
• Industrial paints
• Automotive refinish
• Powder coatings
• Waterproof coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Paint and Coating Products Sales: Manufacturing and sale of paints, coatings, and related products across 14 product categories serving architectural, industrial, and specialty applications. Revenue is generated through direct sales to dealers and distributors who resell to end customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. manufactures and sells architectural paints, industrial coatings, automotive refinish paints (via its Karocle subsidiary), powder coatings (via its Powton subsidiary), and waterproofing materials. Its 14 product categories serve construction, industrial, automotive, marine, and decorative use cases, distributed through an authorized dealer network and a Naver Smart Store direct channel.

Product overview

SP SAMHWA is a comprehensive paint manufacturer offering 14 distinct product categories across architectural, industrial, and specialty coatings. The portfolio includes premium architectural paint lines (아이럭스, 아이생각 eco-friendly series), waterproofing solutions (방수에이스, bio-based waterproofing materials), wood finishes (월드스테인, 에코우드), automotive paints (카로클), industrial coatings, powder coatings, polyurea systems, and pet-safe products. The company supports its paint offerings with digital tools including the 1200 디지털 컬러 팔레트 for color selection and a Color Design Center for professional consultation. Products span from consumer-facing architectural paints to specialized industrial coatings for manufacturing, plant facilities, and packaging applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural paints (interior & exterior) Interior and exterior architectural paints sold under the SAMHWA brand for residential and commercial buildings, distributed through an authorized dealer network across Korea.
• Waterproof coatings (bio-based) Waterproofing coatings for building roofs, walls, and wet areas, featuring SAMHWA's patented bio-based waterproof material formulation.
• Karocle automotive refinish coatings Automotive refinish paints, primers, and clear coats marketed under the Karocle brand for collision repair shops and automotive refinish professionals.
• Powton powder coatings Powder coatings for metal finishing applications, supplied under the Powton brand for industrial and OEM customers.
• Industrial protective coatings Heavy-duty industrial coatings for machinery, plant equipment, steel structures, and industrial facilities, sold to manufacturers and plant operators.
• Floor coatings Dedicated floor coating systems for residential, commercial, and industrial flooring applications.
• Wood coatings Coatings formulated for wood substrates, intended for furniture, interior woodwork, and wooden architectural elements.
• Marine coatings Marine-grade coatings designed to resist saltwater, fouling, and harsh maritime conditions for ships, boats, and offshore structures.
• Fire-resistant coatings Fire-resistant (intumescent / fire-retardant) coatings for buildings and structures requiring fire-protection ratings.
• Heat-resistant coatings Heat-resistant coatings formulated for high-temperature surfaces such as boilers, exhausts, stacks, and industrial equipment.
• Eco-friendly / bio-based paints Eco-friendly paint line positioned around bio-based and lower-VOC formulations for environmentally conscious buyers.
• Color Design Center consulting & color matching Color formulation, custom color matching, and design consulting services provided through the Color Design Center for architectural and design projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78-year track record as Korea's No.1 architectural paint brand

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Young Artists in Gumi RegionminorOthersSP SAMHWA collaborated with youth artists in Gumi Sangsan-eup, North Gyeongbuk, providing eco-friendly paint products (iSaeng-gag water-based paint series) and technical guidance for mural creation on aging wall surfaces as part of social contribution and regional regeneration initiatives.
• Baby Shark (아기상어) Global IP ExhibitionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSP SAMHWA sponsored the global No.1 IP 'Baby Shark' AI interactive exhibition at Seoul Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Museum Exhibition Hall 2, providing eco-friendly water-based paint 'iSaeng-gag' series for the exhibition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AkzoNobel: Global paints and coatings major (Dulux, International) competing with SP SAMHWA in architectural, industrial, and protective coatings across Asia.
• Kansai Paint: Japanese global coatings producer with automotive and industrial coatings portfolios that overlap with SP SAMHWA's Karocle automotive line and industrial plant coatings.
• Sherwin-Williams: World's largest paint company with architectural, industrial, and specialty coatings divisions; competes with SP SAMHWA in architectural paints and industrial maintenance coatings globally.
• PPG Industries: Global industrial and architectural coatings supplier with comparable product lines in automotive refinish, industrial, and protective coatings that overlap with several SP SAMHWA categories.
• Nippon Paint Holdings: Asia-Pacific paint giant with a strong Korean retail presence (formerly Daehan Paint) that competes directly with SP SAMHWA in architectural paints while also serving global industrial markets.

Direct peers

• KCC Corporation: Korea's largest paint and coatings producer, directly competing with SP SAMHWA across architectural, industrial, marine, and automotive coatings in the domestic Korean market.
• Kangnam Jevisco: Korean manufacturer of industrial, automotive, and architectural coatings, including powder coatings, that competes with SP SAMHWA across multiple shared verticals.
• Chokwang Paints: Korea-based architectural and industrial coatings producer competing head-to-head with SP SAMHWA in domestic wall paints, waterproofing, and fire-retardant coatings.
• Noroo Paint & Coatings: Korean architectural and industrial paint manufacturer with overlapping product categories (architectural, automotive, powder, industrial) and a similar nationwide dealer model.

Emerging players

• Asian Paints: Asia-leading decorative paint brand with comparable architectural/deco coatings positioning, multi-country distribution, and growing industrial coatings business relevant as a comparably scaled regional player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChCIzdQAmFFUkqghKWKFOPA
• Instagraminstagram.com/sp_samhwa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%EC%82%BC%ED%99%94%ED%8E%98%EC%9D%B8%ED%8A%B8

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 SAMHWA PAINTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.