ROWA Lack

What ROWA Lack does

ROWA Lack GmbH is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer developing and supplying coating systems, topcoats, pigment preparations, and additives for PVC-coated textiles, films, and synthetic leather. The company was originally part of ROWA GmbH (founded 1958 in Seevetal near Hamburg as a rubber-processing company) and began producing lacquer systems in 1969; it has operated as an independent entity within the ROWA GROUP since 2010. Headquartered in Pinneberg, Germany, with manufacturing in Seevetal (Germany), Yesan (South Korea), and a subsidiary in Ningbo (China, since 2011), ROWA Lack serves industrial converters across tarpaulins, print media, textile construction, furniture and decor foils, automotive interiors, synthetic leather, and specialty niches such as pool liners and book coverings.

Its product portfolio is organized around ten registered brand families covering distinct chemistries and end-uses: ROWAKRYL® (acrylic lacquers for tarpaulins and awnings), ROWATHAL® (PU systems for synthetic leather and automotive interiors), ROWADEKOR® (2K-crosslinking systems for furniture foils), ROWAFLON® (fluoropolymer systems for textile architecture), ROWANYL® (topcoats for transfer-coating synthetic leather), ROWALID® (highly concentrated pigment dispersions for PVC/PMMA mass coloration and printing inks), ROWASET (additives and processing aids), ROWEX (printing-ink carriers), ROWATHAN® (custom-formulated coating masses), and ROWASIL (matting concentrates). The portfolio is dual-formulated in solvent-based and water-based versions, with annual production capacity exceeding 10,000 tons and ISO 9001/14001/50001 certifications across both German sites.

The company operates as a B2B industrial supplier with a direct field-sales and inside-sales motion, dedicated product managers, and customer-specific technical consultation; pricing is quotation-based rather than list-published. It is wholly owned by ROWA GROUP Holding GmbH, itself part of Georg Nordmann Holding Aktiengesellschaft (GNH Group), and describes itself as the market leader in surface finishing of coated textiles in German-speaking markets. Its primary technical differentiators include UV-protective primers that filter >80% of UV radiation while preserving >70% visible transparency, water-based 2K anti-graffiti systems with >8-hour pot life, and proprietary fluoropolymer formulations engineered for outdoor durability.

Name

ROWA Lack

Legal name

ROWA Lack GmbH

Website

https://rowa-lack.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ROWA Lack GmbH is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer producing lacquer systems, topcoats, pigment preparations, and additives for PVC-coated textiles, films, and synthetic leather, serving industrial converters in tarpaulins, automotive interiors, textile construction, print media, and furniture foils across Europe and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Coatings

NAICS

Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Surface Materials & Coatings for Interiors/Exteriors Manufacturing (Upholstery Materials/Decor Films/Paints for Trim) (IMACAKAL), Finishing & Surface Coating (Pigmented/Aniline/Embossing/Topcoat) (IMAOAGAG)

Keywords

• Coating systems
• Lacquer formulations
• Pigment preparations
• Textile finishing
• Synthetic leather coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Pinneberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lacquer Systems and Topcoats: Manufacture and sale of coating systems for PVC-coated textiles and films. Products include acrylic lacquers (ROWAKRYL®), PU systems (ROWATHAL®), 2K systems (ROWADEKOR®), and fluoropolymer systems (ROWAFLON®). Available in both solvent-based and water-based formulations.
2. Pigment Preparations (ROWALID®): Sale of concentrated pigment dispersions for mass coloring of films and molded parts, as well as for printing inks. Includes PVC and PMMA-based preparations.
3. Additives and Processing Aids (ROWASET): Crosslinkers, slip additives, lubricants, surface modifiers, wetting agents, UV absorbers, defoamers, thickeners, and stabilizers for coating applications.
4. Printing Ink Carriers (ROWEX): Universal transparent printing ink carriers as combination partners for ROWALID® pigment preparations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ROWA Lack develops and manufactures industrial coating systems — including acrylic lacquers, polyurethane systems, 2K-crosslinking lacquers, fluoropolymer topcoats, anti-graffiti systems, UV-protective primers, concentrated pigment preparations, and additives — for surface finishing of PVC-coated textiles, films, and synthetic leather. The company sells these coating formulations directly to industrial manufacturers in the tarpaulin, automotive interior, furniture foil, print media, and synthetic leather sectors, with annual production capacity exceeding 10,000 tons.

Product overview

ROWA Lack is a market leader in surface finishing of coated textiles, offering a comprehensive portfolio of lacquer systems and coating solutions. The product portfolio is organized around distinct brand families: ROWAKRYL® (acrylate lacquers for tarpaulins and industrial applications), ROWATHAL® (PU lacquers for automotive and synthetic leather), ROWADEKOR® (2K systems for furniture foils), ROWAFLON® (fluoropolymer systems for textile construction), and ROWANYL® (topcoats for artificial leather). Supporting products include ROWALID® TI (metallic effect lacquers), ROWASET (additives and crosslinkers), ROWASIL (matting agents), ROWEX (printing ink carriers), and ROWATHAN® (custom coating masses). The ROWALID® PP line provides concentrated pigment preparations. Products are available in both solvent-based and water-based formulations with annual capacity exceeding 10,000 tons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ROWAKRYL® Acrylate lacquers for truck tarpaulins, boat covers, awnings, and flexible advertising carriers, available in solvent-based and water-based formulations. Designed for industrial coating of PVC-coated fabrics requiring weather and UV resistance.
• ROWATHAL®

Quantifiable outcome

• UV protection filters over 80% of UV radiation while maintaining over 70% transparency in visible wavelengths
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 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 core.

• Ningbo ROWA Coatings Technology Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary in China established in 2011 to strengthen service quality and market presence in the Chinese market. Operates as official subsidiary of ROWA GROUP for coatings technology in Ningbo City.
• ROWA GROUPcoreOthersROWA Lack operates as part of ROWA GROUP, a family-owned enterprise with over 60 years of experience in plastics processing and chemical industry. Parent company is Georg Nordmann Holding Aktiengesellschaft.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CHT Group: CHT Group is a German specialty chemicals manufacturer producing auxiliaries and coatings for the textile and coated-fabric industry, comparable in product scope (functional coatings for technical textiles) and customer base.
• Zschimmer & Schwarz: Zschimmer & Schwarz is a German manufacturer of specialty chemical auxiliaries, including coating systems and finishing agents for leather, textiles, and industrial applications — directly competing in synthetic-leather and coated-fabric chemistry.
• Smit & Zoon: Smit & Zoon is a Dutch specialty chemicals producer focused on leather processing and finishing chemicals, including wet-end and topcoat systems — a narrow but direct competitor to ROWA Lack's leather-coating portfolio.
• TFL (formerly Clariant Leather): TFL is a Germany-headquartered global supplier of leather chemicals and finishing products, including topcoats and pigments for leather substrates — overlapping with ROWA Lack's ROWATHAL® PU and ROWANYL® synthetic-leather ranges.
• Stahl International: Stahl is a Dutch-based specialty chemicals and coatings company focused on leather chemicals, performance coatings, and flexible substrate finishes — directly comparable to ROWA Lack's synthetic-leather and coated-textile topcoat portfolio.
• Rudolf Group: Rudolf Group is a German specialty chemicals company supplying textile finishing chemicals, hydrophobic coatings, and performance finishes for technical textiles — closely aligned with ROWA Lack's tarpaulin and textile-construction segments.

Broad incumbents

• BASF Coatings: BASF Coatings is the global coatings division of BASF, supplying automotive, industrial, and decorative coatings. While much broader in scope, it overlaps with ROWA Lack in automotive interior coatings and industrial surface finishes.
• Covestro: Covestro is a German-based polymer materials supplier producing polyurethane and coating raw materials used in industrial and textile coatings — overlapping with ROWA Lack's PU-based ROWATHAL® systems as both supplier and indirect competitor.
• Axalta Coating Systems: Axalta is a global industrial and automotive coatings manufacturer with significant presence in transportation and industrial finishes — broader portfolio but competes with ROWA Lack in automotive interior and specialty industrial coatings.
• PPG Industries: PPG is a global diversified coatings supplier serving industrial, automotive, packaging, and specialty markets. As a broad incumbent, it competes with ROWA Lack's industrial and automotive coating applications from a position of much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rowa-lack

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 ROWA Lack