Grupo Solid Sa

What Grupo Solid Sa does

Grupo Solid Sa is a privately-held Guatemalan paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1955, operating as the regional volume leader in Central America with a multi-country footprint that now extends into the Caribbean and South America. The company manufactures, distributes, and commercializes architectural paints, industrial and marine coatings, wood finishes, and automotive refinish products through four manufacturing facilities (Superbia in Escuintla, Guatemala — the largest paint plant in Mesoamerica with 45+ million gallon installed capacity — Farbe International application plant in Palín, Guatemala, Grupo Solid Dominicana S.A.S., and Solid Paraguay), generating more than 2,300 direct and 46,000 indirect jobs across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay, with export activity into Belize, southern Mexico, and the broader Caribbean.

The commercial model is a multi-channel distribution system anchored by 8,000+ independent hardware stores (ferreterías) carrying the flagship Corona brand (positioned as "la pintura buena" since 1982), 100+ company-owned Paleta retail stores (including the recently acquired Paraguay footprint), Corona Paint Center franchises launched in 2000, a dedicated B2B direct sales division (SYTEC, est. 1995) serving 658 key industrial and large-project accounts, retail partnerships with chains such as Walmart Centroamérica, and complementary accessory sales under the Expert brand plus specialized paint application services through Farbe International and TEKNO. The product portfolio also includes internationally licensed lines: Transocean high-performance industrial and marine coatings (since January 2019) and Automotive Art polyurethane automotive refinish (since 2019).

The business generates revenue from one-time product sales across consumer, contractor, and enterprise customers, supplemented by professional paint application services for turnkey projects. Grupo Solid holds ISO 9001:2015 certification at the Superbia plant, has been recognized as one of the most admired companies in Central America (the only paint company so recognized), and was named Walmart Centroamérica Supplier of the Year in 2021 among 400+ suppliers. The company has grown primarily through organic capacity buildout and tuck-in acquisitions (notably Pinturas Modelo in Nicaragua in 2014 and the Corona/Modelo brands and Paleta stores in Paraguay in 2021), remaining family-controlled with no disclosed institutional investors or public listing.

Name

Grupo Solid Sa

Legal name

Grupo Solid

Website

https://gruposolidca.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Grupo Solid Sa is a Guatemalan-founded, privately-held paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1955, operating as the regional leader in Central America and serving consumers, contractors, and industrial customers across 10 countries through four manufacturing plants, 8,000+ hardware stores, company-owned Paleta retail stores, B2B direct sales, and licensed international brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paints and Coatings Manufacturing

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Paint, Stain & Finishes Retail (Coatings, Sundries) (CRAIADAF)

Keywords

• Architectural paints
• Industrial coatings
• Wood coatings
• Automotive refinish
• Paint manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Guatemala City

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Paint and Coatings Manufacturing and Sales: Manufacturing, distribution and commercialization of architectural paints, industrial paints, wood paints, and automotive repainting coatings. Products sold through multiple channels including hardware stores, franchise stores, and direct B2B sales.
2. Paint Application Services: Full-service paint application for large projects (turnkey solutions) and end consumers through Farbe International and TEKNO division, providing specialized labor for architectural and industrial applications, waterproofing, lettering and finishing.
3. Product Portfolio Extensions: Sale of complementary products including applicators, rollers, trays, sandpaper, thinner and other painting accessories under the Expert brand.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Grupo Solid manufactures, distributes, and commercializes architectural, industrial, wood, and automotive refinish paints and coatings across Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. The company operates four manufacturing plants (Superbia, Farbe International, Grupo Solid Dominicana S.A.S., and Solid Paraguay) and offers turnkey paint application services for large projects and end consumers through the Tekno division. Distribution occurs through 8,000+ independent hardware stores, 100+ company-owned Paleta stores, franchise Corona Paint Centers, the SYTEC B2B division, and major retail chains.

Product overview

Grupo Solid Sa is a Central American paint and coatings company operating a multi-model, multi-brand portfolio across architectural, industrial, wood, and automotive refinishing paint segments. The company manufactures through its flagship Superbia plant (Guatemala) and Farbe International application plant, while also operating subsidiaries in the Dominican Republic (Grupo Solid Dominicana S.A.S.), Paraguay (Solid Paraguay), and Costa Rica (CAPSA). The product portfolio centers on the Corona paint brand distributed through hardware stores and franchise Corona Paint Centers, alongside the original Paleta retail brand. Supporting brands include Expert (application accessories) and Tekno (specialized application services). Since 2019, the company has expanded its offerings through licensing agreements with Transocean (high-performance industrial and marine coatings) and Automotive Art (European automotive refinishing polyurethanes). The SYTEC B2B division serves approximately 658 major regional accounts with direct technical support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paleta: Paint store brand and first store opened in 1955; operates over 100 own paint stores
• Corona
• Sytec
• Farbe International
• Superbia
• TEKNO
• Expert
• Transocean
• Automotive Art

Products and services

• Corona Paint Brand Flagship architectural paint brand launched in 1982, distributed primarily through independent hardware stores (ferreterías) and Corona Paint Center franchises across Central America. Used by individual consumers and contractors for residential and commercial painting projects.
• Paleta Paint Brand and Stores Original retail paint brand dating to 1955, sold through 100+ company-owned Paleta stores including the recently acquired 100 stores in Paraguay. Targets individual consumers and small contractors.
• SYTEC B2B Direct Sales Division B2B sales division created in 1995 providing personalized technical service to approximately 658 major companies across large industrial projects and key accounts in the region.
• Expert Paint Accessories Brand

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,000+ distribution points through independent hardware stores
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• TransoceancoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019In January 2019, Grupo Solid consolidated an alliance to become international members for the production and commercialization of the prestigious Transocean brand of high-performance industrial and marine paints, serving industrial and marine segments in Central America and the Caribbean.
• Automotive ArtcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019In 2019, Grupo Solid established an alliance for the distribution of the European brand Automotive Art, specializing in polyurethane products for automotive repainting with a state-of-the-art system and high performance.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AkzoNobel: Global paints and coatings incumbent (Dulux, International, Sikkens brands) competing in decorative, industrial, marine, and automotive refinish — directly comparable segments to Grupo Solid's Corona, Transocean, and Automotive Art lines.
• Kansai Paint: Japanese coatings major with established operations across Latin America and Africa through partnerships/acquisitions; competes in automotive, industrial, and decorative coatings — segments that map closely to Grupo Solid's portfolio.
• Sika AG: Swiss specialty chemicals company with a strong coatings, sealants, and waterproofing portfolio; directly relevant to Grupo Solid's Tekno waterproofing and industrial coatings offerings through SYTEC B2B.
• RPM International: US specialty coatings holding company with extensive Latin American distribution through subsidiaries like Tremco and Stonhard; relevant comparable for Grupo Solid's industrial, wood, and specialty coatings franchises.
• Sherwin-Williams: Global architectural and industrial coatings leader with branded retail stores (similar to Corona Paint Centers and Paleta). Operates broadly across Latin America and competes with Grupo Solid's architectural, industrial, and refinish paint portfolios.
• PPG Industries: Global paints and coatings major; acquired Comex (a major Latin American architectural paint competitor) and competes across architectural, industrial, marine, and automotive refinish segments that overlap directly with Grupo Solid's portfolio.
• BASF Coatings: Global coatings division of BASF serving automotive OEM/refinish, industrial, and decorative markets; comparable to Grupo Solid's industrial and automotive refinish (Automotive Art) segments.

Direct peers

• Hempel: Danish marine and industrial coatings specialist; competes in the same marine and protective coatings space that Grupo Solid addresses through its Transocean brand license in Central America and the Caribbean.
• Jotun: Norwegian marine, protective, and decorative coatings company; directly comparable in marine/industrial (Transocean-equivalent) and architectural paint segments where Grupo Solid operates across Central America.

Regional players

• Pinturas Berel: Mexico-based regional paint manufacturer focused on architectural and industrial coatings; comparable regional/emerging-market paint manufacturer analogous to Grupo Solid, though primarily serving Mexico rather than Central America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gruposolid

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Grupo Solid Sa