The Valspar (Switzerland) Corp. AG

About us
US based Valspar is the fifth largest global coatings manufacturer, providing coatings and coating raw materials to a wide variety of customers. With 2013 revenue surpassing US$ 4.1 billion, Valspar has more than 10,000 employees in over 80 locations around the world. It operates in two reportable segments: Coatings and Paints.

Within the Coatings segment, the Industrial coatings product line includes a broad range of decorative and protective coatings for metal, wood, plastic, and glass for sale to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) customers in North America, South America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. The product line also includes fillers, primers, stains, and topcoats used by customers in various manufacturing industries, including building products, transportation, appliances, automotive parts, furniture, agricultural and construction equipment, and metal fabrication. The Packaging coatings product line includes coatings for both interior and exterior use in metal packaging containers such as food containers and beverage cans, as well as product coatings for aerosol and paint cans, bottle crowns for glass and plastic packaging, and glass bottle closures.

The company’s Paint segment offers architectural paint products, which include interior and exterior paints, stains, primers, varnishes, floor paints, and specialty decorative products such as enamels, aerosols, and faux finishes used in the do-it-yourself market. The segment also includes automotive refinish paints that are sold to automotive refinish distributors and body shops and aerosol spray paints that are sold to automotive distributors and automotive supply retailers.

With its consistent financial performance, Valspar has been able to maintain a high level of investment and program initiatives for growth including new technology research, modern manufacturing and R&D facilities, state-of-the-art information systems, human resources, and global infrastructure. Dedicated people, customized programs, environmentally compliant and leading technology, commitment to efficient, low cost manufacturing and a world class safety record have made Valspar a recognized leader in the global coatings industry.

Valspar has supplemented internal growth in all of its product lines with a long history of generating significant shareholder value through acquisitions. The company’s acquisition strategy targets businesses closely related to Valspar’s core businesses, filling out product lines and technologies, and expanding the business geographically and opportunistically.

Valspar has been involved in a number of strategically significant acquisitions in the past decade. They include the acquisition of Lilly Industries in 2000, Dutch automotive coatings maker, DeBeer Lakfabrieken, in 2004, as well as the forest products division of Associated Chemists, and in 2005 acquired Samuel Cabot, Inc., a manufacturer of premium quality interior and exterior stains and finishes. In July 2006, Valspar acquired 80% of the share capital of Huarun Paints Holdings Company, one of China’s largest independent coatings companies. In October 2006, Valspar announced the acquisition of H.B. Fuller’s powder coatings business, providing Valspar its first powder manufacturing capacity in Europe.

In 2007, the Company acquired a majority of the voting shares of a coil coatings business in Brazil from Tekno S.A. and also acquired Spanyc Paints to give the company a consumer paints presence in Vietnam. Aires Coil Coatings S.A., based in Mexico, was acquired in December 2007 giving Valspar a regional presence in coil and packaging coatings industry. In June 2010, Valspar acquired Wattyl Limited, a leading consumer paint brand in Australia and New Zealand to compliment Valspar’s already existing business in that region. Valspar purchased the packaging coatings assets from DIC Corporation in July 2010 providing Valspar with manufacturing capability in India. And in February 2011, Valspar acquired Brazilian firm, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda to gain presence in the regional industrial powder coatings market. In 2013 Valspar acquired the Inver Group, a leading producer of industrial coatings serving customers across Europe.

For additional information on Valspar, please refer to the company’s website: www.valsparglobal.com.