Based in the Netherlands, AkzoNobel are a multicultural organisation making paints, coatings and speciality chemicals throughout the world.
We employ around 57,000 people and conduct our activities in coatings and chemicals with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries.
AkzoNobel is the world's largest coatings manufacturer and holds leading positions in most of its businesses aiming to deliver Tomorrow’s answers Today in each and every one.
The portfolio includes decorative paints; products for industrial applications including powder and specialty coatings; car refinishes; marine, protective and aerospace coatings; and coatings-related products such as wood and building adhesives.
AkzoNobel Performance Coatings comprises the company's high quality coatings businesses including Industrial finishes and Powder Coatings. The former focuses on the development, marketing, and manufacturing of factory applied wood, coil, and plastic coatings, and industrial wood adhesives. The latter is the largest global manufacturer of powder coatings, with products being supplied to eight key market sectors.
AkzoNobel is a Fortune Global 500 company and is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. The company is also the Chemicals industry leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and is included on the FTSE4Good Index.
AkzoNobel has come along way since we started in 1777. Here’s some of our highlights:
1777
Det Holmbladske Selskab, now Sadolin, is founded in Denmark.
1792
Painter and decorator Wiert Willem Sikkens starts making Sikkens lacquers in the Dutch town of Groningen.
1871
KemaNobel is established in Sweden. More than a hundred years later, in 1984, KemaNobel will merge with Bofors to form Nobel Industries, which will in turn be acquired by Akzo in 1994.
1895
Alfred Nobel (the man behind the Nobel Prize) founds Elektrokemiska Aktiebolaget – known as Eka – in Bengtsfors, Sweden. Its aim is to make chlorine and alkali. Today Eka Chemicals is AkzoNobel's Pulp & Paper Chemicals business.
1918
Koninklijke Nederlandse Zoutindustrie (KZO) kick-starts the Dutch salt industry in response to salt shortages during World War I.
1923
Saal van Zwanenberg establishes Organon to produce insulin from the pancreases of animals.
1968
UK man-made fiber company Courtaulds acquires International Paints.
1969
Algemeene Kunstzijde Unie NV (AKU) merges with Koninklijke Zwanenberg Organon (KZO) to form AKZO.
1994
Akzo and Nobel Industries merge to form AkzoNobel.
1998
AkzoNobel acquires UK company Courtaulds. Their products include high-tech industrial coatings and man-made fibers such as Courtelle and Tencel.
2007
AkzoNobel sells Organon BioSciences NV to Schering-Plough Corporation.
2008
AkzoNobel acquires Imperial Chemical Industries PLC (ICI).
AkzoNobel Annual Report