Association of the German Paint and Printing Ink Industry

The Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. (VdL), known in English as the Association of the German Paint and Printing Ink Industry, is the largest trade association of the German paint and coatings industry. Founded in 1900 as the Verband Deutscher Lackfabrikanten (VDL), it has represented the economic and political interests of German paint manufacturers for over 125 years. Since 2009, following a merger with the Verband der Druckfarbenindustrie (VdD), it has also represented the printing ink industry. Together, the sector it represents generates a turnover of €7.5 billion and employs 25,000 people. The VdL is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main and operates as an independent trade association within the Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI), the German chemical industry association. It is also a member of CEPE, the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry. The association currently has 183 members and 20 extraordinary members, including global players such as AkzoNobel and BASF Coatings, as well as numerous medium-sized companies. Its president is Peter Jansen (since May 2018) and its chief executive is Dr. Martin Kanert. The VdL is organized into four sectors: architectural coatings (Bautenfarben), industrial coatings (Performance Coatings), printing inks (Druckfarben), and powder coatings (Pulverlacke). Its core activities include representing members' interests in technical legislation, environmental and health protection, standardization, product liability, quality assurance, and vocational training. The association publishes technical guidelines, environmental product declarations, and market analyses such as the powder coatings statistics. It also runs campaigns such as "Lebe Farbe" (Live Colour) to promote creativity and colourful design, and maintains the training portal Lacklaborant.de. Recent activities include addressing cybersecurity for members, regulatory developments such as the EU classification of talc, new requirements for environmental communication from September 2026, and the future of dangerous goods transport. The VdL celebrated its 125th anniversary with a digitally revised edition of its commemorative publication "Die Lack Story", covering the history of the association from 1900 to 2025.

The Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. (VdL) traces its origins to 15 October 1900, when it was founded as the Verband Deutscher Lackfabrikanten (VDL) at the Hotel Taunus in Frankfurt am Main. Of 101 invited German paint manufacturers, 41 joined to form the first supra-regional German paint association. Its first chairman was Louis Mann. From the outset, the association was politically active: in 1902 it achieved a reduction in customs tariffs and an increase in import duties on foreign paints, and in 1915, during World War I, it called for a boycott of foreign paints. After the war, Louis Mann became a member of the Reich Commissariat for Transitional Economy, where he saved many paint factories from bankruptcy. On 22 January 1935, the association was forcibly incorporated by the National Socialists into the Fachgruppe Lacke of the Wirtschaftsgruppe Chemische Industrie, ending its autonomy. On 16 March 1948, it was re-formed as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Lackindustrie with 480 member companies, of which 370 became founding members of today's VdL. In the 1960s, the VdL conducted extensive press and public relations work, leading to the founding of the Deutsches Lackinstitut in 1969, dedicated solely to public relations. The VdL logo was presented on 23 April 1964 in Berlin. In recent decades, the VdL has been strongly engaged in environmental policy positions of the paint industry, for example in the discussion around REACh. It generally advocates moderate adaptation of regulations, arguing that overly large legislative changes are rarely quickly implementable. On REACh and nanoparticles, the VdL's position is that existing legislation is already sufficient, as REACh covers all areas including nanoparticles. On 1 January 2009, the VdL merged with the Verband der Druckfarbenindustrie (VdD) to form the new Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie. This was achieved by admitting VdD members and subsequently renaming the association. The VdL now represents over 85% of industrial paint manufacturers in Germany. A key ongoing goal of the VdL is combating the shortage of skilled workers and know-how in the paint industry. Even before World War II, it maintained its own laboratories. In 1951, it contributed to the recognition of the profession of Lacklaborant (paint laboratory technician). In the same year, the Stuttgart Institute for Coating Materials and Construction was founded with strong VdL involvement. Paint-specific degree programs were gradually introduced in Krefeld, Esslingen and Paderborn. The VdL also organizes congresses, seminars and specialist conferences. In terms of environmental policy, the VdL presented the Voluntary Agreement on Solvent Reductions at the Farbe 84 trade fair, which envisaged a 20-25% reduction in environmentally harmful solvent content within five years. The main goal was to counter the persistent prejudice that "paint is poison". In 1995, it introduced an environmental guideline called Coatings Care, modeled on the Responsible Care guideline of the general chemical industry, to demonstrate the paint industry's own responsibility. The VdL has issued 7 guidelines to promote Responsible Care and Sustainable Development, covering plant safety, environmental protection, employee training, product responsibility, resource conservation, safe handling, and disposal. It also regularly publishes technical writings and VdL-Richtlinien (guidelines) with specific requirements for testing coating materials.

• 2025

  125th anniversary; 'Die Lack Story' digitally revised and extended to cover 2000-2025.

• 2018

  Peter Jansen becomes president in May.

• 2009

  Merges with Verband der Druckfarbenindustrie (VdD) on 1 January to form Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V.

• 1995

  Coatings Care environmental guideline introduced.

• 1984

  Voluntary Agreement on Solvent Reductions presented at Farbe 84 trade fair.

• 1969

  Deutsches Lackinstitut founded, dedicated solely to public relations.

• 1964

  VdL logo presented on 23 April in Berlin.

• 1951

  Contributes to recognition of the Lacklaborant profession; Stuttgart Institute for Coating Materials and Construction founded with VdL involvement.

• 1948

  Re-formed as Arbeitsgemeinschaft Lackindustrie on 16 March with 480 member companies.

• 1935

  Forcibly incorporated into the Fachgruppe Lacke of the Wirtschaftsgruppe Chemische Industrie by the National Socialists on 22 January.

• 1915

  Calls for boycott of foreign paints during World War I.

• 1902

  Achieves reduction of customs tariffs and increase in import duties on foreign paints.

• 1900

  Founded as Verband Deutscher Lackfabrikanten (VDL) on 15 October in Frankfurt am Main; 41 of 101 invited manufacturers join.

The largest and most representative trade association for the German paint, coatings and printing ink industry, acting as the industry's voice in politics, public affairs and technical regulation.

• VdL-Richtlinien

  Technical guidelines with specific requirements for testing coating materials.

• Environmental product declarations

  Verbands-Umweltproduktdeklarationen published by the association.

• Powder coatings statistics

  Market analysis of the German powder coatings market, identifying trends early.

• Lacklaborant.de

  Training portal for careers in the paint and coatings industry.

• Die Lack Story

  Commemorative publication on the history of the association and industry, updated for the 125th anniversary.

• Lebe Farbe
• Coatings Care
• Voluntary Agreement on Solvent Reductions

1. 1Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. | Homewirsindfarbe.de
2. 2Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. | Die Lack Storywirsindfarbe.de
3. 3Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. | Geschichtewirsindfarbe.de
4. 4Wikidata: Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustriewikidata.org
5. 5Wikipedia (de): Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustriede.wikipedia.org