Markets – Chroma Color® Corporation

Chroma Color Corporation Continues to Expand West Coast Footprint with Acquisition of Ferco Color

Nanette on October 21, 2025

Chroma Color Ferco Color

<10/21/25>, McHenry, IL: Chroma Color Corporation (“Chroma Color®” or “Chroma”) announced today that it has acquired Ferco Color (“Ferco” or the “Company”), a custom manufacturer of colorants, additives, and specialty compounds based in Chino, California. The transaction further strengthens Chroma’s West Coast manufacturing footprint and broadens its portfolio of colorant and additive technologies. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1994, Ferco Color has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality products, technical expertise, and reliable turnaround times, enabling customers to achieve strong results in their manufacturing processes. Its on-site analytical laboratory, EINSTEIN, differentiates Ferco Color by providing customers with comprehensive support in colorants, additives, resins, and end-product troubleshooting. The Company currently serves diverse end-markets, including medical, food packaging, irrigation, pool & spa, aerospace, cosmetic packaging, and engineering materials, among others.

Jennifer Thaw, CEO of Ferco Color, said, “We are proud to partner with Chroma Color®, an organization recognized for their exceptional reputation in color concentrates. Together our shared commitment to quality, technical expertise, and customer success will drive even greater value and performance for all our customers.”

“This acquisition of Ferco Color underscores our commitment to expanding our geographic reach and enhancing our product offerings to a wide range of customers,” stated Joe Herres, Chroma Color Corporation, CEO. “The entire team is fully prepared to support Ferco Color’s customers and team members during this transition, and we are confident that this partnership will strengthen our ability to better serve our customers’ evolving needs.”

Chroma Color®:

Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving diverse markets, including wire and cable, packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer products, among others. Chroma Color’s growth strategy includes a deep focus on organic growth as well as inorganic growth through several strategic acquisitions over recent years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its market-leading colorant, has delivered high value to customers for more than 50 years. chromacolors.com

Chroma Color® Corporation Launches ChromaXLPEUltra Next-Generation Color Concentrates for High-Performance XLPE Applications

chromacolorstg on May 10, 2025

McHenry, IL – Chroma Color® Corporation, a leading provider of specialty color concentrates, proudly announces the launch of ChromaXLPEUltra, an innovative line of high-intensity color concentrates specifically designed for advanced cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) applications.

Engineered to meet the growing demands of harsh environments and rapidly evolving markets, ChromaXLPEUltra features proprietary pigments, carrier resins, and additives to deliver vibrant, high-performance color at reduced loading levels of just 1–2% with VW-1 vertical flame ratings.

“We developed ChromaXLPEUltra to support customers operating in the most demanding sectors—from aerospace and mining to automotive and transcontinental power transmission,” said Jim Walsh, VP of Technology at Chroma Color® Corporation. “This product line reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and safety.”

Key Features of ChromaXLPEUltra:

-Advanced XLPE formulations specifically designed for harsh environments such as construction, mining, refineries, nuclear/hydrogen plants, transcontinental power transmission, and aerospace.

-Upholds superior mechanical properties, used in low smoke zero halogen XLPE compounds and meeting ROHS, REACH, HMF requirements for sustainable products.

-XLPE (UV) solutions designed for the rapidly evolving markets such as automotive/transportation (EV & Hydrogen).

-XLPEUltra products meet UL 746C & ASTM standards, ensuring reliability and safety

-XLPE (UV) solutions designed for the rapidly evolving markets such as automotive/transportation (EV & Hydrogen). These products meet stringent ASTM standards, ensuring reliability and safety.

The ChromaXLPEUltra line represents Chroma Color®’s continued leadership in delivering sustainable and high-performing solutions for wire and cable insulation, transportation, energy infrastructure, and more.

To learn more about ChromaXLPEUltra, visit: https://chromacolors.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Chroma-Standard-Colors-2025-XLPEUltra-Single-F.pdf

and this link with more details about the product line: https://chromacolors.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ChromaXLPEUltra-5-Standard.pdf

New ChromaBioColor Masterbatch from Chroma Color® for “Difficult to Recycle” Parts

Nanette on May 7, 2024

Companies in the plastic’s industry continues to look for color concentrate solutions to meet sustainability goals. To support these customers Chroma Color®’s technical team continues to develop additional options. Recently, a customer was looking for a partner to come up with a color masterbatch using a PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) biobased polyester that would comply to *ASTM D-6400/*DIN EN13432 Bio-Composting standards.

The Chroma Color® Technology team developed three new colors for our customer using a specifically designed carrier resin for a masterbatch:

41OR0001SC41CO-F Orange 50/1

41RD0001SC41CO-F Red 50/1

41WH000141CO-F White 50/1

*ASTM D6400 outlines the standard requirements for the biodegradation of solid materials through composting, specifically tailored for labeling plastics intended for aerobic composting in municipal or industrial settings.

*DIN EN 13432 specifies the requirements and procedures for determining the compostability and aerobic treatability of packaging (and its materials).

About PHA’s: are a family of biobased and biodegradable polyesters made by bacterial fermentation. PHACT biopolymers were chosen for this project are plant-based and feature a sustainable manufacturing process. Alone or when blended with other polymers, they dramatically improve environmental characteristics while enhancing physical properties in a broad range of consumer applications. This material is considered to be thermally stable in the normal and customary processing range of 185- 200 Cº. Extended polymer and concentrate residence time in the process equipment may require that process temperature profiles be reviewed and/or adjusted to insure a proper and suitable product.

Click here to download the brochure : https://chromacolors.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chroma-PHA-Color-Masterbatch-Final-LR.pdf

Chroma Color®:

Chroma Color® Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving diverse markets, including wire and cable, packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer products, and others.

With the recent acquisition of Epolin, Chroma Color® is now the recognized leader in the near-infra-red (NIR) absorptive dye industry, producing proprietary blends to suit the eye protection and light management sectors.

Chroma Color®’s growth strategy includes robust organic and inorganic growth through nine acquisitions over three years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant, has delighted customers for over 50 years.

Chroma Color® Patented G2®, G3® and Nylon For Lawn, Garden & Tool

chromacolorstg on January 6, 2023

Molders requiring outdoor weather able solutions for lawn, garden & tool applications can count on the Chroma Color® Corporation team members to find the right solutions. Depending on the application or base resin, customers can choose from our patented G-Series: G2® and/or G3® product lines. Learn more by downloading our informational pdf: Click Here

Chroma Color® Corporation Introduces NIR Sortable Black Color Concentrate Solution

chromacolorstg on July 19, 2021

Material Recycling Facilities (MRFs) use IR (infrared) and NIR (near infrared) sorting technology to increase yield, improve throughput rates, and increase profitability. The challenge with this technology is its inability to properly identify and accurately sort black colored plastic products. Carbon black absorbs the light emitted from the IR devices and prevents the successful identification of the type of plastic. These unsorted black plastic products are rejected and, in most cases, end up in landfills.

Brand owners have published aggressive sustainability goals requiring a quantum leap in the recyclability of plastic articles. It is not acceptable to loose plastic articles to landfill solely because they are black or very dark in color. Significant resources have been devoted to creating black branded products, and viable practical solutions are required. Rather than sacrificing the brand’s aesthetic desires, the best option is to maintain brand recognition and replace carbon black with an alternative black coloring technology.

Chroma Color® now offers a solution to this problem. A carbon black alternative that does not sacrifice brand aesthetics but allows the MRF sorter to accurately and repeatedly identify and sort the plastic article.

Chroma Color®’s NIR sortable black technology is based upon IR reflecting/transparent pigments and proprietary combination of dyes and organic pigments.

This product is referred to as “NIR Sortable Black ” and is available in a variety of resins that include the most common packaging resins; polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, ABS and PET.

Key features of this color system:

Inert, heat stable, non-migratory

Can be used in a variety of polymers

FDA Approved

About Chroma Color®

Chroma Color® Corporation is a technology-leading specialty color and additive masterbatch supplier delivering critical aesthetics, technical innovations, and sustainable solutions to plastics processors and brand owners. Chroma Color®’s growth strategy includes robust organic and inorganic growth, having made six acquisitions over the last three years. Chroma Color®’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years.

Chroma Color® Introduces ChromaPCRPET™ a Line of Color Concentrates Based on 100% PCR PET Carrier

chromacolorstg on March 26, 2021

Chroma Color® Corporation has developed a unique product line explicitly designed for use with recycled materials. ChromaPCRPET™ allows brand owners to further increase the levels of PCR within their package, supporting increased Sustainability Goals.

Chroma PCR PET

Key Features of ChromaPCRPET™ include:

– Ability to use in sheets, bottles and other applications

– Product is commercialized

– Product is FDA compliant with No Objection Letter (NOL)

– Chroma Color® offers correction colors for PCR, chain extenders, processing stabilizers and other additives for recycled PET streams

– Final product 100% PCR content

UltraPET®, formulated with ChromaTransparent (a patented carrier technology) is a highly loaded color concentrate that delivers both lower costs and greater processing flexibility for brand owners and converters.

Download the Product PDF

About Chroma Color®

Chroma Color® Corporation is a technology-leading specialty color and additive masterbatch supplier delivering critical aesthetics, technical innovations, and sustainable solutions to plastics processors and brand owners. Chroma Color®’s growth strategy includes robust organic and inorganic growth, having made six acquisitions over the last three years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years.

Chroma Color® Corporation, a portfolio company of Arsenal Capital Partners, has acquired Epolin Chemicals LLC, a leader in near-infrared absorbing dyes and thermoplastic compounds

chromacolorstg on June 22, 2020

McHenry, IL: The acquisition of Epolin Chemicals LLC (“Epolin”), with its global leadership in near-infrared absorbing dyes and thermoplastic compounds, significantly expands Chroma Color® Corporation (“Chroma Color®”)’s product offerings in targeted growth markets. Epolin serves customers developing groundbreaking products in sensors, security inks, light filters, touch-screens, night vision products, and eyewear. Epolin will operate as an independent subsidiary of Chroma Color® and continue to maintain and invest in its strong customer and supplier relationships.

This acquisition of Epolin will contribute significantly to Chroma Color®’s leadership in the colorants and additives industry. We are excited to add Epolin’s cutting-edge NIR Dye technology to our expanding product portfolio and the members of the Epolin team to the Chroma family. There is also a tremendous opportunity for cross-selling by our team when IR absorption is part of an application combined with traditional color.”

“Of the many advantages Epolin customers will enjoy as a result of this transaction is access to Chroma Color®’s extensive product development, testing, and validation capabilities. Epolin’s customers can now be served by Chroma Color®’s ongoing R&D efforts to deliver new solutions for the markets that both Epolin and Chroma Color® serve,” stated Greg Amato, CEO, Epolin.

Genesis Capital LLC acted as the investment banking advisor to Chroma Color®, and Grace Matthews provided advisory services to Arsenal Capital Partners. The law firm of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP acted a legal counsel to Chroma Color®. BDA Partners acted as the investment banking advisor to Epolin.

Epolin:

For more information about Epolin, please visit www.epolin.com

Chroma Color®:

Chroma Color® Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving a diverse range of markets, including packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer products and others. Chroma Color®’s growth strategy includes both robust organic and inorganic growth and has been built through six acquisitions over more than two years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years. For more information please visit www.chromacolors.com.

Arsenal Capital Partners:

Arsenal is a specialized private equity firm that focuses on investments in middle‐market specialty industrials and healthcare companies. Since its inception in 2000, Arsenal has raised institutional equity investment funds of $5.3 billion, has completed more than 45 platform investments, and has achieved more than 30 realizations. Arsenal invests in industry sectors in which the firm has significant prior knowledge and experience. The firm works with management teams to build strategically important companies with leading market positions, high growth, and high value‐add. For more information, please visit www.arsenalcapital.com

About BDA Partners:

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. It is a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 20 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. It provides global reach with teams in New York and London, and regional depth through seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA Partners has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. It works relentlessly to earn clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes. BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. For more information, please visit www.bdapartners.com.

Press Contacts:

For Epolin and Chroma Color® Corporation:Nanette Gregory. 407.432.7706 [email protected].

For Arsenal Capital Partners: Brian Schaffer / Kristen Duarte 646.818.9229 / 646.818.9074. [email protected]. / [email protected].

Chroma Color® Corporation invests more than $1.5 million across manufacturing sites and announces closure of its recently acquired Calumet City, IL operations

chromacolorstg on May 4, 2020

McHenry, IL: To fulfill Chroma Color®’s commitment to continuous improvement and optimization of its manufacturing operations in providing world-class service and products, Chroma Color® has completed significant investments at multiple manufacturing sites and just announced the transition of all production from its Calumet City, IL location (formerly Plastics Color Corporation of Illinois, January 2020) to other Chroma Color® manufacturing sites. In addition, the Plastics Color Corporation business name will be officially changed to Chroma Color® Corporation effective May 15, 2020.

“Since the acquisition of Plastics Color Corporation’s assets and business took place earlier this year, we have been diligently exploring a wide array of opportunities to maximize the value we can bring to our customers with an optimal manufacturing footprint. After careful consideration and recognizing that we have ample capacity available on more advanced manufacturing equipment located at other Chroma Color® manufacturing sites, the decision to close the Calumet City location has been made. This decision puts us in the best position to invest in the locations that will best serve our customers,” said Tom Bolger, CEO, Chroma Color® Corporation.

Bishop Beall, VP Sales, stated, “In preparation for this transition, Chroma Color® has invested more than $1.5 million across our manufacturing sites. These recent investments include new equipment purchases, refurbishment of key equipment and assets, enhancements to our lab capabilities, and a variety of structural upgrades. The equipment upgrades included several twin-screw compounding lines, high intensity mixer, roto-cone blending system, and additional lab equipment. With these investments and the systematic transition plan currently in process, we are confident that this consolidation will allow us to deliver improved products, quality and service to our valued customers.”

Based upon several factors including equipment configurations, process requirements, regulatory requirements, and geographic locations, production is being transferred to Chroma Color®’s operations in Asheboro, NC, McHenry, IL, Leominster, MA and Delaware, OH.

Last year, Chroma Color® completed an expansion at its Leominster, MA site with an investment of more than $1 million that included significant structural upgrades, new compounding lines, a dust collection system, new state of the art color development laboratory, along with improvements to both warehousing and office environments.

“Since the decision was reached, we have been proactively engaged in the technology transfer of product formulas, manufacturing processes, and regulatory compliance processes. Production qualification is well underway for most products. We anticipate a seamless transition for current customers served out of Calumet City based on knowledge transfer and extensive experience at our other locations as well as some potential, limited job transfers. Detailed transition plans are in place and expected to be completed by the end of July,” continued Tom Bolger.

Earlier today, representatives of Chroma Color® Corporation met with employees at the Calumet City facility to inform them of the decision and to share the transition assistance the company will be providing to those impacted. Completion of the Calumet City closure is anticipated to occur by July 31 following the successful transition of all product manufacturing.

Questions should be directed to Cass Birchbauer, Chief Human Resource Officer, Chroma Color® Corporation at 330.421.8778.

About Chroma Color® Corporation

Chroma Color® Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving a diverse range of markets that include packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer products, wire & cable, building & construction, lawn & garden, appliance, sanitation, recreation & leisure, transportation and more. Chroma Color®’s growth strategy includes both solid organic growth and through targeted acquisitions. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise coupled with its game-changing colorant technologies have delighted customers for over 50 years.

Chroma Color® Corporation Acquires Plastics Color Corporation

chromacolorstg on January 31, 2020

McHenry, IL: January 31, 2020- Chroma Color® Corporation continues to grow its manufacturing footprint along with its portfolio of colorant and additive technologies with its recent acquisition of Plastics Color Corporation, including its two facilities in Asheboro, North Carolina and Calumet City, Illinois. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For more than 50 years, Plastics Color Corporation has consistently delivered innovations in color concentrates, functional additives and custom polymer masterbatch. Plastics Color has held multiple certifications and accreditations that meet or exceed government standards and regulations, including Drug Master Files (DMFs). DMFs streamline the FDA compliance process for colors, additives and concentrates intended for medical and pharmaceutical applications that enable brand owners to get their products to market faster.

Tom Bolger, CEO of Chroma Color®, noted, “PCC has a strong base of customers and is known for solution-based products and strong service, both being pillars of Chroma’s offerings. Their presence in medical and pharmaceutical products, food packaging, CPG, and construction applications will bring more technologies and know-how to Chroma to allow us to better serve our customers and continue our growth.”

Chroma President, Howard DeMonte, said, “We are pleased Plastics Color has joined Chroma. This acquisition further supports our strategy of pursuing sustainable, organic growth by deploying Chroma’s proven patented colorant technologies into new markets such as is the case with this investment.”

About Chroma Color® Corporation

Chroma Color® Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving the global plastics marketplace. Chroma’s extensive technical and manufacturing expertise coupled with its game-changing colorant technologies have enabled and delighted customers for over 50 years in diverse markets that include packaging, wire and cable, building & construction, consumer, medical, healthcare, lawn & garden, durables, sanitation, recreation and leisure, transportation and more.

Chroma Color® Corporation Sales & Service Support Now Available For Latin America (LATM) Region

chromacolorstg on December 3, 2019

McHenry, IL: Due to the rapid growth of Chroma Color® Corporation’s business in Latin America, Chroma’s executive team is investing in a higher level of regional support having selected the services of long-time industry executive, Juan Rodriquez.

Juan, based in Monterrey, Mexico, has worked in the plastics industry in both the US and Mexico over the past 17 years. In his prior sales and technical positions with PolyOne and Uniform Color Company, he developed a deep knowledge of plastics processing and has considerable experience serving the auto/heavy truck, packaging, consumer products and healthcare industries.

If you are in Latin America and desire local support for your color concentrate projects, please contact us through our form found on our website and we will ensure Juan reaches out to as soon as possible.

About Chroma Color® Corporation

Chroma Color® Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier of the highest quality and the shortest lead times in the plastics marketplace. The business exceeds $160 million in sales due to solid organic growth and targeted acquisitions. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise coupled with its game-changing colorant technologies have surprised and delighted customers for over 50 years in markets such as: packaging, wire and cable, building & construction, consumer products, medical, healthcare, lawn & garden, durables, sanitation, recreation & leisure, transportation and more.

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