- 2023
Strategic expansion of the powder coatings business
KANSAI HELIOS becomes the new owner of CWS Lackfabrik GmbH (“CWS”) and its group companies in Germany, USA, Denmark and Poland. CWS is a well-known powder coatings and liquid as well as solid synthetic resins producer, with more than 150 years of tradition and its headquarters in Düren (Germany) with around 250 employees.
- 2022
Two new brands join the KANSAI HELIOS family
HELIOS Srbija becomes the new owner of the brand Zorka Color.
KANSAI HELIOS Group completes the acquisition of all assets, including all business activities, brands and employees, of Westdeutsche Farben GmbH (“wefa”) and names it´s new daughter in Essen, Germany, KANSAI HELIOS Wefa. - 2021
We are the new KANSAI HELIOS Group
With KANSAI PAINT, as one of the top paint & coatings manufacturers worldwide, and Helios Group as a specialist for paint & coatings, synthetic resins, adhesives and speciality chemicals in Europe, we are pooling our entire wealth of experience and combining our strengths in production, technology, research & development and environmental and sustainability management in Europe under the new corporate brand name “KANSAI HELIOS”.
- 2017
Helios, Member of a Global Coatings Group
With the closing of transaction on 31 March 2017, Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. acquires the European Coatings Group Helios. Under the strategic owner KANSAI PAINT, Helios represents the European center of innovation, know-how and business development, and therefore further grows its importance in the European coatings industry.
- 2014
Slovene Helios group merged with Austrian group
The Austrian RIH Group becomes a strategic partner and a new majority shareholder of the Slovene coatings group Helios. Two years of consolidation follow. The new, enlarged European Coatings Group Helios consist of companies and manufactures located in 18 countries worldwide and is an umbrella for many renowned brands. The group operates among the top 10 coatings companies in Europe and maintains the vision to become one of the greatest coating companies in Europe.
- 2010
The era of acquisitions for RIH
Until 2010 RIH acquires and integrates important coating companies with long tradition: Iris Lacke in Austria (2007), Christ Lacke in Austria (2007), Fritze Lacke in Austria (2008), Ecopolifix in Italy (2009), Rembrandtin CZ in Czech (2009) and Farbexperte in Austria (2010).
- 2007
The era of acquisitions for Helios group
From 2001 to 2007 Helios acquires big coating companies and therefore gained important market shares in ex-Yugoslavian markets and the CIS region: Chromos in Croatia (2001), Zvezda in Serbia (2003), Color Medvode in Slovenia (2004), Odilak in Russia (2006), Belinka in Slovenia (2007) and Avrora in Ukraine (2007).
- 2006
Austrian Rembrandtin joins RIH
Austrian Rembrandtin is acquired by Ring International Holding (RIH), which marks the start for their second business pillar, the RIH Coatings Division.
- 1995
Helios becomes Joint Stock Company
Helios registers in the Register of Companies and becomes a joint stock company. The first general meeting of shareholders of Helios was held on 26th June 1996.
- 1971
Focus on Synthetic Resins
Helios prioritizes the expansion of its synthetic resins capacity with the associated infrastructure. The construction of a modern production facility for synthetic resins will simultaneously enable the construction of a building for the production of pigment coatings.
- 1954
The Name “Helios”
After the company went through numerous status and organizational changes in after war period it finally became independent and changed its name to Helios, Tovarna lakov Domžale (Helios, The varnish factory Domžale).
More than 170 years of tradition in the coatings industry
- 1937
The Beginnings of Rembrandtin in Austria
Julius Seidler acquires a small paint factory from the Dutch company Varossieau & Cie in Donaufelderstrass, which was renamed to Rembrandtin in 1947. The name was inspired by a label showing the famous painter, Rembrandt.
- 1924
The Beginnings of Helios in Slovenia
Helios dates back to 1924 when the joint stock company Ljudevit Marx, Tovarna lakov Domžale was founded. This was the start of paints and lacquers production in for the time being advanced, industrial way, for the domestic and foreign market.
- 1876
The Beginnings of Fritze Lacke in Austria
Otto Fritze opens his company "Hetzendorfer Lack-, Farben- und Firniß-Fabrik O. Fritze" not knowing to which fame the brand will make it in Austria.
- 1864
The Beginnings of CWS in Germany
Conrad Wilhelm Schmidt founds CWS in Düsseldorf, Germany.