History – The Milestones of the ROWA GROUP
Consistency Amid Change
The ROWA GROUP is an internationally renowned supplier of top-quality engineering plastics, specialty coating systems, color concentrates, additives, blowing agents, and adhesion promoters. Starting out in 1958 as a rubber-processing company, we have reached our current position by continuously expanding our business areas and expertise in the world of polymers and growing organically. Along the way, we have embraced technological, economic, and social developments and successfully addressed them through company start-ups and acquisitions. The foundations of our success have always been our solidity as a medium-sized business, our deep roots in our founding location of Pinneberg, and the quality of German engineering. With this foundation, we will continue to meet future market demands with creativity and agility.
1958
Founding of ROWA GmbH
1969
Manufacture of specialty coatings for finishing PVC- and PU-coated fabrics
1978
Start of production of color masterbatches for a wide variety of plastics
1979
Acquisition of TRAMACO GmbH, a leading supplier of primer systems, blowing agent compounds, resins, and waxes
1987
Founding of ROWA INC., USA
1989
Acquisition and expansion of the Pinneberg site, along with the relocation of administrative offices, production facilities, and parts of the research and development division
1990
Founding of ROMIRA GmbH for the manufacture of engineering plastics and blends
1994
Founding of ROWA FRANCE
1995
Acquisition of a facility and establishment of ROWA KOREA for the manufacture and distribution of coatings for PVC- and PU-coated fabrics
2003
Founding of the ROWA GROUP in Delran, USA, to manufacture blowing agent masterbatches for the U.S. market
2004
Acquisition of Colortek in Karstädt, Brandenburg, and founding of ROWASOL GmbH to produce liquid paints and additives
2006
Implementation of a Quality Management System in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14001 for the Paint Division
2010
Split of ROWA GmbH’s Masterbatch and Coatings divisions into ROWA Masterbatch GmbH and ROWA Lack GmbH
2010
Establishment of ROWA GROUP Holding GmbH, with the business purpose of serving as a holding company and, as such, providing services and support functions to the companies of the ROWA GROUP
2010
Establishment of ROWA Coatings Beijing, China, to market ROWA coating products in China
2011
Strengthening the Pinneberg site through the construction of a high-bay warehouse with over 4,000 pallet spaces for the ROWA GROUP, as well as the renovation and installation of new production lines, state-of-the-art bagging systems, and new outdoor and indoor silos for ROMIRA GmbH
2012
Expansion of the plant grounds through the purchase of an adjacent property, thereby increasing the site’s total area to over 57,000 m²
2012
Sale of Horst Müller Kunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG, a company within the corporate group. The buyer is the Swedish elastomer specialist Hexpol AB, headquartered in Malmö
2015
Expansion in the U.S.: ROWA Inc. / GROUP USA LLC, the North American subsidiary of the ROWA GROUP, is focused on further development and change: relocation to the new state-of-the-art technology center in Croydon, Pennsylvania
2015
Establishment of the cross-company CCC Color Competence Center® to bring together core competencies in color development
2016
ROWACoatings relocated to Ningbo and changed its name to Ningbo ROWA Coatings Technology, Co. Ltd.
2019
TRAMACO GmbH Moves into New Facility in Tornesch
2019
Expansion of storage capacity in Pinneberg through the construction of a new lightweight warehouse