NCS Colour, a global leader in colour communication for the coatings, architecture and design industries, has entered a new phase of growth following an ownership change. Swedish investment firm Helix Kapital has acquired a majority stake in the company from Sobro, marking the end of a successful 15-year ownership period and the beginning of a renewed focus on international expansion and innovation.

Founded in 1945 and headquartered in Stockholm, NCS Colour has evolved from a Nordic based company into the global industry standard for colour communication. Today, the NCS has customers in around 100 countries and serves as a universal language for defining the approximately ten million colours the humans can perceive.

A Research-Based Standard with Global Reach

At the core of NCS Colour’s success is its scientifically based colour system, grounded in human visual perception. This research foundation, combined with a deep understanding of customer workflows and commercial realities, has made NCS a trusted partner across the entire coatings value chain.

The company offers a comprehensive ecosystem that includes licences for the NCS System, digital colour tools, training programmes and premium physical design products. Together, these solutions enable greater colour precision, improved product quality and increased efficiency – from early concept development through to final production.

For global coatings companies, this precision translates into long-term value, consistent results across markets and stronger collaboration between internal stakeholders as well as the end customers.

“Thanks to our strong partnership with Sobro, NCS has developed into a growth company with a significant global position,” says Elin Askfelt, CEO at NCS Colour. “We now look forward to the next phase with Helix Kapital accelerating our international expansion and offering our customers even more value adding and innovative colour solutions through the NCS System.”

Entering the Next Growth Phase

With Helix Kapital as its new majority owner, NCS Colour aims to accelerate its international expansion, strengthen its position in existing markets and expand into new verticals where the demand for standardised, precise colour communication is increasing.

The company’s management team and organisation remain firmly in place and will continue as significant part of the company, ensuring continuity while supporting the next stage of development.

A key focus of the new partnership will be continued investment in both digital and physical colour-communication tools.

“NCS is a well-established quality company with a unique position in its niche,” says Stefan Lambert, Partner at Helix Kapital. “The company combines strong customer relationships, long-term stability and an offering that delivers concrete value creation for its global customer base. We look forward to continuing to develop the business together with the management team.’

A Successful Chapter with Sobro

Sobro, which has owned NCS Colour for the past 15 years, reflects positively on the company’s development during its tenure—particularly the expansion of its digital offering and strengthening of its global footprint.

“We are proud of the journey NCS has made and grateful for the trust placed in us during part of the company’s 80-year history,” says **Louise Saatchi**, Partner at Sobro. “NCS’s management and employees have established a strong global position and broadened the digital offering in an impressive way. We are convinced the company will continue to create value for both customers and employees with Helix Kapital as its new majority owner.”

Looking Ahead

As NCS Colour enters its ninth decade, the partnership with Helix Kapital positions the company to build on its heritage while responding to new demands in the coatings and design industries. With colour precision, efficiency and global consistency becoming ever more critical, NCS aims to continue shaping how colour is communicated across products, markets and industries worldwide.

For more information, visit https://ncscolour.com/sv/pages/helix-kapital-acquires-ncs-colour.