Jotun
Corporate brand
UnclaimedNorwegian multinational manufacturer of decorative paints and performance coatings.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Jotun is a Norwegian multinational paints and coatings group headquartered in Sandefjord. Founded in 1926 by Odd Gleditsch Sr., the company developed from a local merchant supplying marine paints and ship provisions into a globally operating manufacturer serving residential, maritime, industrial and infrastructure markets. Its business is organized around four principal segments: Decorative Paints, Marine Coatings, Protective Coatings and Powder Coatings. The company’s origins are closely connected to Sandefjord’s maritime and whaling economy. Gleditsch had worked at sea and recognized that shipowners and shipyards needed dependable supplies for vessel maintenance. He initially operated a paint store and later acquired Jotun Kemiske Fabrik A/S in 1926, followed by the Gimle oil mill in 1928 to strengthen manufacturing capacity. Jotun’s early growth was supported by the development of ready-made paints, which were more convenient and consistent than the separate pigments, oils and solvents traditionally mixed by customers. Arcanol, introduced in the early 1930s, became an important marine anticorrosion product and helped establish the Jotun name among Norwegian shipowners. Jotun gradually broadened beyond marine paints. It entered decorative paints with products such as Fenom and later developed exterior wood-protection and interior-paint brands. A major commercial and technological turning point came in 1976 with the introduction of Jotun Multicolor, a computerized in-store tinting system that allowed retailers to produce a wide range of colors at the point of sale. The system strengthened Jotun’s decorative-paints business and helped connect the company’s manufacturing platform with retailers, color systems and consumers. International expansion became a defining feature of the group. Jotun established its first overseas production facility in Tripoli, Libya, in 1962 and opened a factory in Thailand in the late 1960s, creating a base for expansion across Southeast Asia. It subsequently developed operations in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas through subsidiaries, factories, joint ventures, distributors and local partnerships. Its maritime heritage helped it follow Norwegian shipowners into international ports, while its decorative and protective-coatings businesses created additional routes into construction, energy, infrastructure and industrial markets. In 1972, Jotun merged with three other Norwegian paint businesses: Alf Bjercke A/S, Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S and the paint division of A/S Denofa og Lilleborg Fabrikker. The combination created Norway’s largest paint manufacturer and gave the enlarged group greater resources for research, production and international development. Orkla became a long-term minority owner through the merger and remains a major shareholder, while the Gleditsch family continues to exercise controlling influence. Jotun’s performance-coatings portfolio includes marine antifouling systems, anticorrosive protective coatings, passive fire-protection products, industrial coatings and powder coatings. Product development has increasingly focused on durability, corrosion control, fuel efficiency, lower environmental impact and digital or robotic services. Examples include SeaQuantum antifouling coatings, Hull Performance Solutions, Jotachar passive fire protection and HullSkater, an underwater robotic hull-cleaning service designed to reduce fouling and support vessel efficiency. As of 2025, Jotun reported operating revenue of NOK 34.333 billion and operating profit of NOK 7.081 billion, with an operating margin of 20.6%. The group reported approximately 10,933 employees, 40 production facilities and representation in more than 120 countries through companies, offices, agents and distributors. Jotun remains privately held, operates as a one-brand group across its principal business segments, and positions itself around the purpose “Jotun Protects Property.”
History
Jotun’s history began in the Norwegian port town of Sandefjord, where shipping and whaling created a recurring need for vessel maintenance supplies. Odd Gleditsch Sr., who had worked at sea, opened a paint store around 1920. After the local economy recovered, he expanded his relationships with shipowners and shipyards and in 1926 purchased Jotun Kemiske Fabrik A/S, a small chemical factory that became the foundation of the modern Jotun group. Gleditsch combined trading experience with an emphasis on manufacturing and technical development. In 1928 he acquired Gimle Oljemølle, an oil mill that helped the company produce its own materials. Jotun’s early products addressed the needs of the maritime sector, where corrosion resistance and reliable application were commercially important. In the early 1930s, the company introduced Arcanol, a ready-made marine coating developed to protect ships against corrosion. Arcanol gave Jotun a recognizable product identity and helped it compete in a market where customers had traditionally purchased and mixed raw paint ingredients themselves. The Second World War created severe supply constraints. Restricted access to raw materials reduced production, but Jotun continued operating and developed alternative formulations. Company accounts describe the introduction of wartime products using substitute raw materials, as well as efforts to retain employees during periods when the factory could not operate normally. After the war, Norway’s construction and shipping activity generated demand for both marine and decorative coatings. Jotun responded by expanding its product range, launching decorative products including Fenom in 1953 and Trebitt, a transparent wood stain, in 1956. In 1951, it opened a new five-story factory at Gimle with dedicated space for research and development, signaling that technical capability would remain central to its strategy. Jotun’s internationalization accelerated during the 1960s. It established sales offices in Hong Kong and Japan and opened its first overseas production facility in Tripoli, Libya, in 1962. The Libyan operation became a training and development base for managers and engineers who later supported further international expansion. A factory in Thailand, opened in the late 1960s, gave Jotun a platform for the Far Eastern markets. During the same period, the company began developing solvent-free powder coatings in partnership with Norwegian chemist Gunnar Myhre. Powder coatings became an important business because they offered industrial customers a durable finish while reducing reliance on conventional liquid-coating solvents. In 1970, Odd Gleditsch Jr. succeeded his father as chairman, and Jotun acquired Henry Clark & Sons, a British marine-paint manufacturer. In 1972, Jotun merged with Alf Bjercke A/S, Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S and the paint division of Denofa and Lilleborg. The merger created Jotungruppen A/S and consolidated much of Norway’s paint industry. The group became Norway’s leading paint manufacturer and gained the scale required for international production, research and marketing. The corporate name was changed to Jotun A/S in 1984. The 1970s also included one of the most difficult events in Jotun’s history. A fire destroyed the company’s Sandefjord factory and warehouse in 1976, killing six people and injuring eleven. Jotun rebuilt the site with support from employees and external partners. The disaster had a lasting effect on the company’s approach to workplace safety, health and environmental management. The same year, Jotun introduced Multicolor, a computerized in-store tinting system that allowed retailers to mix a broad range of decorative colors at the point of sale. Multicolor became a foundation of the decorative-paints business and helped Jotun compete through color availability and retail service rather than through a limited set of factory-produced shades. International growth continued through the 1980s and 1990s, with operations and production established in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe and other regions. Jotun’s maritime customer base helped the company follow shipowners and shipyards into new ports, while protective coatings opened opportunities in offshore energy, industrial facilities, bridges and other infrastructure. In 1994, Jotun formed a joint venture with a COSCO subsidiary in China to produce paint in Guangzhou, supporting the rapidly developing Chinese shipbuilding market. In 1998, the company introduced an international health, safety and environment standard across its production facilities. The 2000s brought further specialization and product innovation. SeaQuantum, launched in 2000, strengthened Jotun’s position in tin-free self-polishing marine antifouling coatings. The company later introduced Hull Performance Solutions to measure and improve vessel-hull performance, Jotachar passive fire-protection systems for demanding hydrocarbon-fire scenarios, and new anticorrosive and glass-flake-reinforced technologies such as Jotamastic and Baltoflake. Jotun also expanded color management and decorative-paint branding, including the Lady and Drygolin families. During the 2010s and 2020s, Jotun invested in research infrastructure, digital marketing, sustainability-oriented coating development and maritime services. A new Sandefjord headquarters and research center opened in 2020. HullSkater extended the company’s role from coating supplier into proactive hull-maintenance services, using underwater robotics to help control marine fouling. By 2025, Jotun operated 40 factories, employed approximately 10,933 people and reached more than 120 countries through subsidiaries, offices, agents and distributors. In 2026, the company commemorated its 100th anniversary while remaining a privately held, family-controlled group with Orkla ASA as its largest single shareholder.
- 2026
Jotun marks 100 years
[6]The company commemorates the centenary of its formal establishment on April 17, 1926.
- 2020
HullSkater and new R&D center introduced
[2]Jotun launches a robotic hull-cleaning service and opens a new headquarters and research center in Sandefjord.
- 2015
Paint test station opens in Svalbard
[2]The Arctic testing facility provides an extreme environment for evaluating coatings and paint performance.
- 2013
New Sandefjord factory and global color card
[2]Jotun opens a modern factory and introduces its first global color card.
- 2012
Jotachar passive fire-protection range launches
[2]The range brings a mesh-free epoxy passive fire-protection solution to hydrocarbon jet-fire applications.
- 2010
Hull Performance Solutions launches
[2]Jotun introduces a service designed to measure hull performance and help shipowners manage fuel consumption.
- 2000
SeaQuantum antifouling coating launches
[2]The product strengthens Jotun’s position in tin-free, self-polishing marine antifouling systems.
- 1998
International HSE standard introduced
[2]Jotun applies a common health, safety and environment standard across its production facilities.
- 1994
COSCO joint venture established in China
[2]The Guangzhou joint venture supports Jotun’s participation in China’s expanding shipbuilding market.
- 1978
First powder-coatings factory outside Norway opens in Thailand
[2]The facility extends Jotun’s powder-coatings manufacturing network into Asia.
Products and positioning
A privately controlled, innovation-led global paints and coatings group combining strong maritime heritage with broad decorative, protective and industrial-coatings capabilities. Jotun emphasizes long product life, corrosion protection, color expertise, technical service, operational reliability and solutions that help protect buildings, ships, infrastructure and industrial assets.
Interior and exterior architectural coatings
Decorative Paints
Jotun’s decorative-paints business serves residential, commercial and architectural markets with interior wall paints, exterior paints, wood stains, primers and related color solutions. Major brands and product families associated with the segment include Lady, Drygolin and Trebitt. The business is supported by Jotun’s color-management capabilities and Multicolor tinting system, which allow retailers to produce a wide range of shades at the point of sale. Decorative paints provide the company with direct consumer and trade exposure in addition to its large industrial and maritime activities.
Ship and offshore coatings
Marine Coatings
Marine Coatings is one of Jotun’s foundational businesses and includes coating systems for newbuild vessels, ship maintenance, offshore assets and underwater hulls. Products address corrosion protection, antifouling, abrasion, appearance and operational efficiency. The segment includes marine technologies such as SeaQuantum antifouling coatings, as well as hull-performance services that connect coating performance with fuel use, fouling control and vessel maintenance. Jotun’s maritime heritage and global port network remain central to the segment’s market position.
Industrial and infrastructure protection
Protective Coatings
Protective Coatings are engineered for steel, concrete, energy infrastructure, bridges, industrial plants, offshore facilities and other assets exposed to corrosion, chemicals, weather or fire. The portfolio includes anticorrosive systems, heavy-duty coatings, glass-flake-reinforced products and passive fire-protection technologies. Product families such as Jotamastic, Baltoflake and Jotachar illustrate Jotun’s emphasis on long service life, reduced maintenance and application solutions for demanding industrial environments.
Solvent-free industrial finishes · 1968
Powder Coatings
Jotun’s Powder Coatings business supplies solvent-free powder finishes for industrial and architectural applications. Powder coatings are applied as dry powder and cured to form a durable protective and decorative layer. Jotun entered the segment in the late 1960s through collaboration with Norwegian chemist Gunnar Myhre and subsequently developed production capacity outside Norway, including in Thailand. The segment supports applications where durability, appearance, process efficiency and reduced solvent use are important purchasing criteria.
Color-matching and in-store tinting system · 1976
Jotun Multicolor
Jotun Multicolor is a computerized tinting concept introduced in 1976. It enables retailers to create a broad palette of decorative-paint colors at the point of sale, making color choice more flexible and integrating Jotun’s paint products with retail equipment, color cards and customer service. The system became a major foundation of Jotun’s decorative-paint business and helped popularize computerized paint tinting in consumer markets.
Marine antifouling coating · 2000
SeaQuantum
SeaQuantum is a Jotun marine antifouling coating family introduced in 2000. It was positioned as a tin-free, self-polishing solution designed to control marine fouling on vessel hulls. By limiting the accumulation of organisms, antifouling systems can help maintain hydrodynamic performance and reduce the operational penalties associated with fouled hulls. SeaQuantum represents Jotun’s emphasis on combining coating chemistry with vessel-efficiency objectives.
Passive fire-protection coating · 2012
Jotachar
Jotachar is a passive fire-protection coating range introduced in 2012 for demanding hydrocarbon-fire scenarios. Its technology is designed to protect structural steel and equipment during fire exposure. Jotachar JF750 was presented as a mesh-free solution, reducing the need for complex reinforcement and simplifying aspects of installation compared with systems requiring mesh. The product range extends Jotun’s protective-coatings expertise into fire engineering and industrial risk management.
Marine performance service · 2010
Hull Performance Solutions
Hull Performance Solutions, launched in 2010, combines marine coating expertise with monitoring and analysis of vessel-hull performance. The service is intended to help shipowners understand the relationship between hull condition, fouling, coating performance and fuel consumption. It reflects Jotun’s move beyond the sale of paint into technical services that support operational decision-making and lifecycle management for commercial vessels.
Robotic hull-cleaning service · 2020
HullSkater
HullSkater is an underwater robotic hull-cleaning system introduced as part of Jotun Hull Skating Solutions in 2020. The robot is designed to remain available on board a vessel and remove fouling proactively under remote operator supervision. The service expands Jotun’s maritime offering from protective and antifouling coatings into recurring hull-maintenance operations, with the stated objective of helping vessels preserve performance and reduce the effects of marine growth.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Colouring the World Expo
International
Jotun used its color expertise and coatings portfolio in connection with World Expo-related architecture and landmark projects. The initiative presented the company as a technical partner for ambitious architectural designs with specialized color, durability and application requirements.
Outcome. The program reinforced Jotun’s association with major international buildings and large-scale architectural projects.
- 2017Lady digital marketing campaign
International markets
Jotun launched what it described as its largest digital marketing campaign at the time for Lady, its premium interior decorative-paint brand. The campaign supported the international development of Lady and used digital communication to strengthen the brand’s design, color and premium-home positioning.
Outcome. The campaign increased the scale of Jotun’s digital brand activity and supported the continued international visibility of Lady.
Brand decisions
2025
Continue investment-led international growthStrategyBackground
Jotun operated across four business segments and more than 120 countries while facing currency pressure and varied regional market conditions.
Action taken
The group maintained its diversified production model, international presence and investment in coating technology and market development.
Aftermath
Jotun reported record operating profit for 2025, with operating revenue of NOK 34.333 billion and operating profit of NOK 7.081 billion.
Operating revenue and operating profit. NOK 34.333 billion operating revenue; NOK 7.081 billion operating profit (Fiscal year 2025, reported in 2026)
2020
Launch HullSkater robotic hull-cleaning serviceProduct launchBackground
Marine operators needed more proactive ways to manage hull fouling and preserve vessel performance between conventional maintenance periods.
Action taken
Jotun introduced HullSkater, an underwater robotic cleaning system operated remotely by Jotun personnel.
Aftermath
Jotun broadened its role in maritime asset care by combining coatings, monitoring and robotic maintenance services.
2010
Launch Hull Performance SolutionsProduct launchBackground
Shipowners increasingly sought measurable links between hull condition, coating performance, fouling control and fuel efficiency.
Action taken
Jotun introduced a service for measuring hull performance and supporting vessel-efficiency management.
Aftermath
The move expanded Jotun’s maritime value proposition from paint supply toward performance monitoring and lifecycle services.
2000
Launch SeaQuantum antifouling coatingsProduct launchBackground
Marine customers needed effective antifouling systems that addressed corrosion, fouling and changing regulatory expectations around coating chemistry.
Action taken
Jotun introduced SeaQuantum as a tin-free, self-polishing antifouling range.
Aftermath
The product strengthened Jotun’s profile as a technology-focused marine-coatings supplier.
1994
Create a COSCO joint venture in ChinaM&ABackground
China’s shipbuilding industry was expanding and required local access to marine and industrial paint systems.
Action taken
Jotun formed a joint venture with a COSCO subsidiary to produce paint in Guangzhou.
Aftermath
The arrangement improved Jotun’s ability to serve Chinese shipyards and vessels while deepening its Asian production network.
1976
Launch Jotun MulticolorProduct launchBackground
Decorative-paint customers wanted a wider choice of colors without requiring manufacturers to produce and stock every shade in advance.
Action taken
Jotun introduced a computerized in-store tinting machine and associated color system.
Aftermath
Multicolor strengthened Jotun’s position in decorative paints and became a central link between the company, retailers and consumers.
1972
Merge with three Norwegian paint producersM&ABackground
The fragmented Norwegian paint market required greater scale to support research, production and international expansion.
Action taken
Jotun merged with Alf Bjercke A/S, Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S and the paint division of Denofa and Lilleborg.
Aftermath
The combination created Jotungruppen A/S, Norway’s largest paint manufacturer at the time, and established the ownership structure in which Orkla became a long-term minority shareholder.
1968
Enter powder coatingsStrategyBackground
Growing awareness of solvent and environmental issues created interest in alternative coating technologies.
Action taken
Jotun partnered with Gunnar Myhre and financed the development of a powder-coatings factory in Larvik.
Aftermath
Powder coatings became one of Jotun’s four principal business segments and an important international growth platform.
1962
Establish overseas production in LibyaStrategyBackground
Jotun needed to serve international shipowners and regional markets more efficiently than a Norway-only production model allowed.
Action taken
The company opened its first overseas factory in Tripoli, Libya.
Aftermath
The plant became an important training ground for managers and engineers involved in later international expansion.
1926
Acquire a chemical factory to build manufacturing capabilityStrategyBackground
Odd Gleditsch Sr. recognized that a marine-paint merchant needed greater control over product availability and formulation.
Action taken
He and his partners acquired Jotun Kemiske Fabrik A/S, creating the industrial foundation for Jotun.
Aftermath
The acquisition enabled Jotun to move from trading and distribution into proprietary paint production.
Recent events
Reported
Jotun partners with IWM on HMS Belfast repainting[9]
Jotun partnered with Imperial War Museums (IWM) on repainting HMS Belfast and donated the paint needed for the project.
Jotun launches Hullkeeper hull optimisation service[10]
Jotun launched Hullkeeper, a hull optimisation service intended to help ships improve fuel efficiency.
Reported
Jotun wins Green4Sea Energy Efficiency Award[11]
Jotun received the Green4Sea Award for Energy Efficiency during an awards ceremony held at Europort in Rotterdam.
Sources11 sources
- 1Jotun (company)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Jotun: Our historyjotun.com
- 3Jotun: Management and Board of Directorsjotun.com
- 4Jotun: Financial and annual reportsjotun.com
- 5Orkla: Jotunorkla.com
- 6Jotun celebrates 100 yearsjotun.com
- 7Jotun Group Report 2015jotun.com
- 8Colouring the World Expojotun.com
- 9Jotun与帝国战争博物馆合作重涂贝尔法斯特号maritimejournal.com
- 10Jotun推出Hullkeeper船体优化服务shipandbunker.com
- 11Jotun获得Green4Sea能源效率奖mynewsdesk.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/jotun · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled