Our strategy

From start to finish

Since its creation, OliKrom has adopted a vertical integration strategy. From research and development to production, our approach is global.

By controlling each step, we gain time and efficiency: a strategy that has proven itself over the years.

Why does an intelligent pigment require control of all the industrial steps?

smart-pigment

The reason is simple: a smart pigment is not just a pigment filler that is added to a formulation.

A smart material is extremely sensitive to its environment. Depending on the technology, it can react to temperature, light, pressure... This richness is also its Achilles heel: without control, the properties degrade very easily.

A simple change in production conditions (shear rate and force, nature and concentration of ingredients, temperature, viscosity...) or even the addition of an additive upsets the direct environment of the intelligent material. The immediate effect is an instability of the production, a rapid degradation of the properties of color change, photoluminescence...

To address this issue, we have chosen to control the entire value chain. This global approach combined with our unique expertise in color intelligence allows us to control the targeted property at each stage of the project and if necessary, to rectify it.

From proof of concept to industrialized product

To ensure a smooth handover without any loss of information or technological lock-in, OliKrom is structured around four departments:

  • Our Research Department carries out the proof of concept (PoC) and ensures the design and creation of innovative "tailor-made" intelligent pigments;
  • Our Process Department ensures the delicate mission of integrating the intelligent property into the targeted matrix: paint, ink, plastic, varnish, resin, etc;
  • Our Production Unit ensures the manufacturing of our intelligent solutions on an industrial scale and our Quality Department validates the synthetic protocols, the integration of new sources of supply, and ensures the systematic control of the performance of our solutions;
  • Our consulting and technical assistance center has a pool of equipment of high scientific level to characterize the intelligent properties and evaluate their durability (accelerated aging chambers, climatic chambers...).

Our culture of innovation

innovation

For us, scientific innovation and the mastery of smart color-changing materials at the heart of our strategy. Each year, more than 30% of our investments are dedicated to Research & Development.

Our Research Department is committed to scientific excellence and creativity to develop the most effective color changing smart materials or optimized luminescence properties. We are constantly improving our technologies to offer you the best solution.

This unique expertise in color intelligence allows our teams to innovate daily to meet new uses. We implement new synthetic ways (organic, hybrid, inorganic) and develop new intelligent pigments by adjusting the switching speed, the triggering threshold, the optical contrast, etc. to create every day new safety features and innovative solutions in response to environmental or performance issues.

Tailor-made smart solutions

your-project-is-unique

Your project is unique

Each request has its own particularities and requirements.

All our solutions are unique and meet specific criteria: desired effect, shaping during the industrial process, desired durability, regulatory aspects, economic dimension...

All of these criteria are specified in a set of specifications developed jointly with our industrial partner. This is why it is impossible to transpose a development to another request.

This singularity explains why we do not send free samples, they would not correspond to your needs.

our-developments-are-specifics

Our developments are specifics

We don't have a catalog or so-called "off-the-shelf" solutions.

All our products, containing an smart pigment, are the result of a specific development process, in response to a specification, an essential document for our technical teams to synthesize the right pigment and formulate the expected intelligent solution.

The few ready-to-use pigments offered for sale by resellers only have a "wow" effect and cannot ensure a stable, quality finished product that meets your expectations. Choosing this seemingly effective option will only disappoint you.