Sikkens is a Dutch company founded in 1792 by a house painter, Wiert Willem Sikkens. In Groningen, he began by manufacturing his own lacquers and varnishes, drawing on his experience. In 1837, his son, Geert Willem Sikkens, succeeded him and, realising the potential of his father's lacquers and varnishes, set up G.W. Sikkens & Co. with his brother-in-law, Willem Penaat. A new factory was built in 1869 to cope with increased demand as the reputation of Sikkens products spread across borders.
By 1900, the company had a laboratory that enabled it to create Japanese varnishes and fast-drying paints for the automotive sector; in 1928 Sikkens revolutionised the lacquer sector with its cellulose-based lacquers and Rubbol AZ synthetic paints. After the war, it became the foundation of the global paint giant AkzoNobel by merging with a number of European companies.
Sikkens is now part of a group with a turnover of over €14 billion, and is renowned for such projects as the London Eye, the Scala in Milan and the Øresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden. AkzoNobel owns prestigious brands such as Dulux Valentine, Bofors and Xyladecor.