Shepherd Color

The Shepherd Color Company has spent almost a century shaping the future of high-performance complex inorganic color pigments. As a fifth-generation family-run business, Shepherd Color creates pigments tailored to the precise needs of industries such as paints and coatings, plastics and ceramics. Its focus on performance-driven solutions has propelled it to the forefront of the global pigments market, distinguishing the company as an indispensable partner for businesses seeking high-performance, durable and long-lasting colorants.

Today, Shepherd Color thrives under the leadership of Tom Shepherd and his children, who continue to honor the company’s core values—demonstrating exemplary character, striving for excellence, and working for long term impact. Their unwavering dedication to brightening lives is the guiding principle that drives every facet of its operations, from exceptional product development to world-class customer satisfaction.

The company’s strong emphasis on customer service is built on decades of trusted relationships. Many of these partnerships have lasted over 50 years, enabling mutual growth as the company and its customers thrive together. This enduring trust and collaboration have strengthened Shepherd Color’s standing as a leading provider of high-performance inorganic color pigments, trusted by clients who value reliability and longevity.

Color Solutions for Extreme Durability

The company develops these pigment solutions for highly demanding applications, particularly in the architectural exterior coatings market. Unlike traditional paints, which prioritize price over durability, Shepherd Color’s innovative pigments are designed to enhance the longevity of exterior finishes like stucco, siding, and metal roofing, offering robust protection against weathering and fading.

For example, in the metal building industry, commonly known as the coil coating industry, the requirements for coatings’ film thickness was very thin, but existing pigments were too large. Shepherd Color developed pigments tailored specifically for these applications by reengineering its particle size control and manufacturing processes, and becoming the standard for use in this application.

“Not only do we solve client issues, but there are instances where we assist them with challenges unrelated to our products, ensuring their success as a part of our commitment to exceptional service,” says Chris Manning, President.

The company has also addressed concerns related to vinyl siding, which is susceptible to warping and twisting when exposed to harsh weather conditions. By developing cooler color formulations using its proprietary Arctic technology, Shepherd Color enhanced the durability of vinyl siding while preserving its aesthetic appeal. This Arctic product line has seen 6 generations of development to meet various application demands.

As energy-saving regulations and environmental concerns accelerated and focused on roofing, the company increased its focus on its research and development (R&D) capabilities to develop the Arctic infrared reflective pigment product line. These pigments are designed to reduce heat buildup, lower surrounding temperatures, and provide energy savings while enhancing product durability and performance.

To further enhance sustainability of plastics, the company enables automated recycling of packaging waste. For example, grocery stores often use black plastic for food packaging. Previously, these trays would enter the recycling process only to end up in landfills due to the difficulty of identifying the material. However, with Shepherd Color’s Arctic technology, recycling sensors can now detect the black plastic, determine its type, and separate it from other materials, allowing it to be reused and properly recycled rather than discarded in landfills.

As customers continue to seek high-performance inorganic pigments, many face challenges with dispersion. Shepherd Color has addressed this issue by engineering a specialized line of easy-dispersing pigments known as Dynamix. These pigments are designed to simplify the paint-making process, enabling customers to stir them in seamlessly. This innovation eliminates complexities, making paint production more efficient and accessible for many customers.


Driving Consistency and Growth through Global Collaboration

Since Shepherd’s pigments are used so widely in building products, they can specify that the materials used in continued facilities expansion contain high-performance pigments made in that very facility. This highlights the relationship that Shepherd has with direct customers and its involvement in the supply chain of the markets it participates. They also get to see first-hand the long-term, real-world durability of their products.

With a strong international presence, Shepherd Color reaches markets across Europe, Asia, and beyond. Over the years, the company has developed deep, lasting relationships with clients from these regions, contributing to its growth and that of its customers. In addition to these global partnerships, Shepherd Color remains committed to innovation and sustainability, ensuring that it continues to deliver high-performance inorganic color pigments that drive progress and shape the future of industries worldwide.