Alabama Pigments Company

Family-owned iron oxide pigment company founded in 1993 by the Cobern family in central Alabama, and one of the last companies in the United States that mines, processes, blends and distributes natural red iron oxide pigments. It runs mine operations and two factories, with its head office and main plant on a 200-acre site in McCalla; a plant for natural black iron oxide opened in 2009. Its natural range includes APC 900, 901 and 902 red, APC B101 black and APC 458 and 412 yellow iron oxides, used in coloured mortar, coatings, wood plastic composites, brick, foundry sand and agricultural products. It also imports and stocks synthetic iron oxide pigments (Fine Grade line, micronized grades, APC GRANFLO granular low-dust pigment), cobalt blues and TiO2, offers custom blending, toll processing and private-label packaging, and sells Precision decorative concrete colours and NeXt-Crete overlay systems. A colour-matching lab checks pigments for concrete block, pavers, mortar, ready mix, paint, plastics and coatings.