History

Colwell Inc. is a family-owned business, now in its fifth generation. In 1893, T.H. Colwell purchased half of the University Press in Minneapolis. More than 125 years later, the original Colwell Press building still stands today at 123 N. Main Street. In the 1950s, Colwell introduced the color card concept to the market for the first time, manufacturing color cards for Minnesota Paints. This was the catalyst for Colwell’s obsession with color.

Throughout the years the Colwell family has been involved in a variety of successful business ventures although, Tad Colwell’s passion has primarily remained on color merchandising tools and the visual excitement they bring. As CEO, Tad’s passion for helping people select color, his leadership as well as his unique and entrepreneurial spirit, inspires each of us at Colwell, every day.

At Colwell, we are driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, a customer-centered approach, and a passion for color & the impact it has on our lives. This means we continually examine every facet of what we do to deliver the success that our clients deserve.

Our innovations, big and small, can be seen in materials, processes, production methods, finance, logistics, and consumer approaches.

Colwell’s quest to be the global color-merchandising leader is supported by our commitment to exceptional talent, a focus on market leaders, and solution-centered approaches to both old & new markets. By constantly raising the bar on ourselves, we seek to deliver exceptional products and services to our valued customers. Learn more about how we go above and beyond.