Who we are
A team of professionals, passionate about new technologies & progress
At 4M Specialties, we are driven by passion, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability. We develop high-quality, eco-friendly products that make life cleaner and easier. With our in-house laboratory and production facility, we provide custom-made solutions that meet our customers’ needs and contribute to a more sustainable future. Quality, transparency, and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do.
Almost a decade of expertise
Satisfied customers
We are proud to work with these companies
Why work with us
Modern approach & sustainable results
Top industry specialists
We combine deep expertise, creativity, and advanced technology to provide innovative solutions that meet the needs of your business. What sets us apart is that we produce in our own facilities, giving us full control over the quality and efficiency of every product we deliver.
Result-driven approach
We focus on results, not just promises. At 4M Specialties, we develop and deliver products that meet the needs of your business. Our team is dedicated to working with you to drive measurable results and ensure your goals are met efficiently and effectively.
Customer is our top priority
At 4M Specialties, the customer is always at the center of everything we do. We focus on building long-lasting relationships by offering personalized solutions that address your unique needs. Your success is our success.
Unique technoligy
We combine cutting-edge technology with in-house production to ensure full control over quality and efficiency. By managing the entire process ourselves, we deliver customized, high-quality products that perfectly meet your needs.
Customer Satisfaction
We stand behind the quality of our products. If you’re not completely satisfied with your purchase, we are happy to find a suitable solution for you. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we are committed to delivering only the best.
24/7 Customer support
Our dedicated customer support team is available during office hours to assist with any questions about products, orders, or general advice. Prefer to find answers yourself? Helpful information is available online 24/7.
What clients say about us
Milestones
Discover our history
Step into our journey and discover how 4M Specialties has evolved into a leader in innovation and quality. Over the years, we’ve faced challenges, embraced change, and celebrated milestones that shaped our success.
First steps
The story of 4M Trading began in 2015 when we took our first steps into product development. We collaborated with an importer who sourced products from the United States and asked us to improve them. This led to the official founding of 4M-Trading , in Sneek. We rented a 700 m² facility on Wolkammersstraat and eagerly started research, development, and preparations for production and filling. That same year, we invested in our first heating system, mixing kettles, filling, and labeling machines.
Our first major success came with the creation of a revolutionary metal polish that contained no harsh solvents, worked faster and more efficiently, and provided a deeper shine than existing alternatives. This sparked great enthusiasm within our team, but reality soon proved less optimistic. The sales figures from the importer, on which we had based our expectations, were vastly exaggerated and turned out to be only a fraction of what we had been led to believe. This was a huge setback that put all our plans in jeopardy.
The realization that we could no longer trust an external partner with unrealistic projections forced us to completely change course. We decided to create our own brand: Great-Lion. By taking control of both production and sales, we could determine our own future. This decision proved essential for the survival and growth of our company.
Breakthrough
2016 was a crucial year for 4M Trading. After a challenging start, we shifted our focus to our own brand, Great-Lion, rebranding and refining our strategy. We moved to a more efficient 300 m² space on Lorentzstraat in Sneek, leading to an impressive 414% growth and a strong foundation for the future.
In 2016, we launched new products such as Extreme Metal Polish, Bleeding Wheel Cleaner, Shampoo, and Dashboard Dressing. These launches were accompanied by expansion to 50+ retail points, including both renowned stores and online shops, and we made our mark internationally.
A Dream Realized
The growth continued into 2017. The space on Lorentzstraat quickly became too small for the growing demand for our products, leading to a dream that came true: the purchase of our first own property at Zeilmakersstraat 15 (750 m²). This not only provided us with the space to expand our production capacity but also allowed us to hire more staff. We further expanded our product range with items such as Ambition Car Polish and Tire Black.
By the end of 2017, our products were available in 15+ countries, and we expanded our machinery with an additional fully automated labeling machine and new filling machines. These steps were crucial for our internationalization and further professionalization.
- Focused on brand growth
- Launched innovative products
- Grew international presence
Innovation and Growth
In 2018, we were faced with the limitations of our capacity. Economic growth and the increasing success of our products put pressure on our infrastructure. Rising supplier costs and stricter purchasing terms, such as the demand from our bottle supplier to place orders only by full truckload, made things challenging. Since we used four different types of bottles, this would have meant storing four truckloads of empty bottles, which was not possible in our existing space.
This forced us to look for additional storage space. We rented a 350 m² warehouse on Pottenbakkersstraat, which we quickly converted into production space and storage. This move, our fourth in less than four years, took up valuable time—time we would have preferred to invest in product development. However, this step was necessary to keep production running smoothly and ensure we could serve our customers on time.
Despite these challenges, 2018 was also a year of product innovation. We launched new products such as Quick Detailer, Blizzard Active+, Insect Remover, and Glass Cleaner, and expanded our range with additional accessories. To meet the growing demand, we expanded our team with two more employees. Despite logistical and spatial limitations, we remained determined to strengthen our brand and product offering.
Capacity Challenges
Although the extra space provided temporary relief, the pressure continued to grow in 2019. Both buildings—the one on Zeilmakersstraat and the warehouse on Pottenbakkersstraat—proved too small to support our growth. Lack of space became a daily challenge, forcing us to constantly reconfigure machines to meet demand and maintain inventory. This significantly reduced our efficiency and slowed down production processes. As a result, we invested in additional filling machines and a stirrer to improve efficiency.
At the same time, we were negotiating with the local government about purchasing new land, but these talks stalled. This forced us to broaden our search and actively look for a new, larger location that could accommodate our future growth. By 2019, it became clear that space limitations were a serious obstacle to further growth. Despite the stalled negotiations, we remained focused on finding a long-term solution and optimizing our operations to enable continued growth.
Overcoming Setbacks
In the first quarter of 2020, we found a 5,500 m² property near Heerenveen, large enough to support our growing ambitions. The right section of the building was perfect for our needs, and we quickly found a buyer for the left section. By the end of the quarter, agreements were signed, and the key transfer was scheduled for early 2021.
Just as everything seemed to be going according to plan, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, presenting us with new challenges. The pandemic caused delays and restrictions, and we unfortunately lost two valued team members. Additionally, we discovered that the real estate agent had misinformed us about the environmental classification of the building, leading to an unexpected permit application process. This caused months of uncertainty and intense efforts to obtain the necessary approval. After 160 hours of work, three folders of paperwork, and three months of waiting, we finally received the permit and green light to proceed with our plans.
Despite these setbacks, 2020 was also the year we began receiving requests to produce products under private label, opening up an exciting new opportunity to make our products available to other brands.
New Beginnings
The beginning of 2021 marked not only the start of a new chapter for us but also the official handover of our new building at Appelhof 15 in Oudehaske. We began an intensive renovation to divide the building into two parts: 3300 m² for our operations and 2200 m² for the neighboring company. The renovation turned out to be more complex than expected, with challenges involving air handling, electricity, gas, water, and other essential utilities that needed to be separated. The pandemic added further delays, but we pushed through determinedly.
2021 also marked an important rebranding. What began as 4M-Trading was transformed into 4M Specialties. This name better aligns with our mission not only to sell products but also to fully develop and manufacture them in-house. The name 4M Specialties, which stands for “For Manufacturing Specialties,” highlights our focus on in-house production and our future ambitions to produce for third parties. Initially, 4M-Trading stood for “For Manufacturing and Trading,” but we realized that this name was unclear about our true focus. The emphasis on “Trading” suggested we were more focused on reselling, whereas our true strength lies in developing and manufacturing products ourselves.
In addition, 2021 became a year focused on automation and improving efficiency. We appointed someone to take on these tasks.Â
The Biggest Mistake
2022 was a year in which automation and efficiency in every aspect of our company were high on the agenda. To tackle this, someone was appointed to lead the effort. After a year of hard work, it became clear that this was not the right approach, and there was not enough knowledge to properly manage all these processes. Our accounting system proved to be too complex, and the integrations with other software were too inefficient and overly ambitious. We were advised to simplify things by working with a single software provider that could integrate all these processes into one streamlined system. Trusting this advice, we began evaluating and selecting the right provider. By the end of 2022, after many meetings, we believed we had found the right partner to help us. They claimed they could implement nearly all of our requirements. While this initially seemed like a great idea, in hindsight, it turned out to be our biggest mistake.
Resetting the Company
2023 started with ambitious plans: We decided to fully automate our systems with an all-in-one software package. In theory, this was supposed to streamline our production process, but the opposite happened. By the time we were far along in the process, significant issues with the software came to light. The system didn’t live up to its promises, forcing us to manually process every order. This not only drastically increased costs but also made our workflow much less efficient.
After 1.5 years of implementation and testing, we realized that processing each order took an additional 2.5 minutes on average. Instead of saving costs, company growth would only lead to higher expenses and the need for more staff. On top of that, we were completely dependent on the software provider, who failed to offer quick solutions. Our investment, including warehouse modifications and equipment, totaled €150K and turned out to be a massive failure.
By the end of 2023, the full impact of this mistake became clear. We were stuck with a system that didn’t work and lacked the financial resources to take legal action. The biggest lesson learned? Never become too dependent on a single provider and always prioritize flexibility in your business operations. An all-in-one system may sound ideal, but if one component fails, your entire process can come to a halt. Choosing software that can integrate with other systems via APIs provides much more freedom and scalability.
Due to this situation, we had to take a step back and reset the company. Tough decisions had to be made, including reducing our team by three employees and cutting costs in several areas. It was a painful process, but we survived. Sometimes, the only way forward is to take back control and make the difficult choices needed to get back on track.
Embracing the Future
As we reach the end of 2024, we reflect on a period filled with challenges, growth, and resilience. Every relocation and obstacle has not only expanded our physical space but also strengthened our vision and commitment to quality. The lessons of the past years have led to a more flexible and efficient approach, allowing us to adapt quickly to changes and seize new opportunities.
Despite difficult times, innovation and customer satisfaction remain our top priorities. We are determined to move forward stronger than ever, continuously improving our products and services.
With the lessons of the past as our foundation, we are ready for the challenges of tomorrow. Our journey is far from over, and we look ahead with confidence to what the future holds for 4M Specialties
- Growth and Expansion: Continued growth and expansion of our markets
- Flexibility and Growth: Adapting to changing market need
- Innovation Focus: Constant improvements to products and services
- Customer Commitment: Ensuring satisfaction with every step