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RAL Colours
ReichsAusschuss für Lieferbedingungen, or RAL, as it is commonly known, is a coding system used to define colours. It was a system developed in Germany back in 1927. It involves 4 colour ranges under the headings Classic, Design, Metallic and Luminous, but the most common are Classic and Design. RAL Classic colours is a range which consists of more than 200 colours, all of which come with a 4-digit colour code.
The story of RAL colours
In 1927, a collection of colours under the name RAL 840 was developed in Germany to allow customers and manufacturers to work to a code that described the colour they required. Before this was invented, different parties would have had to exchange colour samples in order to communicate the colour. Since those early days, the RAL system has evolved to contain the various ranges available. For example, you may have noticed the recent increase in homes being fitted with grey window frames – this colour is most commonly RAL 7016. Specific colours can also be an identifying feature of things like pipework, such as:
- Gas pipe – RAL 1004
- Water – 6010
- Steam – RAL 9006
- Combustible liquid – 8001
A broad standard for the modern world
RAL standards have grown in popularity to become the defining colour code for most industries. In fact, genuine, approved RAL products now carry a hologram as of 2013 to make it difficult for fraudulent versions to pass for the real thing. One of the main criteria for the RAL Classic collection is that it must be of ‘paramount interest’. Consequently, many of the colours it includes are used on warnings signage and traffic signs, providing industry standards for government agencies and public services. The first digit of the code relates to the shade of the colour, and the other 3 digits relate to the hue.