Pantone 186 C Red Masterbatch (Matched to Pantone Reference)

Direct Answer

Pantone 186 C is a classic, saturated red used heavily in consumer packaging, branding, and industrial parts. A Pantone 186 C Red Masterbatch is a red pigment concentrate matched to that Pantone reference, dispersed in a polymer carrier. The same Pantone reference does not produce a single Masterbatch — the right grade depends on your host polymer, processing temperature, light exposure, and any migration or food-contact constraints. For most applications, the buyer should specify the Pantone reference, carrier resin, and end-use exposure, then ask the supplier to confirm the pigment index and heat stability on the TDS.

Why Pantone 186 C Is Not One Product

A Pantone reference defines a color target, not a formulation. The same 186 C shade can be reached through different pigment chemistries:

• Azo reds — bright, cost-effective, suitable for indoor packaging and short-life goods.
• Quinacridone reds — cleaner, more weatherable, better for outdoor or automotive exposure.
• DPP reds — high heat and light stability, used in demanding outdoor and automotive applications.
• Pigment blends — sometimes used to hit a specific shade or cost/performance point.

The carrier resin also changes the final appearance and performance. A Masterbatch matched to 186 C in PP will behave differently than the same target in PET or ABS. That is why the Pantone code alone is not enough to quote a grade.

Color Reference

• Pantone reference: Pantone 186 C
• Approximate RAL equivalent: RAL 3020
• On-screen approximations (not authoritative):
  • HEX: #C8102E
  • RGB: 200, 16, 46
  • CMYK: 0, 100, 81, 4

Pantone® is a registered trademark of Pantone LLC. Allzone is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone. Color codes are referenced for matching purposes only; on-screen colors are approximations and are not authoritative Pantone standards.

Available Carriers

Pantone 186 C Red Masterbatch is available on the following carriers. Carrier–host compatibility is a hard requirement — see Carrier Selection (CT-ART-002).

• PP Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → PP Masterbatch
• PE Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → PE Masterbatch
• HDPE Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → HDPE Masterbatch
• LDPE Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → LDPE Masterbatch
• LLDPE Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → LLDPE Masterbatch
• PET Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → PET Masterbatch
• ABS Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → ABS Masterbatch
• PS Red Masterbatch matched to Pantone 186 C → PS Masterbatch

Typical Applications

Caps and closures, consumer packaging, branded containers, labels and films, automotive interior accents, industrial warning parts, and point-of-sale displays. The final pigment choice depends on whether the part is indoor, outdoor, food-contact, or subject to high processing temperatures.

Related Masterbatch Products

• Red Masterbatch (Wave 7) — L1 color family landing.
• How to Choose Red Masterbatch (Wave 6) — grade decision guide.
• PP Masterbatch (Wave 8) — polymer-first carrier landing.
• White Masterbatch (Wave 4) — for tinting and opacity control.
• Black Masterbatch (Wave 7) — for shade darkening and UV protection.

Related Knowledge Articles

• Color Masterbatch Explained — canonical engineering pillar (CT-PILLAR-001).
• Carrier Selection for Color Masterbatch — carrier compatibility (CT-ART-002).
• Color Matching, ΔE and Pantone References — matching methodology (CT-ART-003).
• Custom Color Masterbatch Development — the process of moving from a target to a supplied grade (CT-ART-004).

Zero Dead-End Navigation

If you landed on this page, you are probably looking for:

1. Color family — Red Masterbatch and How to Choose Red Masterbatch.
2. Compatible polymer — choose from PP, PE, HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PET, ABS, or PS above.
3. Masterbatch format — Color Masterbatch; engineering background is in CT-PILLAR-001. Application-specific pages will follow in Wave 10.
4. RFQ — use the block below.

What to Send on Your RFQ

For a usable Pantone 186 C Red Masterbatch quotation, provide:

1. Host polymer (PP, PE, HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PET, ABS, PS) and grade/MFI if known.
2. Processing method — injection, extrusion, blow molding, film, raffia, pipe, etc.
3. Shade target — Pantone 186 C reference, plus any physical chip or ΔE tolerance.
4. Let-down ratio target and expected pigment loading in the Masterbatch.
5. End-use exposure — indoor, outdoor, food contact, high temperature, chemical, migration constraints.
6. Regulatory frame — food contact (FDA, EU 10/2011), toy safety (EN 71-3), medical, or none.
7. Volume and MOQ — kg per order, annual estimate, sample requirement.

So What Should the Buyer Investigate Next?

Before issuing the PO, verify: (a) the carrier is matched to your specific host polymer and MFI window, not just the polymer family, (b) the pigment chemistry on the TDS supports your end-use exposure and regulatory frame, and (c) the supplier can confirm the shade match against your physical chip or Pantone 186 C reference at your target let-down ratio. If any of these three is missing, the risk sits on your production floor — not on the supplier's.

Request a quote: /quote — send the items above and Allzone will return a grade-specific offer promptly, matched to your polymer, Pantone 186 C reference, and volume.

Pantone® is a registered trademark of Pantone LLC. Allzone is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone. Pantone 186 C is referenced for color matching purposes only.