RAL 2011

Every inhabitant of a German municipality, from village to a city with over a million inhabitants, knows this colour shade: RAL 2011 or colloquially known as “municipal orange”. Even the sometimes confusing multiplicity of German federalism cannot throw the vibrant Deep orange. From Oberammergau in the south to Flensburg in the north, it ensures that municipal refuse collection vehicles and other technical equipment have a uniform appearance. Even the road maintenance vehicles on federal highways perform their duties in RAL 2011, although the striking uniformity, apart from the existence of the RAL colour scale, is probably only due to general practice. There is no binding standard for the colouring of municipal vehicles and other equipment.

The increasing privatisation of municipal tasks and businesses has made the first inroads to the dominance of municipal orange. And, of course, RAL 2011 is also available to all other users. However, anyone who paints their commercial vehicle fleet in this colour risks unpleasant mix-ups. That’s how much RAL 2011 or its closest relatives have burned themselves into our memory as colours for municipal use.