The Indian Paint Industry

The Indian paint industry is over 100 years old. Its beginning can be traced back to the setting up of a factory by Shalimar Paints in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1902. Until World War II, the industry consisted of small producers and two foreign companies. After the war, the imports stopped, which led to the setting up of manufacturing facilities by local entrepreneurs. Still, the foreign companies continued to dominate the market. Initially British paint companies such as Goodlass Walls (now Goodlass Nerolac), ICI, British Paints (now Berger Paints), Jenson & Nicholson and Blundell & Eomite dominated the market.

There are now twelve players in the organized sector of India's paint and coatings market and over 2,000 in the unorganized sector. In 2003-04, the organized sector held 70% share of the approximately $1.5 billion (Rs 6,800 crore) industry, while the balance was made up of the unorganized units.

The major players are Asian Paints, Goodlass Nerolac, Berger, ICI and Shalimar. Recently, wo