Industrial Analysis
The size of the paints market in India is estimated at Rs 110 bn, with the contribution of the organised and unorganised segments in the ratio of 65:35. Reduction of excise duties over the last few years, from 40% to the present level of 14%, has helped create a level playing field between the unorganised and the organised segments, as the former is not subject to excise duty. As the unorganised sector loses its competitive edge, it is also losing market share to the organised sector players.
In view of the low per capita annual consumption of paints in India (0.5 kg, compared to 4 kg in South East Asian countries, 22 kg in developed countries and a global average of 15 kg), the domestic paints industry has tremendous potential.
The paints industry is working-capital intensive, rather than fixed-asset intensive. As in consumer non-durables, distribution strengths and brand building are of paramount importance.
The Indian paint industry witnessed robust growth in turnover on the back of increased volumes during the festival season. Both decorative and industrial segments performed well during the quarter. Moreover, the margins received a boost with the domestic currency continuing to rise against the greenback, causing a substantial reduction in cost of imported inputs. This in turn induced some of the players in the industry to reduce the prices of select products to pass on the benefit to the customers. Further, players are going in for capacity expansions to reap the benefits of the rising demand for paints
Segments:
On product lines, paints can be differentiated into decorative or architectural paints and industrial paints. While the former caters to the housing sector, the automotive segment is a major consumer of the latter. Decorative paints can further be classified into premium, medium and distemper segments. Premium decorative paints are acrylic emulsions used mostly in the