The Paint Industry

This report focuses on the paint industry in South Africa from 2017 to April 2019. The industry is valued at R13bn and employs approximately 15,000 people. The market is dominated by decorative paint manufacturing and sales, which account for around 80% of the market, with major players, and brands, including Kansai Plascon Africa and ICI Dulux. The paint industry in South Africa has continued to adopt manufacturing strategies to meet environmental and other regulations, including the recent move to further reduce the lead content in paint. The most significant challenges facing the industry are skills shortages and competition from cheap imports.

Environmental Issues

The paint sector faces a tough environment locally due to low economic growth, although there has been innovation and new investment including the development of production facilities for titanium dioxide and calcium carbonate. The paint and coatings sector is increasingly concerned with environmental issues, with the major area of concern being the reduction of toxins in paint, specifically lead toxins. Various industry initiatives include creating paint out of industrial waste and using roof coatings to improve insulation and heating.

Report Coverage

This report is on the paint industry, including the manufacture and retail of paint and associated products such as coatings. It discusses the state of the industry and the factors influencing its success. There are comprehensive profiles of 27 companies including Kansai Plascon Africa and ICI Dulux, the largest players in the sector, mid-sized manufacturers such as Medal Paints and manufacturers that have established a retail presence, such as Prominent Paints. The report includes companies that have entered into distribution or cooperation agreements with international companies such as Rolfes Colour Pigments has entered into a deal with Netherlands-based paint company Trust Chem to broaden distribution of its pigments.