Donning the war paint

THE AZKONOBEL ACQUISITION COULD GIVE JSW A FOOTHOLD IN THE PREMIUM END OF A ₹70,000-CRORE MARKET

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

THE MOST OBVIOUS way to differentiate your product in a crowded market is to offer it at the lowest price.

Or identify the problems your biggest competitors haven't been able to solve and play the premium game. That's tricky, but JSW Paints, launched in 2019 and part of the $23-billion JSW Group, has its eyes set on that exact route for growth. Still struggling to get a strong footing in the premium end of the ₹70,000-crore paint market, its recent acquisition of Dulux-maker AzkoNobel India could make the task a tad easier.

"Breaking into the premium segment has been a struggle for JSW Paints," observes Ajimon Francis, MD India, Brand Finance. "The latest acquisition will position JSW as a serious contender. Dulux will give it more bargaining power with the dealer network."

For its part, as a premium brand, Dulux has struggled to scale up given the price sensitivity of the market, the intense competition and the influence of contractors in the purchase decision.

As things stand, the decorative paints market is dominated by Asian Paints, which holds around 52% share, followed by Berger Paints with an estimated 18% share and Kansai Nerolac at 12%.