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Sustainability that Kenya paint industry needs

The paints and coatings sector is one of the most competitive industries in East Africa. Many manufacturers are striving to tailor-make their products and services to the needs of the discerning and well-informed consumer and to remain competitive in the market.

According to the Frost & Sullivan’s Decorative Paints and Coatings Market for Kenya and Tanzania Forecast to 2020, it was established that the total market size stood at 66.2-million litres in 2015. The figure was projected to add 91.5 million liters by 2020 and well over an extra 20 million liters in 2021.

The combined market value for both countries in 2018 was estimated at $188 million, with Kenya accounting for a larger share owing to the construction boom witnessed in Nairobi and other major towns.

This growth has been partly driven by innovative technologies which have made it possible for manufacturers and suppliers to meet the growing demand of consumers.

These technologies have seen the emergence of innovations such as waterborne Epoxy (Floor) coatings, waterborne metal primers and topcoat high-solids coatings.

The recent innovations in nanotechnology have enabled paint manufacturers to develop products that can exhibit UV durability, Anti-microbial or self-cleaning properties.

Over the coming years, environmental policies such as regulations to minimise air pollution will continue to be a driving force behind the adoption of new coating technologies.

Thankfully for the more intelligent architectural coatings market, waterbornes will likely continue to grow as consumers demand coatings that are free from harmful odours and potentially hazardous raw materials.

From these innovations, it is clear that the painting industry is inevitably shifting from a model based solely on mass-producing tonnes of standard liters of paint.

Successful companies are not just selling paints and coatings, but also their key attributes such as durability, protection, colour, vibrancy, eco-friendliness, environment friendly, anti-microbial, anti-Fungal among others.