Berger Paints India’s strategic pivot towards construction chemicals and waterproofing is boosting growth, with the category now constituting over 12% of its decorative portfolio and outpacing traditional paints amid rising industry competition.
Berger Paints India’s push into construction chemicals and waterproofing is emerging as one of the clearest growth engines for the company, with management saying the category now makes up about 10% to 12% of its decorative portfolio and is expanding faster than its core paints business. Abhijit Roy, the company’s managing director and chief executive, said on the latest earnings call that the mix can move from quarter to quarter, but has settled near the 12% level as demand continues to build.
Roy said the segment’s momentum is being driven by products such as Roof Kool and Seal, with Berger seeing stronger acceptance across markets as its quality reputation deepens. He said growth in the category is “significantly higher” than in paints and added that he expects that trend to continue.
The comments fit a wider pattern across the paints industry, where major companies are leaning more heavily on waterproofing, tile adhesives and construction chemicals to diversify beyond decorative paints. In that context, Roy said Berger already sells “decent quantity” in tile adhesives and wants to grow further. Industry watchers have noted that rivals are also increasing investment in these adjacent businesses as competition intensifies in the main paints market.
Berger’s June quarter reflected that broader shift. The company reported 13.5% value growth in its decorative business and almost 20% growth in operating profit, its strongest performance in 12 quarters, helped by price increases and a better product mix. According to PCI Magazine, Berger generated consolidated revenue of ₹11,880.25 crore in the year ended March 31, 2026, up 2.9% from the previous year, with decorative coatings, construction chemicals and waterproofing all contributing to the result.
Looking ahead, Roy said Berger expects double-digit revenue growth to continue through FY27, supported by festive season demand, further network expansion and the full-quarter effect of price increases in its industrial business. He said operating margins should remain within the company’s 15% to 17% guidance band, with the September quarter likely to be slightly better year-on-year than the June quarter. He also pointed to heavier backward integration, including a tie-up with Dow to make an emulsion previously imported, and said two new factories are in the pipeline at Panagarh in West Bengal and near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, with much of the company’s cash surplus of ₹1,424 crore earmarked for those projects.
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