Published on November 9, 2013
The Dyes and intermediates sector is one of the important segments of the chemical industry. This sector is widespread and covers a lot of sectors like, plastics, textiles, paper, leather, printing inks and foodstuffs, though the major share of this industry is consumed by the Textile Sector. This industry is valued at USD 27 billion and is said to be growing at the rate of 2-3% annually.
The dyes industry can be traced back to the age old tradition where vegetable dyes were used to color the Patola sarees, this industry has been a part of Indian culture since a long time. It evolved from being importers or traders of dyes to producers. Currently, India accounts minimum 12% of the total global colorant industry and 2/3 of the production is exported. In 2010, India had produced roughly around 200,000 tonnes of Dyes, from which about 70% was consumed by the Textile industry and the remaining in Leather and Paper industries.
The growth of this industry can also be attributed to the fact that producers in the developed world shifted to developing countries like India and China giving these economies a boost.
The pigment market size is estimated at around USD 970 million. Around 90% of the total pigment production is accounted to Carbon Black and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). Around 70% of the total consumption is done by Printing Inks and Coatings. The current driver for Pigments is the Paints industry.
Given the current state of environmental instability, both the sectors are working on producing organic or bio based dyes and pigments. Both these industries have actually been successful in it. India has grown significantly as a producer and exporter of organic pigments including some high performance pigments. It also holds a major share in exporting colored organic pigments.
The current growth driver for both the industries is the Specialty Chemicals. The knowledge and use of Specialty Chemicals is increasing and these are the high value, low volume chemicals known for end-user applications or performance enhancing properties. There is high potential in this segment and India can be a reliable producer and exporter of these quality chemicals.
