AkzoNobel enters the wood coatings market in India

In India, the new wood coatings range will be launched as part of the "Dulux' brand portfolio. As a brand, "Dulux' stands for innovation and quality and premium products. Foraying into the wood coatings business is a big move for Akzo Nobel India and will catapult it into the big league in the coatings market in India.

AkzoNobel plans to invest heavily in the wood coatings business in India by setting up manufacturing facilities, training centers and building up an aggressive presence in the market. The company will bring its global best-sellers in wood coatings to India, in a phased manner, to offer a distinct woodcare range in the country.

According to Hans Wijers, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management and Executive Committee of AkzoNobel, said, "India is one of the key high-growth markets for us globally, and we are very excited about the rapid growth in the region. The launch of our new wood coatings business here is in line with our strategy and the potential we see in India as a market. I am optimistic about India and feel satisfied to see the increased growth momentum of our combined business in the country. On this visit, I am also happy to announce an investment of 2000 million INR for a multi-business manufacturing site in Madhya Pradesh."

Amit Jain, Country Director, AkzoNobel, India, added, "Globally, AkzoNobel is seen as an expert in wood care coatings. With the introduction of our wood care solutions in India, we hope to energize this segment and also establish AkzoNobel India as an expert and the most responsible provider of products and services in the wood care category."

Talking about AkzoNobel's sustainability vision that helped outline this wood care solutions range, Amit stated, "AkzoNobel leads the industry in producing high quality, technically advanced and eco-friendly products with low VOC that significantly reduce the impact

on the environment without sacrificing beauty and protection. Our Wood Care range is made with the world's top wood coating technology, which helps us make products that are safe and capable of meeting the varied requirements of our customers. We want to take lead in this category by being the most responsible provider of products and services in line with our global vision on sustainability."

The potential for wood care in India is growing fast, with rising consumer aspirations, and interest in wood as an integral part of home decor. As the wood coatings industry becomes more sophisticated and mechanized, the wood coating sector is opening up enormous opportunities for business in India due to its domestic as well as export requirements.