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Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Arna Richardson Arna Richardson Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: January 2025 ANZSIC OD5481

Revenue

$2.1bn

2025-26

$2.2bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,520

Businesses

206

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia industry analysis

Various factors have impacted the performance of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in recent years. The industry relies mainly on household, painter and decorator demand. These markets usually purchase architectural and decorative (A&D) paints when a newly constructed dwelling needs to be painted or when a property changes ownership. This means activity in Australia’s residential construction sector and renovation market often filters upstream, influencing A&D paint demand. Consumer sentiment also influences the industry’s performance. When consumer sentiment is positive, households are more likely to make large investments and discretionary purchases. This typically increases renovation activity, driving demand for paint and increasing purchases of non-essential specialty paints. 

Trends and Insights

  • Decorative and specialty paint manufacturers have contended with mixed conditions in recent years, stemming from Australia’s housing market’s cyclical variations. The industry stands to benefit from the Australian Government’s target of 1.2 million new homes.
  • Industry manufacturers produce a range of decorative and specialty interior and exterior building paints. Decorative paint, also known as architectural paint, accounts for the bulk of industry revenue.
  • Australia's eastern states are home to many decorative and specialty paint manufacturers. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland account for more than 80% of industry enterprises.
  • Decorative and specialty paint manufacturers face competition on both internal and external fronts. Environmental efficiency has recently become a growing basis of competition.

Access hundreds of data points and trends

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $2.1bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Downward housing market trends have impacted the industry’s performance

  • The industry is highly susceptible to demand changes in the Australian housing market, including new housing, maintenance and home improvements. Industry manufacturers tend to target different segments of the wider housing sector. For example, DuluxGroup Limited derives nearly two-thirds of its local paint revenue from the maintenance and home improvement market and approximately 15% from the new housing market.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Australia’s ageing housing stock is primed to bolster home improvement sector sales

  • Modest demand from the renovation sector will underpin industry growth, supported by rising consumer sentiment and discretionary incomes.

Biggest companies in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
DuluxGroup
965.0
Wattyl
243.0
PPG Industries
157.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Exterior decorative paints, Interior decorative paints and Specialty paints. Exterior decorative paints is the largest segment of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia.

Trends and Insights

DIY consumers support interior decorative paint sales

  • Interior decorative paints are used inside residential houses and other buildings. Water-based paints are typically applied to internal walls and ceilings. Although oil-based paints have become less prevalent due to emerging environmental concerns, they're still often used for trim work on interior skirting boards, architraves and doorframes.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in the industry primarily manufacture decorative paints, including architectural paints that households, DIY enthusiasts and some commercial operators use. The industry also manufactures specialty paints, such as artists’ colours and casein paints.

What's included in this industry?

Exterior decorative paints Interior decorative paints Specialty paints

Companies

DuluxGroupWattylPPG Industries

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY)BIG-BOX STORESVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS)A&D PAINT

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 1916 - Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Decorative and specialty paint manufacturers have contended with mixed conditions in recent years, stemming from Australia’s housing market’s cyclical variations. The industr...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Industry manufacturers produce a range of decorative and specialty interior and exterior building paints. Decorative paint, also known as architectural paint, accounts for th...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Australia's eastern states are home to many decorative and specialty paint manufacturers. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland account for more than 80% of industry enter...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Decorative and specialty paint manufacturers face competition on both internal and external fronts. Environmental efficiency has recently become a growing basis of competitio...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The industry is dominated by major global paint companies which have picked up most of the major Australian paint brands over the past two decades. Iconic Australian paint br...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of DuluxGroup's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Wattyl's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of PPG Industries's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for DuluxGroup, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Wattyl, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for PPG Industries, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry manufactures architectural and decorative paint products for residential purposes, making it susceptible to housing market changes, including new housing, mainten...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The industry’s cost structure is similar to that of the Paint and Coatings Manufacturing industry. Most industry costs are allocated to production input purchases, which have...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia is $2.1bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia industry in 2025?

There are 206 businesses in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing market in Australia are DuluxGroup, Wattyl and PPG Industries

What does the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia include?

Exterior decorative paints and Interior decorative paints are part of the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is DuluxGroup.

How competitive is the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Decorative and Specialty Paint Manufacturing industry in Australia.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.