Birla Opus Paints raises capacity to 866 MLPA, catapults to become the 2nd largest decorative paints player by installed capacity
19th November, Chamarajnagar, Karnataka, India: Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, today unveiled the fourth plant of Birla Opus Paints, a division of Grasim Industries Ltd., at Chamarajnagar, Mysore. This fully automated, integrated paint plant commenced its commercial production today which raises the company’s manufacturing capacity to 866 MLPA (Million Litres Per Annum) and catapults Birla Opus Paints to become the 2nd largest decorative paints player by installed capacity.
Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group said, “Our paints business speaks to a new India, a confident and aspirational India. Our aspirations embody this spirit of a bold, confident India. The launch of Birla Opus Paints earlier this year marked a pivotal moment in the Indian paints industry as we look to redefine the industry. The business is progressing in line with the plan with an impactful journey so far and is on track to hit the revenue target of Rs.10,000 Cr within the first 3 years of full-scale operations.” He added, “To cater specifically to the growing needs of the southern region, our fourth state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chamarajnagar supports our growth strategy. This new facility will help us provide quality products and services to customers with increased responsiveness, underscoring our unwavering commitment to becoming a leader in the decorative paint industry.”
The Chamarajnagar plant, with a capacity of 230 MLPA, will produce Water based paints, Enamel paints and Wood Finish Paints. The Water based paints will use in-house manufactured advanced Emulsions as key raw material through unique polymer synthesis process helping company offer innovative paint features like multi stain resistance, outstanding dirt resistance, crack bridge-ability and high scrub resistance leaving no furniture marks when consumer paints with Birla Opus luxury products. The Solvent based paints will use inhouse resins with exquisite designer molecules for high corrosion resistance, better durability, faster drying and superior gloss. The plant is fully sustainable with zero liquid discharge and equipped with 4th generation manufacturing technology to manage supply chain at lightning speed, with zero defects and end to end product traceability – a first of its kind feature.
Birla Opus Paints had previously outlined plans to establish six strategically located manufacturing plants with a total capacity of 1,332 MLPA, at an upfront investment of Rs.10,000 Cr. The paints business has already incurred a total capex of Rs. 8,470 Cr. (85% of the total project costs). Currently, four plants are operational, contributing 866 MLPA. Of the remaining two, the Mahad plant near Pune has entered trial production, while the Kharagpur plant near Kolkata is progressing as planned.
Mr. Himanshu Kapania, Director, Aditya Birla Group, said, “Birla Opus Paints continues to make rapid strides as part of its growth journey. With 4 out of our 6 state-of-the-art, fully automated manufacturing plants now operational across Panipat, Ludhiana, Cheyyar and Chamarajnagar, we are well-positioned to meet growing demand by having higher supply capacity. The inauguration of our fourth plant marks a key milestone, reinforcing our commitment to progress.”
At the time of launch, Birla Opus Paints had committed to offer the widest product range with 145+ products and 1,200 SKUs across Water based paints, enamel paint, Wood Finishes, Waterproofing and Wallpaper. As of September 2024 end, the company has already placed 129 products out of planned 145+ products with over 900 SKUs. The launch of Chamarajnagar plant will help Birla Opus Paints expand its product portfolio with exclusive products like Indian PU Wood Finish, special factory-made shades of Enamels, besides bringing down logistics cost to serve the market better. The product quality is already receiving excellent feedback from customers and painters as business is recording robust month on month growth.
Mr. Rakshit Hargave, CEO, Birla Opus Paints, said, “Our dedication to cutting-edge R&D, ESG initiatives, and smart factory technology is delivering the best quality of decorative paints in the country with host of differentiated product features for the entire eco system. The opening of our fourth fully automated factory is a reinforcement to our commitment of building a successful paints business in India.”
Birla Opus Paints today also announced the pilot launch of its Franchisee led Painting Services – PaintCraft Partner to supplement its direct painting services.
The company’s confidence on the quality of its products is reflected in the latest advertising campaign ‘Naye Zamane Ka Naya Paint’ showcasing innovative features – like no marks scuff resistant paint, excellent dirt pickup technology, high coverage, 10% free paint promotion and warranty on the entire range of products up to 16 years etc after a memorable launch campaign – ‘Duniya Ko Rang Do’.
Birla Opus Paints is now available in over 4,300+ towns pan-India covering all large and mid-size towns in every district of the country and fast spreading across small towns and rural markets.
