Birla Opus, a new player in the Rs 70,000-crore decorative paints market, has quickly grown its distribution to over 300 towns in just six months. The company initially launched in northern states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi and has now expanded to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
They achieved this by attending trade expos, giving free paint tinting machines to dealers, and pricing their products 15-20% lower than Asian Paints. Birla Opus aims to earn Rs 10,000 crore in revenue and become profitable within three years. Asian Paints, the market leader with over 50% share, ended FY24 with Rs 35,382 crore in net sales and Rs 5,460 crore in net profit.
To support its growth, Birla Opus is increasing manufacturing. Three new plants in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and West Bengal will start operations in FY25. The CEO, Rakshit Hargave, said they plan to open franchisees in 300 towns and reach 6,000 towns by the end of FY25. Their new ad campaign, “Make Life Beautiful,” launched in June, has received positive feedback.
Birla Opus began operations in February with plants in Haryana, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, investing Rs 10,000 crore. Other companies like JK Cement, Astral Pipes, and JSW Group have also entered the paints market recently. Aditya Birla Group, the parent company, sees paints as a natural extension of its white cement business, allowing them to produce emulsions and resins in-house.
