Materials & Supplies

The 5 Best-Selling Paint Companies in Kenya

The local paint market is dominated by a handful of companies.

Updated on

January 11, 2024

Top paint firms in Kenya include Crown Paints, Basco Paints and Plascon. PHOTO | FILE

The paint industry in Kenya has greatly flourished over the past decade thanks to a construction boom that is being experienced across the country.

Aggressive marketing by paint companies has also contributed to the success of the industry which is currently dominated by a handful of companies.

Local paint giants, which continue to add colour to Kenyan real estate, include Crown Paints, Basco Paints, Kansai Plascon, Solai Paints and Nasib.

Each of these companies offers its specialised products with some offering extra services such as professional assistance and training.

Here are Kenya’s five best-selling paint companies (in no particular order):

Paint companies in Kenya

1.) Crown Paints

Crown Paints, also known as Crown Berger was formed in 1958. It is the market leader in the Kenya paint industry with an annual turnover of about Sh6.2 billion and is the only paint company listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Crown controls an estimated 65 per cent of the Kenyan market. The company is well established with showrooms and depots in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Nakuru.

Crown has also ventured into Uganda and Tanzania. Its Ugandan brand, Regal Paints, is currently ranked second in the country.

2.) Basco Paints

Basco Paints, a family-run entity founded in 1976, is the manufacturer of the Duracoat brand of paints, which are ranked among the best paints in Kenya.

It has the largest factory in East Africa capable of producing up to 5,000,000 litres of paint in a single shift and is the second biggest paint company in Kenya in terms of market share.

Basco Paints products are widely distributed in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and the DRC.

3.) Kansai Plascon

Kansai Plascon joined the league of top paint companies in Kenya when it acquired Sadolin Paints in 2017. Founded in 1918, Kansai Paint is the leading paint company in Japan and a top 10 global paint company.

With 51 operations globally, Kansai employs over 10,000 people.

Kansai Paint has world-class Research and Development facilities in Japan, India and South Africa, enhancing its brand leadership by continuously driving innovation in the marketplace.

4.) Solai Paints

Solai Paints Ltd. is a wholly Kenyan-owned paint manufacturing and distributing company that started back in 1990. The company mainly focuses on the development and manufacture of finishing products such as paints, vanishes, and thinners among others.

Apart from Nairobi where the company headquarters are located, the company has expanded its operations to other major towns across the country as well as three East African Countries.

5.) Nasib Industrial Products

Nasib Industrial Products Ltd is the manufacturer of Glory brand of paints.

Established in 1992, the company has over the years become a significant player in the local paint industry through production and supply of surface coatings for the local market.

Its range of products includes automotive and decorative paints, thinners, primers, wood finishes and adhesives among others.

Nasib is now one of the leading paint manufacturers in Kenya.

Eco-Friendly Paints

In recent years the industry has shifted focus to eco-friendly products which have a low volatile organic compounds (VOC) content.

Basco Paints has emerged as an innovation powerhouse having pioneered the production of highly innovative types of paints in Kenya, including eco-friendly emulsion paints, antibacterial paints and the lead-free range of paints.

Antibacterial paint, also produced by Crown Paints, reduces the risk of infections and illness by preventing the buildup of bacteria and mould which pose a myriad of health risks.

The paint is best suited for infection-prone places such as health institutions and humid surfaces such as toilets, bathrooms and kitchens.