Paint Remover Manufacturing in the US - Industry Market Research Report

Stripped clean: The falling unemployment rate and rising per capita disposable income are expected to support industry revenue

Paint Remover Manufacturing

The Paint Remover Manufacturing industry is estimated to have a medium level of concentration overall. Market share concentration has increased over the past five years as competitors consolidated to increase profit margins as demand picked up. As of 2018, there is only one major player in the industry, WM Barr & Co., which competes with regional and local companies.

Ownership structure explained

- WM Barr & Co. (Barr) is one of the nation's largest paint remover manufacturing companies, producing specialty cleaning products for consumers and industrial customers in the home improvement, residential construction and automotive sectors. Barr manufactures paint removers, thinners, solvents and heavy-duty cleaners that are sold in hardware stores and home improvement supply stores across the United States, Europe and Asia. It owns Goof Off from the Valspar Corporation, Jasco and Bix chemical stripper product lines from Homax Companies and Olympus Partners, Klean-Strip, Citistrip and Microban International.

Barr leads the industry

- Barr has increased its market share by acquiring several companies and product lines: Goof Off from the Valspar Corporation; Jasco and Bix chemical stripper product lines from Homax Companies and Olympus Partners; and its largest acquisition, Microban International Ltd., a developer of antimicrobial cleaners for kitchen and bath products, appliances and food service products. Through its many acquisitions, the company has become a leader in the development of innovative paint-removing products. Additionally, the company has obtained the capital and capacity to expand into different markets, including the industrial and automotive markets.

Price-based competition defines industry

- Access to affordable labor and raw materials can help an industry participant gain an advantage over competitors. Additionally, participants compete at various stages of the supply chain. For the most part, industry products are primarily sold by third-party retailers such as the Home Depot Inc. and Lowe's Companies Inc. Price is extremely important to customers in this industry. Operators further compete on product quality, consistency and reliability, with competition often based on the technical properties of the product

This industry manufactures products that loosen paint from surfaces for downstream markets including boat builders, contractors, do-it-yourself consumers and municipalities. Key products include paint and varnish remover, paint thinner and epoxy remover.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.