Beyond the paint bucket, Berger’s chemicals business hits ₹1,500 crore

Berger Paints’ construction chemicals business has crossed ₹1,500 crore in FY26, giving the paintmaker a sizeable second growth engine as demand rises for waterproofing, repair and tiling products in India’s housing and infrastructure market.

Built over the past seven to eight years, it has grown faster than the category it is targeting. Berger said its construction chemicals unit, which includes waterproofing, has clocked a compound annual growth rate of more than 25% over the last three years. That compares with an estimated 8% to 10% growth rate for the broader waterproofing market.

“That's a category which is growing very fast. And we have built up a strong presence in this domain. Currently, we are number three in this particular segment in India and growing. Since, it is growing very fast and almost double the pace of, or at least 7-8%, ahead of paint growth, therefore we also can ride on this growth,” Abhijit Roy, managing director and chief executive officer of Berger Paints India had told Fortune India in an earlier interview.

A larger bet beyond decorative paints

For Berger, the business is an effort to extend its relevance from surfaces that need painting to structures that need protection. Its portfolio now covers waterproofing, wall repair, tile adhesives, grouts and allied applications, addressing both new construction and renovation work.

“We see construction chemicals as a natural extension of our role in building and protecting the spaces that matter to consumers,” Roy said.

The company is leaning on the Home Shield brand for waterproofing solutions. Its newer products include Home Shield Waterproof Putty, which combines wall-smoothing putty with waterproofing properties, and Roof Cool and Seal, a roof treatment that promises both waterproofing and heat reduction.

Roof Cool and Seal, introduced about two years ago, has a Solar Reflectance Index of more than 111%, according to the company. A higher reflectance index indicates that a surface can reflect more sunlight and remain cooler, making the product relevant in markets where heat management is becoming part of home-maintenance decisions.

Berger has also entered the tiling segment with tile adhesives, tile grouts and other adhesive products. The expansion broadens its exposure across the construction chemicals value chain, but also places it in a competitive market where products can be technical, distribution-heavy and dependent on awareness among contractors and consumers.

The company said it has a pan-India presence, with strong traction in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Its next task will be to deepen penetration in these markets while expanding into newer geographies. Sustaining its recent growth rate could become harder as the business scales, particularly if category growth settles closer to the wider market’s pace.

In the current market, the business still faces the challenge of turning a relatively specialised category into a more widely understood consumer purchase. Unlike paint, waterproofing and repair products often require diagnosis of a construction problem, skilled application and greater trust in product performance.

The wider market backdrop remains supportive. Mordor Intelligence, in a June 2026 report, estimated India’s construction chemicals market at $2.53 billion in 2026 and projected it to reach $4.47 billion by 2031, implying a 12.06% CAGR.

Roy said Berger would focus on “scaling the business responsibly” while strengthening its geographic reach and developing products for professionals and consumers. The ₹1,500 crore mark suggests that ambition is no longer peripheral to Berger’s paints business where it is facing tough competition from new entrants. But the emerging business is increasingly central to where the company sees its next phase of growth.