The uses of dyes and pigments date a long way back in human history where natural dyes were obtained from vegetable, animal, or mineral origin. The modern synthetic dyes and pigments were discovered in the late 19^th century and are used as coloring agents in products such as inks and paints. Dyes and pigments find its application across various industries such as textiles, paper, leather, paints and coatings, plastics, chemicals, printing, and construction. Dyes are categorized into reactive, disperse, and direct dyes, whereas pigments can be organic or inorganic pigments. The recent procurement market intelligence report from SpendEdge identifies APAC region as the largest market for dyes and pigments accounting for 51% of the market share.

Trends in the Global Dyes and Pigments Market

Shifting Production to Low-Cost Region

Major dyes and pigment manufacturers are shifting their production facilities to low-cost regions in order to save costs. Apart form cost-savings, such companies shift their facilities to tackle stringent regulations in regions such as Europe. Dyes and pigment manufacturers usually turn towards countries like China and India in the APAC region as the regulatory enforcement are usually low along with the labor cost. For instance, BSAF and Clariant, leading manufacturers in Europe have shut their facilities down to shift their production to nations in the APAC region.

Increased Product Portfolio

Since pigment dye has a low degree of differentiation, it can be easily duplicated and create brand differentiation can be challenging. To tackle such challenges dye and pigment manufacturers are offering integrated end-to-end industry-specific solution including consultations for color selection, technical advisory on machinery selection, logistical support, customization of color solutions, and extended warranties. This helps the buyers to minimize the cost and complexities associated with the procurement of dyes and pigments. For instance, BSAF has extended its offering beyond the basic product to include technical guidance, logistics support, and customization of dyes and pigments.

Demand for High-Performance Dyes and Pigments

The changes in lifestyle and increasing customer expectation has pushed the demand for high-performance dyes and pigments. These products depict exceptional chemical and physical properties including high levels of durability and resistance to UV, heat, radiation, and chemicals. Additionally, they also exhibit properties such as fluorescence, luminescence, and thermochromism. One such notable innovation came from BSAF who introduced Paliotol pigment products which have high resistance to weathering and high dispensability.

Increasing Demand for Organic Dyes and Pigments

As consumers are getting more concerned towards the environment and their health, they are demanding organic products free from hazardous chemicals in inorganic pigments and dyes. In addition to stringent regulations posed by the government, dyes and pigment manufacturers are opting for organic compounds to comply with environmental and health guidelines.

Rising Investment in R&D

Suppliers of dyes and pigments are increasing their investment in R&D activities and technological innovation to develop products with enhanced physical and chemical properties. Some of the innovation explores materials that have high color fastness and greater temperature resistance. Recently, BSAF allocated R&D spend of US$2.06 billion towards the development of dyes and pigments with enhanced properties.

Read more about the top trends in the dyes and pigments market along with competitive landscape analysis, sourcing strategy, negotiation strategies, pricing insights, and procurement market intelligence in SpendEdge’s upcoming report on the global dyes and pigments market.

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