What Kansai Paint does

Kansai Coatings Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., operating commercially as Kansai Paint Malaysia and Kansai Paint Asia Pacific, is the Malaysian subsidiary of Tokyo-listed parent Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. — a Top 10 global coatings manufacturer founded in 1918 by Katsujiro Iwai in Japan. The Malaysian entity was incorporated in 2006 through the acquisition of local brand PAR (Paints and Resins) and was rebranded in 2015 to reflect its broader Asia-Pacific mandate. It operates across five product segments — decorative, automotive, industrial, protective, and marine coatings — backed by group-level capabilities including 5 R&D Institutes, 2 R&D Centers, and annual R&D spend above USD 50 million.

The company's product technology spans proprietary formulations including the ALES SHIQUY air-purifying lime plaster (the first of its kind co-manufactured in Japan and Malaysia), ALES Anti-MosQ mosquito-repellent paint, ALES Cool Reflect solar-reflective exterior coating (Singapore Standard SS 678:2021-compliant), ALES Silk Nano antibacterial paint using Nano Silver Technology, and a Green Coatings line formulated VOC-free, low-odour, APEO-free and free of formaldehyde/lead/mercury. Local acquisitions of Sancora Paint (2016) and the Mr Paint Man joint venture (2017) extended the Malaysian product range to include wood & metal coatings, sport flooring, waterproofing, primer/undercoat, and PAR roof coatings.

Kansai Paint Malaysia serves two primary customer cohorts: (i) retail homeowners purchasing through a nationwide authorized dealer network spanning Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei, with dealers offering Inspired Colours Tinting services; and (ii) professional/industrial buyers in automotive, refinish, and industrial sectors requiring higher-performance specifications. Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed; go-to-market relies on dealer channel partnerships, digital marketing via YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, and global brand amplification through the Manchester United sponsorship established in 2013. Headquarters and main factory are in Kamunting, Perak, supported by four branches in Klang (Selangor), Kuantan (Pahang), Durian Tunggal (Melaka), and Ulu Tiram (Johor Bahru).

Name

Kansai Paint

Legal name

Kansai Coatings Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://kansaimalaysia.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kansai Paint, via Kansai Coatings Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., is a Top 10 global coatings manufacturer's Malaysian subsidiary producing decorative, automotive, industrial, protective, and marine paints. It serves Malaysian homeowners and professional/industrial customers through a nationwide authorized dealer network offering tinted colour-matching, plus proprietary ALES health- and eco-focused product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paint and Coatings Manufacturing

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Decorative Coatings (IMAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB), Automotive & Transportation Coatings (IMAEAHAC), Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM)

Keywords

• Decorative paint manufacturing
• Automotive coatings
• Industrial coatings
• Protective coatings
• Marine coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Selangor

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kansai Paint manufactures and sells paints and coatings across five segments: decorative (architectural paints for interior and exterior use), automotive (OEM and refinish coatings), industrial (general industrial coatings), protective (anti-corrosion and infrastructure coatings), and marine (coatings for ships and offshore structures). The company distributes its branded products, including the ALES functional paint line, through an authorized dealer network in markets such as Malaysia, supplying both individual consumers for residential use and business customers in the automotive, construction, and industrial sectors.

Product overview

Kansai Paint is a Top 10 global coatings manufacturer founded in 1918, operating across over 43 countries with five core business segments: Decorative, Automotive, Industrial, Protective, and Marine Coatings. The company operates 5 R&D Institutes and 2 R&D Centers with annual R&D budget exceeding USD50 million. In Malaysia, Kansai Paint (established as Kansai Coatings Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. in 2006 after acquiring PAR) offers specialized product lines including the ALES green product series (ALES SHIQUY lime plaster, ALES COOL REFLECT solar reflective coating, ALES SILK NANO antibacterial paint, ALES ANTI-MOSQ mosquito repellent paint, ALES HYDRO H2O GLOSS, ALES HIGH PERFORMANCE WATERPROOFING), water-based sport flooring coatings, and PAR roof coatings. The company has expanded through acquisitions of Sancora Paint (2016) and joint venture with Mr Paint Man (2017), and became official paint partner of Manchester United in 2013.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ALES: ALESCO brand name formed from Latin word ALES (meaning 'wing') and ESCO (acronym for Excellent Specialty Company), expressing the concept of constant progress.

Products and services

• ALES SHIQUY Interior & Exterior Paint ALES SHIQUY is a decorative interior and exterior wall paint formulated for residential and commercial buildings, offered under the ALES brand for homeowners and professional painters.
• ALES COOL REFLECT Solar Reflective Wall Coating ALES COOL REFLECT is a solar-reflective exterior wall coating that reduces heat absorption on building facades, intended for homeowners and developers in tropical climates.
• PAR HEAT REDUCTION ROOFCOTE PAR HEAT REDUCTION ROOFCOTE is a roof coating that reduces heat transfer into buildings through solar-reflective technology, suitable for residential and commercial rooftops.
• ALES SILK NANO Anti-Bacterial Paint ALES SILK NANO is an anti-bacterial decorative paint using nano-silver technology, targeted at residential and commercial interiors where hygiene is a priority such as homes, clinics, and offices.
• ALES ANTI-MOSQ Mosquito Repellent Paint ALES ANTI-MOSQ is a mosquito-repellent interior paint designed for homes and commercial interiors in mosquito-prone regions, particularly relevant in tropical markets such as Malaysia.
• ALES HYDRO H2O GLOSS ALES HYDRO H2O GLOSS is a water-based high-gloss coating used for decorative and protective finishing of interior and exterior surfaces, positioned as a low-VOC alternative to solvent-based gloss paints.
• ALES HIGH PERFORMANCE WATERPROOFING ALES HIGH PERFORMANCE WATERPROOFING is a high-performance waterproofing coating system for roofs, exterior walls, and wet areas in residential and commercial buildings.
• WATERBASED SPORT FLOORING WATERBASED SPORT FLOORING is a water-based coating system engineered for sports and recreational flooring applications in schools, gyms, and indoor arenas.
• Automotive OEM and Refinish Coatings Kansai Paint's automotive segment supplies OEM coatings for vehicle manufacturers and refinish coatings for body repair shops, serving global automotive customers.
• Industrial Coatings Kansai Paint supplies general industrial coatings for machinery, equipment, and manufactured goods requiring durable finishes.
• Protective and Marine Coatings Kansai Paint supplies protective anti-corrosion coatings for infrastructure and marine coatings for vessels and offshore structures, used by shipyards, port operators, and infrastructure developers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Mr Paint ManmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture in 2017 that aligned with Kansai Paint's commitment to growing its global presence. Many of Mr Paint Man's products were incorporated into Kansai Paint's product range, making it one of the most comprehensive coatings manufacturers in Malaysia.
• Sancora PaintmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Embracement of Sancora Paint as one of their own brands in 2016, expanding capabilities in the Malaysian market.
• Manchester UnitedmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013In January 2013, Kansai Paint became the official paint partner of the English football club Manchester United. United's commercial director Richard Arnold stated that Kansai represents many of the same values and qualities the club adheres to both on and off the pitch. This partnership elevated global brand visibility.
• PAR (P得brand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Successful acquisition of PAR, the renowned Malaysian brand for decorative paints and industrial coatings, which led to the founding of Kansai Coatings Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. in 2006.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hempel: Hempel is a Denmark-headquartered coatings specialist with significant decorative, protective, and marine coatings operations across Asia. It competes directly with Kansai in marine and protective segments while also serving the Malaysian decorative market.
• Nippon Paint Malaysia: Nippon Paint is Kansai's largest direct competitor in Malaysian decorative paints, offering an overlapping product range (interior, exterior, wood/metal, waterproofing) and a similar nationwide dealer network. Its strong brand equity in Malaysia makes it the closest head-to-head peer for Kansai Paint Malaysia.
• Berger Paints: Berger Paints is an Asian-focused decorative and industrial coatings player with strong distribution in South and Southeast Asia. Its regional product portfolio and dealer-led GTM closely mirror Kansai's Malaysian operating model.
• Jotun Paints: Jotun is a major Norway-headquartered coatings company with deep presence across decorative, marine, protective, and industrial segments in Malaysia and ASEAN. Its product breadth and segment overlap make it a directly comparable peer, particularly in marine and protective coatings.

Others

• Sika AG: Sika is a Switzerland-listed specialty chemicals and coatings company with strong positions in sealants, waterproofing, and protective systems — areas where Kansai also competes (e.g., ALES HIGH PERFORMANCE WATERPROOFING). It is an adjacent peer in protective and building envelope solutions.

Regional players

• TOA Paint: TOA Paint is a leading Thailand-based coatings manufacturer with strong ASEAN distribution and a comparable multi-segment product portfolio. It competes with Kansai across Thai and broader Southeast Asian decorative and industrial markets.
• Chugoku Marine Paints: Chugoku is a Japan-based specialty marine coatings company with global operations and a long-standing presence in Asian shipyards. It is highly comparable to Kansai's marine segment and a regional incumbent in the same Japanese coatings ecosystem.
• SK Kaken (SKK Paints): SK Kaken is a Japanese architectural coatings specialist with strength in fire-retardant, insulation, and decorative coatings. It competes with Kansai in the Japan domestic market and represents a comparable specialty coatings peer.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Industries: PPG is a US-listed global coatings leader with overlapping automotive, industrial, and protective coatings offerings. As a global incumbent with broader scale, it is a broad competitive peer rather than a direct Malaysian decorative competitor.
• AkzoNobel (Dulux): AkzoNobel, owner of the Dulux brand, is one of the world's largest coatings companies with a strong presence in Malaysian decorative paints and a broader industrial and automotive portfolio. Its scale, brand strength, and global R&D make it a key broad incumbent peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTuberb.gy/d8o71c
• Facebookfacebook.com/KansaiPaintAP
• Instagraminstagram.com/kansaipaintapac
• TikToktiktok.com/@kansaipaintmalaysia?lang=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansai-paint-co.-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kansai Paint