Ultramarine & Pigments

What Ultramarine & Pigments does

Ultramarine & Pigments Limited is an Indian specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1960 and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (bom:ULTRAMAR), headquartered in Chennai with documented operations spanning more than 50 countries. The company operates three manufacturing facilities — Ambattur and Ranipet in Tamil Nadu, and Naidupet in Andhra Pradesh — organized under two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Ultramarine Specialty Chemicals Ltd and Ultramarine Fine Chemicals Ltd.

The core product portfolio divides into inorganic pigments (industrial, cosmetic, food and detergent grades of Ultramarine Blue, plus Ultramarine Violet, Ultramarine Pink, Bismuth Vanadate, and Complex Inorganic Color Pigments), surfactants (LABSA, SLES, AOS) produced using falling film reactor technology, and specialty chemicals including MCT, BKC, and coconut-derived surfactants (CAPB, CMEA, CDEA). The firm also markets a small consumer-products line under the OOB brand in South India. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, REACH compliance, and DSIR R&D recognition.

The business model is predominantly B2B industrial sales into paints, plastics, cosmetics, detergents, and personal care manufacturers, supplemented by B2C consumer-products distribution through South India retail and e-commerce. A separately disclosed IT-enabled services (ITES) division, established in 2000, is characterized as a material profit contributor, though revenue from it is not separately quantified. FY2026 revenue was Rs 774.77 crore (approximately $93M USD), up 11.52% year-on-year, while Q4 FY2026 net profit declined 16.86% and operating margin compressed from 14.56% to 13.19%, indicating margin pressure at the run-rate despite continued top-line expansion.

Name

Ultramarine & Pigments

Legal name

Ultramarine & Pigments Limited

Website

https://ultramarinepigments.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Chennai-based Indian chemical manufacturer founded in 1960, producing inorganic pigments (ultramarine blue, violet, bismuth vanadate, CICP), surfactants (LABSA, SLES, AOS), specialty chemicals, and OOB-brand consumer products for industrial and retail customers across more than 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (325613), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Pigments & Dyes (IMAEAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Institutional (I&I) Cleaning Chemicals (IMAEABAG), Specialty Surfactants & Performance Additives (IMAEABAL), Produce Wash & Food-Contact Surface Dish Cleaning Solutions (CRAJABAI), Stainless Steel & Metal Surface Cleaners & Polishes (CRAJACAF)

Keywords

• Specialty pigments
• Inorganic color pigments
• Surfactant chemicals
• Household cleaning products
• Industrial chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Industrial Sales: Sale of inorganic pigments (ultramarine blues, violets, pinks, bismuth vanadate, complex inorganic color pigments) and surfactants (Alpha Olefin Sulphonate, LABSA, SLES) to industrial customers for use in paints, plastics, cosmetics, personal care, and other manufacturing applications.
2. B2C Consumer Products: Sale of branded consumer cleaning products including OOB floor cleaners, dishwash liquids, detergent liquids, and fabric conditioners through retail stores and e-commerce platform.
3. ITES Division: IT Enabled Services division contributes a significant portion of company profits. The ITES division was started in 2000 and has grown to be a major profit contributor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ultramarine & Pigments manufactures and sells inorganic pigments (ultramarine blue, violet, pink, bismuth vanadate, complex inorganic color pigments) and a range of surfactants (AOS, LABSA, SLES, BKC, CAPB, CMEA, CDEA, CAPAO, DLESS, LAO) used across detergents, personal care, paints, plastics, textiles, and industrial applications. The company also retails household cleaning products under the OOB brand for end consumers. Manufacturing operations are based in Chennai, Ranipet, and Naidupet in India, with exports to more than 50 countries.

Product overview

Ultramarine & Pigments Limited is a manufacturer of inorganic pigments and surfactants, operating with a platform-plus-product-portfolio architecture. Their core product lines include Ultramarine pigments (Blue, Violet, Pink in the Ultramarine series), Bismuth Vanadate, and Complex Inorganic Color Pigments (CICP's) for colour applications across paints, plastics, cosmetics, and industrial uses. Their surfactants division produces Alpha Olefin Sulphonate, Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulphonic Acid (LABSA), and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES) for cleaning and personal care applications. Specialty chemicals include Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC), and coconut oil-derived amphoteric/non-ionic surfactants (CAPB, CMEA, CDEA, CAPAO, DLESS, LAO). Consumer-facing OOB branded products include floor cleaners, detergent liquids, dishwash products, and fabric conditioners. The company serves over 50 countries with manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UPL Range: Ultramarine blue formulated for general applications such as plastics and coatings.
• MarineX Range
• MarineX HP Range
• MarineX AR Range
• Low FPV Range
• Cosmarine Range
• Ultrawet CAPB
• Ultrawet CMEA
• Ultrawet BKC 50%
• Ultrawet BKC 80%
• Ultrawet CDEA
• Ultrawet TGMC
• Ultracide 64
• Ultracide 73
• OOB

Products and services

• Ultramarine Blue (Pigment Blue 29) Inorganic ultramarine blue pigment (Pigment Blue 29) used as a colorant in plastics, paints, coatings, textiles, cosmetics, detergents, and other industrial applications. Sold in bulk to industrial customers globally.
• MarineX Range Specialized variants of Ultramarine Blue (Pigment Blue 29) designed for distinct industrial use cases requiring tailored performance characteristics. Targeted at industrial customers needing specific grade specifications.
• Ultramarine Violet (Pigment Violet 15) Inorganic ultramarine violet pigment (Pigment Violet 15) used as a colorant in industrial applications including plastics, coatings, and specialty formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• Ultramarine Pink (Pigment Red 259) Inorganic ultramarine pink pigment (Pigment Red 259) used as a colorant across industrial applications requiring pink/red shades. Sold to industrial customers.
• Bismuth Vanadate (Pigment Yellow 184) High-performance bismuth vanadate yellow pigment (Pigment Yellow 184) used in industrial coatings, plastics, and specialty applications requiring high opacity, weatherfastness, and color strength. Sold to industrial customers.
• Complex Inorganic Color Pigments (CICP's) Complex Inorganic Color Pigments (CICPs) engineered for high-temperature stability, weather resistance, and outdoor durability in industrial coatings, plastics, ceramics, and specialty applications. Sold to industrial customers.
• Alpha Olefin Sulphonate (AOS) Anionic surfactant (Alpha Olefin Sulphonate) supplied to manufacturers of detergents, personal care products, and industrial cleaners for use as a high-foaming, biodegradable surfactant. Sold in bulk to industrial customers.
• LABSA (Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulphonic Acid) Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulphonic Acid (LABSA), a key anionic surfactant intermediate used in the manufacture of household and industrial detergents and cleaners. Sold in bulk to industrial customers.
• SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate) Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES) anionic surfactant used as a foaming and cleansing agent in shampoos, body washes, dishwash liquids, and other personal care and household cleaning products. Sold to industrial formulators.
• Ultracide MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) — Grades 64 and 73 Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) sold under the Ultracide brand in two grades (64 and 73) for use in personal care formulations, cosmetics, and industrial applications. Sold to industrial customers.
• Ultrawet BKC (Benzalkonium Chloride) — 50% and 80% Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC) cationic surfactant and biocide offered in 50% and 80% concentrations under the Ultrawet brand for use in disinfectants, sanitizers, and industrial cleaning formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• Ultrawet CAPB (CoCo Amido Propyl Betaine) CoCo Amido Propyl Betaine (CAPB) amphoteric surfactant used as a secondary surfactant in shampoos, body washes, and personal care formulations for foam boosting and mildness. Sold to industrial customers.
• Ultrawet CMEA (CoCo Mono Ethanol Amide) CoCo Mono Ethanol Amide (CMEA) nonionic surfactant used as a foam booster and viscosity builder in detergent and personal care formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• Ultrawet CDEA (CoCo Diethanolamide) CoCo Diethanolamide (CDEA) nonionic surfactant used as a foam stabilizer and viscosity builder in detergent and cleaning formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• CoCo Amide Propy Amine Oxide (CAPAO) CoCo Amide Propy Amine Oxide (CAPAO) nonionic surfactant used as a foam booster and stabilizer in detergent and personal care formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (DLESS) Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (DLESS) mild anionic surfactant used in gentle personal care formulations such as baby shampoos and facial cleansers. Sold to industrial customers.
• Lauryl Amine Oxide (LAO) Lauryl Amine Oxide (LAO) nonionic surfactant used as a foam booster and viscosity modifier in cleaning and personal care formulations. Sold to industrial customers.
• OOB Floor Cleaner Liquid floor cleaning product marketed under the OOB brand for everyday household floor cleaning by Indian consumers. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB Detergent Liquid Liquid laundry detergent marketed under the OOB brand for household laundry use by Indian consumers. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB Dishwash Liquid Liquid dishwashing product marketed under the OOB brand for manual dishwashing by Indian households. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB Fabric Conditioner Liquid fabric conditioner (softener) marketed under the OOB brand for household laundry finishing by Indian consumers. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB White Plus Detergent Powder Detergent powder marketed under the OOB White Plus variant for household laundry use by Indian consumers, positioned around whiteness performance. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB Sweta Copper and Brass Cleaning Powder Specialty cleaning powder marketed under the OOB Sweta variant for cleaning and polishing copper and brass utensils and items in Indian households. Sold through retail and distribution channels.
• OOB Shine Dishwash Bar Solid dishwashing bar marketed under the OOB Shine variant for manual dishwashing by Indian households. Sold through retail and distribution channels.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Lanxess: German specialty chemicals company with inorganic pigments (including bismuth vanadate) and material protection products. Overlaps with UPL's CICP and pigment offerings as part of a much larger portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemical major with broad pigment and surfactant portfolios. Competes with UPL across multiple product lines but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Atul Ltd: Diversified Indian chemical manufacturer producing pigments, intermediates and specialty chemicals. Broader portfolio than UPL but overlapping pigment and dye chemistries targeting similar industrial customers.

Direct peers

• Sudarshan Chemical Industries: Indian pigments and dyes manufacturer with overlapping inorganic pigment and effect pigment lines. Most direct Indian-listed comparable to UPL's pigment business.
• Holliday Pigments: UK-based specialist manufacturer of ultramarine blue, violet and pink pigments. Closely comparable to UPL's core pigment portfolio across similar end-uses (plastics, coatings, cosmetics).
• DCL Corporation: Canadian manufacturer of high-performance and complex inorganic color pigments serving coatings, plastics and inks. Competes directly with UPL's CICP and bismuth vanadate ranges.
• Thirumalai Chemicals: Indian specialty chemicals maker producing food ingredients, malic acid and surfactants. UPL has a direct equity stake (15,20,270 shares allotted January 2026), making it both a financial and operational peer.
• Bodal Chemicals: Indian dyes, pigments and intermediates manufacturer. Comparable Indian peer with overlapping end-markets in textiles, coatings, and leather; competes on similar product categories.
• Galaxy Surfactants: Indian manufacturer of surfactants and specialty ingredients for personal and home care. Comparable to UPL's surfactant portfolio (LABSA, SLES, CAPB, CDEA) serving similar FMCG customers.
• Nubiola (Ferro): Spanish producer of inorganic pigments including ultramarine blues and violets, bismuth vanadate and CICPs. Direct competitor across the same specialty inorganic pigment categories as UPL.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ultramarinepigmentsltd

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Ultramarine & Pigments