Asian Paints is one of the largest paint companies in the country. It accounts for 53% of the paint market in India. Not only this, it is the third largest paint manufacturer in Asia. It has factories in 16 countries. The history of Asian Paints is 78 years old i.e. even before independence. Today we have brought you how this company became the uncrowned king of the paint world in India.
History of Asian Paints
The history of Asian Paints dates back to Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement. On one hand, the citizens of the country were taking part in this movement, and on the other side, four people were preparing to lay the foundation of this company by sitting in the garage. This was the period when the British government banned the import of paints from abroad into the country. In such a situation, people were left with no option but to buy some selected paints. Taking this calamity as an opportunity, four friends Champaklal Choksi, Chimanlal Choksi, Suryakant Dani, and Arvind Vakil started Asian Paints and Oil Pvt Ltd in Mumbai in 1942.
In the initial phase, the four worked hard at the grassroots level to take the company. Door to the door they contacted local people and encouraged them to sell small pouches of his company’s paints. Then the company used to produce only 5 colors white, black, yellow, red, and green. This company, which started in 1942, did a business of Rs 3.5 lakh in 1945 at that time. After 7 years, Asian Paints did a business of Rs 23 crore in the year 1952. It was a huge amount in those days.
The Mascot (Asian Paints Gattu)
Asian Paints, which has become the favorite paint company of the people, after came up with a new idea of keeping itself connected with the people. In 1954, the company founded the famous cartoonist R.K. Made a cartoon out of Laxman and announced a competition for people to name it. People took part in this fiercely and the name of its mascot Gattu was decided. Then 47 thousand letters came for this name. The winner was also given a prize of Rs 500. After creating the mascot, the company associated it with its famous Distemper brand tractor and launched it with the tagline “Don’t Lose Your Temper, Use Tractor Distemper”. Seeing this distemper became the first choice of the people. After this, the company set up its paint plant in Bhandup, Maharashtra. The first plant of Asian Paints was set up abroad in 1967
Between 1957-67 the company worked with several foreign companies. After continued success, the company set up its first overseas plant in Fiji in 1967. In this way, slowly coming out of the streets of Mumbai, this paint company is spreading its fame all over the world today. Today, Asian Paints is trading paints in thousands of colors, themes, and textures. This includes from economical to expensive paints. From exteriors to interiors, from walls to wood, the company makes paints. Not only this, but it has also tried its hand in other businesses. Bathroom fittings and kitchen fittings are one of them.
What is the secret of the success of Asian Paints
The secret of Asian Paints’ success lies in keeping pace with the times. Along with quality, it also maintained its stronghold on market trends. Whether it’s the first TV commercial created for Paint or launching your own website. The company has always been with the times and ever ahead of time. These days Asian Paints is also dominated by social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. He has millions of followers here. It also conducts various campaigns from time to time. One must remember Deepika Padukone’s Royal Atmos paint ad to fight indoor pollution. This drew the attention of millions of people to Asian Paints. It gave the message that this paint is also safe for all.
Asian Paints won awards at the international level
In the year 2004, the company was included in the list of Forbes Best Under a Billion Companies. Not only this, but the British Safety Council also honored it with the award of ‘Sword of Honor. Asian Paints is one of the few companies in the country that was started before independence and is still active today. Not only that, it is one of the most sought-after paint companies in the world.
I hope you like the story of Asian Paints, Thanks for reading.