Global: The global paint remover — or paint-stripper — industry is set for robust growth over the next decade, with market size projected to climb from US$ 1.0 billion in 2023 to approximately US$ 1.8 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0%.
What’s driving demand
Boom in renovation and infrastructure upkeep: Rising refurbishment activity in homes, commercial buildings, and public infrastructure — especially in ageing markets and fast-urbanising regions — is fuelling demand for surface-preparation solutions, including paint removers.
Industrial maintenance & automotive refinish needs: Paint removers find increasing use in automotive servicing, aerospace maintenance, marine refurbishing and industrial equipment overhaul — where removing old coatings is essential before re-painting or surface restoration.
Growing preference for eco-friendly formulations: Stricter environmental norms and rising awareness about chemical safety are pushing manufacturers and consumers toward non-toxic, low-VOC, bio-based, or safer alternatives to traditional solvent-heavy strippers. This shift is creating opportunities for “green” paint-remover products.
Rise in DIY and home-improvement culture: With home renovation, DIY furniture restoration and home-makeover projects becoming more common — aided by e-commerce and easy product availability — demand from individual consumers for user-friendly paint removers is growing.
Market segmentation & regional dynamics
The paint remover market is broadly segmented by formulation type — solvent-based, caustic-based, and emerging bio-based / eco-friendly removers. While solvent-based products currently hold the dominant share due to strong performance and ability to penetrate multiple paint layers quickly, increasing regulatory pressure and health/environmental concerns are accelerating the shift toward bio-based and non-toxic alternatives.
Regionally, while mature markets such as North America and Europe continue to contribute significantly — driven by stringent regulations and industrial maintenance demand — the fastest growth is expected to come from the Asia-Pacific region. Rapid urbanization, expanding construction and automotive sectors, rising middle-class incomes, and increased home-improvement activity in India, China and Southeast Asia are anticipated to underpin strong demand.
Challenges looming — and opportunities for innovation
Despite the optimistic forecast, the sector faces some headwinds: regulatory scrutiny on hazardous chemicals, higher costs associated with reformulating eco-friendly removers, potential performance gaps between traditional and green formulations, and risks around safe handling and disposal of chemical strippers.
On the flip side, these challenges are spurring innovation: manufacturers are investing in next-gen, bio-based, low-VOC paint removers; gel- and paste-based formulations that reduce dripping and improve application safety; and multi-surface strippers suited for wood, metal, concrete and composite substrates — offering customers safer, greener, and more efficient options.
What it means for India and emerging economies
For rapidly developing economies such as India — where urbanization, construction, renovation and automobile ownership are rising — the forecast growth of the paint remover market signals potential business opportunities. Manufacturers and importers of chemical-based maintenance products may see rising demand for both industrial-grade and consumer-grade strippers.
At the same time, growing environmental awareness and stricter chemical regulations globally may push Indian firms to adopt safer, compliant formulation standards — potentially catalysing a shift toward eco-friendly pai nt removers domestically.