The pigments market size is estimated at $31.08 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach $35.68 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of greater than 2.8% during the forecast period (2025-2030), according to market research firm Mordor Intelligence.

The global pigments industry is experiencing significant transformation, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer preferences across various end-use sectors. According to Oxford Economics, the global construction output is projected to grow to more than $4.2 trillion over the next 15 years, indicating substantial opportunities for pigment applications in construction-related materials. The industry is witnessing a notable shift towards sustainable and environmentally conscious production methods, with manufacturers increasingly investing in eco-friendly technologies and processes. Major industry players are adapting their product portfolios to meet stringent environmental regulations while maintaining high-performance standards.

Research from Mordor Intelligence indicated the architectural and industrial coatings segments continue to be significant consumers of pigments, with the World Paint and Coatings Industry Association (WPCIA) reporting a 1% growth in the architectural coatings market in 2022. The industrial coatings segment achieved total sales of $45.6 billion through various applications in 2022.

“The pigment market in 2024 improved with all sectors and areas showing a rebound over the lull in 2023. We have seen that the rollercoaster highs and lows caused by the impact of COVID have been tamped down and we hope the current growth is a return to more normal times,” said Mark Ryan, market and product manager, Shepherd Color. “In general, the issues around supply of raw materials has eased and the supply chain is in a fairly normal state."

According to Falko Orlowski, executive vice president, Trust Chem, “The pigment market saw a small natural growth in 2024. Raw materials were in most cases available and the pipeline for intermediates has stabilized.”

There are a number of areas for growth in the pigments industry. “PFAS regulations and the movement away from fluoro-based cookware coatings to inorganic-based coatings has created a demand for Shepherd Color’s highly-engineered inorganic pigments,” noted Ryan. “Heat-stability and FDA compliance in a wide range of colors, some exclusive to Shepherd Color through FDA FCNs, means that a wide range of colors are available for kitchen cookware. Shepherd Color’s exclusive green-shade Blue 10F545, along with teal Green 10F687 and Black 20F944, are distinctive colors. In addition, our PBk28, the standard in high temperature applications, is not formulated with manganese, so our workhorse Black 430 is FDA complaint, which is uncommon in this pigment chemistry.”

According to Orlowski, “With some companies still in merger mode, the need for additional suppliers on the HPP side was most important. Replacement of single sourced pigments and for sure pricing is always an issue.”

“Sustainability is a concern for our customers, especially in the European market,”said Ryan. “Shepherd Color participates in the EcoVadis rating program and we work with our customers to support their sustainability goals. We look to address energy usage and the use of renewable energy. At the same time our Arctic IR reflective pigments improve the energy efficiency of buildings through reflecting the sun’s IR energy, and also improve the recyclability of plastics by allowing the sorting of dark plastics by IR sorting machines.”

David Wawer, executive director of the Color Pigments Manufacturers Association (CPMA), pointed out that the North American pigments industry and its diverse customer base have experienced waves of costly U.S. government regulations in the past four years.

“Regulations have contributed significantly to higher costs for manufacturing companies, their suppliers and customers, and especially consumers,” added Wawer. “Industry price increases have been the norm since 2021, many of which can be directly or indirectly attributed to a federal government regulation.”