BRANDED CONTENT: PETER/LACKE Fuels Growth Via Sustainable Coatings and India Expansion

Founded in Germany in 1906, PETER/LACKE Group has evolved from a paint distribution business into a global specialist in high-performance coating solutions for automotive, lifestyle, aviation, industrial, glass, and specialty applications. Today, the Group is recognized for technology-driven surface solutions, sustainable innovation, and strong technical expertise, with operations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and further expansion planned in Vietnam and Austria. Harsh Agarwal, Director & CEO of PETER/LACKE India, shares the company’s growth vision and future strategy.

PETER/LACKE INDIA (PLIN) has evolved significantly since 1906. What are the next big strategic priorities shaping your growth over the next 5-10 years?

PETER/LACKE INDIA is strategically positioning itself as a technology-driven specialty coatings solutions provider with a strong focus on high-performance, sustainable, and futureready coating systems. The company’s next phase of growth will be shaped by innovation, sustainability, digitalisation, and expansion into high-potential market segments. From a small facility established in 2007, PLIN has grown into a high-capacity manufacturing operation of 4,800 TPA with turnover exceeding Euros 15 million.

On 26 September 2025, the company shifted to a larger facility at Taloja to support future operational and business expansion requirements. Our key priorities include accelerating eco-friendly coating technologies, strengthening partnerships with global OEMs, expanding in high-growth regions such as Southeast Asia, and developing specialised solutions for new business segment areas such as lifestyle products, alloy wheels, aviation, metal industry coatings, powder coatings, glass coatings, and metallised-effect technologies.

How are you are positioning yourselves as a dualtechnology provider, offering both liquid and powder coatings. How central is this to your longterm roadmap?

The dual-technology platform is central to PLIN’s long-term roadmap. By offering both liquid coatings, including low-VOC and waterborne systems, and powder coatings, the company can deliver integrated coating solutions that support process efficiency, environmental compliance, durability, and improved life-cycle performance. This is especially relevant in India, where demand is increasing for high-performance interior and exterior coating solutions across automotive, lifestyle, consumer products, and industrial applications. The combination of liquid and powder technologies also enables the company to support a wider range of customer requirements while maintaining global quality standards.

Are there specific geographies where you are planning aggressive expansion?

PETER/LACKE Group already has a strong international footprint through subsidiaries, manufacturing operations, technical centres, and regional support across Germany, Poland, China, Hungary, Mexico, Türkiye, the USA, Portugal, Malaysia, India, Vietnam and Austria. India is a strategic growth engine for the Group due to its strong manufacturing capabilities, growing OEM demand, cost competitiveness, and increasing role in regional exports. Southeast Asia markets offer strong future potential. The Group is also strengthening its expansion strategy through recent growth initiatives in Vietnam and Austria. From 2026 onwards, PLIN is expected to further support global OEM requirements by exporting coating solutions to markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, thereby reinforcing India’s role as a regional supply and export hub.

With increasing competition from large global players, how do you plan to scale while maintaining agility?

PLIN differentiates itself through technical customisation, close OEM collaboration, and agile decision-making enabled by its lean organisational structure. This allows the company to deliver fast, flexible, and customer-focused coating solutions while maintaining global quality standards. Recognised for its premium high-gloss effect coatings, PLIN continues to expand across high-growth segments including automotive, aviation, glass, powder, alloy wheel, industrial, and lifestyle coatings. Its long-term strategy focuses on innovation, sustainability, technical excellence, and strong customer partnerships.

What are your current and planned investments in R&D, manufacturing, and digitalisation?

Innovation is central to PLIN’s global strategy, with continued investment in R&D, sustainable technologies, specialised coatings, and advanced testing capabilities. India is becoming a key innovation hub through a dedicated Technology & R&D Centre and the presence of the Global CTO, strengthening its role in global development projects. Focus areas include sustainable and high-performance coatings, EV and aerospace applications, metalising and chrome effects, glass coatings, anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint systems, matte finishes, textured effects, and soft-touch surfaces.

How much of your future investment is directed toward sustainable coatings?

A significant portion of future investment is directed toward sustainable coating technologies. Sustainability is deeply integrated into product development, raw material selection, manufacturing processes, and long-term business planning. PLIN is actively investing in environmentally responsible technologies such as waterborne coatings, low-VOC systems, powder coatings, ROHS-compliant raw materials, bio-based sustainable solvents such as Astro Bio BA and Astro Bio TL-2, future bio-based Isocyanate technologies, and carbon footprint reduction initiatives. The company also provides CMRT 6.5 declarations to customers and stakeholders to confirm compliance regarding conflict minerals, including 3TG materials: tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold.

Are you exploring partnerships, joint ventures, or acquisitions?

PLIN remains open to strategic partnerships, collaborations, and selective acquisition opportunities that support technology advancement, market expansion, and long-term growth, while aligning with the Group’s strategic priorities and quality standards. The company continues to strengthen its presence across high-growth segments including automotive coatings, lifestyle and consumer product coatings, industrial and metal industry coatings, aviation coatings, glass coatings, powder coating technologies, alloy wheel coatings, and metalising and chrome-effect technologies. The development of the metal industry segment is a key strategic step toward strengthening the industrial coatings portfolio, improving operational efficiency, enabling faster decision-making, and supporting future-ready growth and innovation.

How is PETER/LACKE INDIA positioning itself in nextgeneration coatings?

PLIN develops advanced functional coatings designed for durability and performance, including anti-scratch, antifingerprint, chemical-resistant, UV-resistant, and premium surface protection systems. In India, these technologies are especially relevant for automotive interiors such as dashboards, trims, and panels, where aesthetics and durability matter. The company also emphasizes digitalisation and automation through platforms like SAP, Salesforce, Jedox, REXX, and LIMS to enhance efficiency, collaboration, data management, laboratory control, and decision-making across global operations.

How are your coating systems evolving with the rise of electric vehicles (EVs)?

With the rise of EVs, coating requirements are becoming more advanced and functional. PLIN is developing coating solutions for lightweight materials, thermal management, battery-related components, heat resistance, insulation, and improved material efficiency. The company is also focused on supporting new design philosophies in EVs, where surfaces must combine aesthetics, durability, sustainability, and performance across both interior and exterior applications.

How significant is automotive growth for your business?

The automotive segment remains one of the core growth drivers for PLIN. We work closely with top automotive OEMs like Tata Motors, Mahindra, Volkswagen, Škoda, Renault, Nissan, Fiat, Maruti, Hyundai, Kia. And Vinfast. Our product range supports both interior and exterior coating applications. Its coating systems contribute to premium appearance, longterm durability, touch-feel quality, scratch resistance, UV stability, and overall component performance.

How are OEM expectations evolving?

OEM expectations are evolving rapidly. Customers are now looking for multi-functional coatings that combine design, durability, sustainability, and process efficiency. There is increasing demand for premium finishes such as matte, textured, high-gloss, soft-touch, metalised and chrome-effect surfaces, along with improved scratch resistance and UV stability.

We work closely with OEM design teams, project teams, suppliers, and development partners for new colour development, specialised applications, lightweight and EV-compatible coatings, and sustainable functional surface technologies. The company’s Chrome-effect technology is recognised as a premium replacement for traditional chrome is considered among the strong technologies in the European market.

How do you balance cost and performance in a pricesensitive market like India?

PLIN’s India strategy is driven by localisation, cost optimisation, regional sourcing, and efficient formulation engineering while maintaining global quality standards. The company focuses on delivering durable, high-performance, and sustainable coating solutions that balance cost competitiveness with premium quality. Its value-based pricing approach, backed by advanced technology, product consistency, and strong technical support, has been well received by customers seeking long-term reliability and performance.

What role does India play in your global strategy?

India is a key growth market for PLIN and is emerging as a manufacturing, innovation, and export hub for the Group. The company is expanding exports to Southeast Asia while strengthening India’s role as a regional supply base for global OEMs. By 2030, PLIN aims to significantly grow India’s contribution to global revenue through capacity expansion, exports, technology-led solutions, and new business segments.

How do you manage raw material volatility and supply chain risks?

PLIN manages raw material volatility and supply chain risks through multi-sourcing through global players also. At the same time, volatile market conditions such as natural calamities, geopolitical conflicts, war situations, fluctuations in crude oil prices, freight cost increases, and global supply disruptions directly impact the Indian market player as well.

How do geopolitical factors impact your business?

Geopolitical developments can impact energy costs, logistics, raw material availability, currency fluctuations, and global supply chains. In the Indian market theses factors can increasing transportation costs and extending lead times for imported materials. PLIN continuously works on improving supply chain resilience while ensuring stable support and uninterrupted supply to customers even during challenging global conditions.