Growth Continues in Paint and Raw Material Exports

The paints and raw materials sector, which is part of our basic chemicals industry's production area, continues to show export growth based on 10-month data for the January-October 2017 period. According to data jointly compiled on a GTIP basis by İKMİB (Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters Association) and Bosad (Paint Manufacturers Association), Turkey's paint exports in the same period showed a 5.86% increase by volume and a 5.14% increase by value compared to the same period in 2016. In the 10-month period of 2017, our total paint exports reached USD 378.9 million. When examining the GTIP-based sub-breakdowns of paint exports, the leading paint products showing export growth in the 10-month period of this year are powder coatings at USD 107.7 million, followed by synthetic paints at USD 31.7 million and water-based architectural topcoat paints at USD 24.2 million. In this period, plastic-based putties, which are also an important item in exports, hold a significant place at USD 56.7 million in exports, and adhesives and bonding agents follow this product at USD 21.3 million. In paint raw materials exports, another important sector area, the value increased by 13.8% in the same periods of this year, rising from USD 344.3 million in the same period of the previous year to USD 407.7 million. Acrylic polymers rank first among the most important items in raw materials exports at USD 168.6 million. Ethylene glycol at USD 49.4 million and glass frit and other glasses at USD 41.4 million follow this ranking. As of the end of 2017, the growth trend in the paints and raw materials sector exports is expected to continue.