The paint industry has been one of the booming sectors in Kenya over the past years thanks to the increasing construction activities.

The sector is dominated by a few key players among them Basco Paints, renowned manufacturer of the popular Duracoat brand.

Founded in 1976, Basco Paints is a family-run business that operates the largest paint factory in East Africa, capable of producing up to 5,000,000 liters of paint in a single shift.

Their products are distributed widely across Kenya and other East African countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the DRC.

The company’s journey to a multi-million company started with only a Sh6,500 loan that its founder Bipin Shah received from a friend.

Mr. Shah, who came from a humble background started small, selling foam glue to carpenters in Ngara, Nairobi, to earn an income.

“I came from a very humble background. After clearing my secondary education, financial constraints could not allow me to further my education,” he told Business Daily in a past interview.

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It was not long before the entrepreneur diversified into manufacturing and selling turpentine and wood preservatives boosting his income.

The business was rewarding as it was one of the less saturated then. However in 1984, other entrepreneurs started venturing into the business forcing the businessman to expand his product portfolio to beat competition.

With Sh500,000 savings from the first business and funding from two local banks, Mr. Shah ventured into paint manufacturing with the help of his brother Kamlesh Shah who also played a great role in steering the business to profitability.

They started off with economy paint targeting individuals who wanted cheap products. Their marketing strategies involved partnering with contractors.

As the business started to grow, Basco Paints moved their main premises from Ngara to River Road.

They later moved to near the Globe Cinema round about before moving operations to its current location North Airport Road, Embakasi.

The company is known for its Duracoat brand, a premium paint brand known for its durability,  and easy application.

“The Basco range of paints targets individuals who want a neat and quality paint at a low price. Duracoat on the other hand is a premium brand,” says Mr. Shah.

Besides paint, Basco Paints also manufactures other products such as tile adhesives, varnishes, wood coatings, and primers, among others.