Asian Paints Limited: Painting History

The case traces the growth of Asian Paints Limited (“APL”) from being a small paint manufacturer in 1942 into the undisputed leader of the Indian paints industry. The case invites students to analyze the strategic decisions made by APL’s management over its 75+ year journey and identify key factors that enabled the company to dominate this industry for the last five decades. The case enables students to unpack how a firm’s strategy that is hidden in plain sight affords sustainable competitive advantage.