Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £1.3bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Soft manufacturing and construction demand drags on dye and pigment revenue
- UK dye and pigment producers have seen manufacturing activity shrink, which has hurt sales. The S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI remained weak at 49.7 in October 2025, stuck in the 11th consecutive month of contraction. Commercial construction investment in the UK fell sharply, dropping 21% year-on-year in Q3 2025, the lowest level in 11 years, according to CoStar data. UK manufacturing is down due to weaker consumer demand, high interest rates and lingering supply chain issues, all of which have led many manufacturers to cut back on new orders and delay investment. With lower construction activity, demand for construction materials like paints, coatings and plastics (which rely on dyes and pigments) also drops.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
High‐performance dyes and pigments could help savvy companies expand
- Unlike standard commodity pigments and dyes, which focus on basic opacity and tint, high-performance grades use advanced chemistries and special coatings to resist colour breakdown from light, air and water. Examples include alumina- or silica-coated titanium dioxide (TiO₂) for UV stability and metal-complex dyes for weather resistance. These features enable products to withstand harsh conditions and command higher prices.
Biggest companies in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (£m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
Tronox Pigment UK Ltd | 302.0 | |
Venator Materials plc | 233.1 | |
Town End (Leeds) plc | 4.2 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Synthetic organic colouring matters, Natural dyes and Inorganic pigments. Synthetic organic colouring matters is the largest segment of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Titanium dioxide supports demand for inorganic pigments
- Pigments are any group of intensely coloured compounds used to colour other materials. Pigments are insoluble and are applied as finely ground solids mixed with a liquid, generally using the same pigments in oil and water-based paints, printing inks and plastics.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Companies in this industry manufacture dyes and pigments from any source both in basic forms and as concentrates. The industry also includes companies that make products used as fluorescent brightening agents or to add luminescence.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include Synthetic organic colouring matters, Natural dyes, Inorganic pigments and Colour lakes.Companies
Companies covered in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include Tronox Pigment UK Ltd, Venator Materials plc and Town End (Leeds) plc.Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include basic dyes, direct dyes, pigments, titanium dioxide (tio2), gravure printing, flexographic printing and offset printing.Industry Code
SIC 20.12 - Dye & Pigment Manufacturing in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Low manufacturing activity limits sales. Despite lower inflation and higher business confidence, manufacturing output remains low in 2025-26, limiting dye and pigment demand ...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Titanium dioxide still leads, but faces competition. Imports from China have triggered a surge in global oversupply, pushing prices and UK manufacturer margins lower – a tren...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
- International Trade
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
- Total imports, level and trend
- Total exports, level and trend
- Trade Balance
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
- International trade, including imports by country and exports by country
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
- Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The North West's robust infrastructure gives manufacturers an edge. Existing chemical facilities, historical factories and well-connected ports create an ideal environment fo...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Manufacturers zero in on their green efforts. Proactive dye and pigment makers that successfully minimise environmental harm can gain an edge with eco-conscious buyers.
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Venator’s downfall highlights the industry’s reliance on TiO₂. Heavy exposure to sluggish TiO₂ markets, rising costs and global competition push Venator into administration i...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Tronox Pigment UK Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Venator Materials plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Town End (Leeds) plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Tronox Pigment UK Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Venator Materials plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Town End (Leeds) plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Dye manufacturers wrestle with stringent regulations. Working with risky chemicals, they must stick to the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 and UK REACH to safeguard...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Profit margins improve as input costs fall. Softer oil and commodity prices have eased pressure, with profit margins now just topping the wider manufacturing average and boos...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is £1.3bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 103 businesses in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
Has the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 2.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is expected to decline.
What are the biggest companies in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom are Tronox Pigment UK Ltd, Venator Materials plc and Town End (Leeds) plc
What does the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include?
Synthetic organic colouring matters and Natural dyes are part of the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is Tronox Pigment UK Ltd.
How competitive is the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Dye & Pigment Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
