From a niche luxury service to a ₹500-crore opportunity – how India’s first homegrown ceramic coating brand changed the game.

Introduction: The Rise of Car Care Culture in India

A decade ago, most Indian car owners thought detailing ended with a foam wash and a quick wax. But in the last 5–7 years, there has been a major shift. With rising disposable incomes, growing luxury car ownership, and the influence of global trends, Indian consumers started seeking long-lasting shine and protection for their vehicles.

At the heart of this transformation was ceramic coating – a premium-grade solution previously imported from the West or East Asia. While international brands dominated initially, India’s first indigenous ceramic coating brand emerged as a bold, innovative player. And its journey reflects not only business grit but also the evolution of India’s detailing industry.

The Need for a Made-in-India Ceramic Coating

In the early 2010s, ceramic coating was a luxury-only service, accessible in a handful of metro city studios. Detailers had to rely on imported brands from Korea, the US, or Europe, often dealing with:

• High import duties
• Unpredictable product availability
• Lack of local technical support
• No control over formula customization

Enterprising Indian professionals in the detailing space identified a massive gap: Indian climate conditions, surface types, and consumer behavior needed a localized solution.

This gave birth to India’s first ceramic coating brand.

🧪 Founding the Brand: A Chemistry-Driven Approach

The founding team, a mix of chemical engineers and detailing studio owners, came together with a clear goal:

“Create a ceramic coating solution that’s designed for Indian temperatures, pollution levels, and application ease, while being cost-effective for studios and car owners.”

After months of R&D, testing on various Indian car brands (Maruti, Tata, Hyundai, Mahindra, BMW), and formulation tweaks, the brand launched with:

• A 9H hardness ceramic coating
• Weather-adaptive formula for Indian summers & monsoons
• Competitive pricing (₹3,000–₹6,000 per layer)
• Local customer and technical support

📦 Early Challenges and Breakthroughs

While the product was strong, breaking into a market dominated by foreign “premium” brands was no small feat. The brand faced initial skepticism from studios who feared compromising quality. Here’s how they overcame it:

1. Free sample programs for early adopters
2. Live demo sessions at detailing expos and garages
3. In-house certification training programs for applicators
4. Lifetime warranty campaigns to win customer trust

This strategy worked – not only did studios start switching over, but many began branding themselves as official applicators of India’s first ceramic brand.

🚗 What Made It Work: India-Specific Advantages

The success wasn’t accidental. The brand succeeded by understanding India better than any international competitor.

This local advantage helped them expand from 10 cities in Year 1 to over 150 cities by Year 4.

🌍 Market Expansion and Strategic Growth

Once product quality and studio trust were in place, the brand focused on scale:

• 📦 Franchise applicator program
• 🎓 Detailer certification workshops in Tier 2 cities
• 🛒 D2C e-commerce channel to educate end-users
• 🤝 Tie-ups with OEM dealerships to offer ceramic coating as an upsell

It wasn’t long before they started receiving interest from other South Asian and Middle Eastern markets – positioning them as a truly export-ready Indian brand.

📊 Impact on the Industry

This homegrown brand didn’t just make coatings. It made a market shift:

• Lowered the barrier for studios to offer coatings
• Created employment for certified detailers & trainers
• Made ceramic protection mainstream in Tier 2 cities
• Encouraged competitors to localize formulations

Today, it is estimated that over 30% of ceramic coatings applied in India originate from Indian-made products – a trend this brand started.

🔮 What’s Next? The Road Ahead

As the industry heads toward graphene-based coatings, PPF hybrid technologies, and smart coatings with UV detection and hydrophobic indicators, India’s first ceramic coating brand is already investing in R&D for the next wave.

In an exclusive statement, the founder shared:

“India doesn’t just deserve to consume global technology. We’re ready to build it, scale it, and export it.”

📌 Key Takeaways

• India’s first ceramic coating brand localized global technology for Indian roads, climate, and car care habits.
• It empowered detailing studios with cost-effective, high-performance solutions.
• Their success helped build an entire ecosystem of Indian chemical brands, trainers, and certified applicators.

The journey proves that India isn’t just a market for detailing – it’s a breeding ground for innovation.