Over the last few years, the growth of China’s anti-corrosion coatings market has dropped precipitously. According to a recent report from GCiS China Strategic research, overall market growth was just 2.8% in 2013 to a RMB ¥36 billion or roughly USD $5.8 billion market – far worse than the 13% growth experienced as recently as 2011 (Figure 1). However, both domestic and multinational companies expect conditions to improve significantly over the next few years, pointing to developments below the surface of this headline growth figure. Industry insiders report that the recent slow growth is largely a result of difficulties in the shipbuilding and container sector, while other major end-user industry segments such as construction and petrochemicals are seeing much stronger performance. Improving technology and mounting domestic demand for high-quality products, alongside a likely future revival of the shipbuilding sector are likely to lead to much healthier growth rates in approximately three to five years.