Viewpoint
More Than a Matter of Size
The 2026 PCI 25 shows the breadth, movement and specialization of North America’s coatings market.
Courtney Bassett, Managing Editor, PCI
Need to Know
- The 2026 PCI 25 ranks North American paint and coatings manufacturers based on 2025 coatings sales.
- The ranking includes public corporations, privately held and family-owned manufacturers, regional companies and specialized coatings businesses.
- PCI uses company-reported information, public financial reports, corporate disclosures and clearly identified editorial estimates.
- Companies close in ranking position may serve very different technologies, regions and end markets.
- Ownership changes, acquisitions and portfolio decisions are reshaping coatings companies throughout the ranking.
In July, we published the 2026 Global Top 10 in our exclusive Voices from the Top eBook, alongside company profiles and perspectives from industry leaders. Every company held its position, even as mergers, acquisitions and portfolio changes made it clear that next year’s list could look very different.
The PCI 25 starts with two of those same leaders, Sherwin-Williams and PPG, before expanding to public corporations, privately held and family-owned manufacturers, regional companies and highly specialized businesses.
That variety makes the PCI 25 more difficult to compile. Coatings-only sales are not always public. Some companies report ranges, while others release no current figures. We use company-reported information, public financial reports, disclosures and clearly identified editorial estimates. This year, we expanded the Honorable Mentions section.
The methodology matters because the ranking is not a ladder. A company ranked No. 19 is not a smaller version of No. 1, and its market may have little in common with the company above it. The PCI 25 includes architectural coatings producers and companies focused on aerospace, protective and marine coatings, traffic solutions, automotive OEM, packaging, powder, roofing systems and industrial wood coatings. Success takes many forms: scale, technological strength, regional reach or deep knowledge of a customer segment.
This year’s placements capture change below the top of the market. Pittsburgh Paints Company appears at No. 7 in its first PCI 25 listing as a standalone company following its separation from PPG. TV Paints is listed at T-14 in its first full year under Do it Best. Gemini’s acquisition of Diamond Vogel’s industrial wood coatings division shows mid-sized manufacturers reshaping portfolios, too. Near the bottom, one new or updated sales figure can move several companies.
Crystal Morrison, Ph.D., vice president of The ChemQuest Group, Inc., joined me for a two-part Coat It! conversation about the story behind both rankings. She said the PCI 25 is especially exciting because it reflects the diversity of the industry and the role smaller and mid-sized manufacturers play in building deep customer relationships and serving specialized markets. Many of the strongest opportunities are in performance-driven markets where coatings affect durability, maintenance, safety, productivity and the life of a much larger asset.
As you read the ranking, look beyond the sales figure. Click “View Details” for each company. See where companies invested, what they acquired or sold, which products they introduced and which customers they are working to serve.