Decorative paint is sold through dealers who hold tinting machines. The plant makes a small set of bases and colorants in several pack sizes, and the dealer mixes thousands of shades to order at the counter. Demand peaks before festivals and in the dry months, and project business from builders and contractors runs alongside the retail counter on different terms.
Industrial coatings and specialty chemicals are made in batches, often to order, from raw materials such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂), resins, solvents and monomers whose prices follow crude oil and exchange rates. Hazardous materials travel with safety data sheets (SDS) and hazard labels, and customers often ask for a certificate of analysis with each batch.