In April 2015, the nation’s monthly total output of paints and coatings fell by 4.95% year-on-year, marking the first negative growth in 13 months. From January to April, the cumulative output of paints and coatings rose by only 3.9% year-on-year. According to the latest data, in May 2015, the nation’s total output of paints and coatings reached 1.4003 million tons, down 0.78% year-on-year—a second consecutive month of negative growth. From January to May, China’s cumulative output of paints and coatings totaled 6.2384 million tons, with the year-on-year growth rate dropping to just 0.94%.

Looking at the changes in paint production across various regions nationwide, in May 2015, as many as 10 provinces still experienced declines of 10% or more (inclusive). Guangdong, the country's largest paint-producing province, saw the sharpest drop in output, reaching 29.29%. Other major paint-producing provinces, Hunan and Hebei, also reported declines of 11.39% and 9.65%, respectively. Overall, the situation is cause for serious concern.

More optimistically, Jiangsu Province saw a 20.57% increase in paint production in May; Shanghai turned from negative to positive, with its May output rising by 5.69% year-on-year. Anhui and Sichuan performed particularly well, posting growth rates of 58.93% and 31.52% respectively in May. In addition, Shandong, Henan, and Fujian achieved year-on-year growth rates of 4.56%, 23.27%, and 20.88% respectively in May, placing them in the second tier of paint production volume rankings.