At the Forefront of Color Innovation

1800s

The Roots of Pigments

Our story begins in 1806 with the founding of the Goslarer Farbenwerke (“Goslar Colorants Works”) in Germany — the launch of what would become the Heubach pigment business. By 1863, Theerfarbenfabrik Meister, Lucius & Co. was established in Hoechst, specializing in coal-tar dyes — one of the earliest threads in Clariant’s pigment legacy. In 1869, the Hoechst site expanded rapidly, laying the groundwork for today’s Industriepark Hoechst and fostering large-scale pigment innovation in Europe.

1950s

Building the Foundation

Founded with a capital of ₹340,000 by Dr. R.J. Rathi and L.J. Rathi, Sudarshan was established in Pune and has since grown to become India’s trusted name in inorganic pigments, engineering our equipment and formulating pigments using locally sourced raw materials.

1960s

Pioneering Organic Pigments

We became India’s first manufacturer of organic pigments. We expanded nationwide with sales offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi. Our exports also reached markets in Europe and Southeast Asia.

1970s

Roha Plant & Public Listing

We listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and commissioned our iconic Roha plant. During this decade, we became the world’s third company to produce effect pigments and earned India’s first ISO 9001 certification in the chemical sector.

1980s

Technology Leap

We partnered with global leaders such as Dainippon Ink and Chemicals (DIC), Japan, and diversified into agrochemicals and environmental management.

1990s

Quality Focus

By adopting Total Quality Management (TQM), we laid the foundation for world-class manufacturing at our Mahad facility.

2000s

Going Global

We established a state-of-the-art R&D and Application Centre in Pune and launched subsidiaries in North America and Europe. During this period, we achieved the milestone of ₹4 billion in revenue. Our commitment to safety was recognised with the prestigious Sword of Honour from the British Safety Council — one of the highest standards for workplace health and safety globally.

2010s

Sharpening Our Core

We strengthened our focus on pigments, expanded into China, Mexico, and Japan, invested in green energy, achieved the ₹100 billion revenue milestone, and won accolades such as the Golden Peacock and Great Place to Work certifications.

2020s

A New Era of Color Leadership

In 2025, we marked a historic milestone by acquiring the Heubach Group, a pigment pioneer tracing back to 1806 in Germany, including Clariant’s pigments business. The acquisition created one of the world’s most comprehensive integrated pigment platforms — ONE Sudarshan.

As a dedicated pigment leader with one of the industry’s most extensive portfolios, we continue to expand our high-performance capacities, raise sustainability standards, and set new benchmarks for the industry.