Akzo Nobel may be the world's largest paint manufacturer, but it does more than just paint a pretty picture. The company is also among the world's largest chemical manufacturers and salt producers. Akzo Nobel divides its business into three main lines: Decorative Paints, which produces consumer and commercial paints and primarily serves Europe and North America; Performance Coatings, which manufactures marine and protective coatings, packaging coatings, automotive finishes, and industrial coatings; and Specialty Chemicals, which makes pulp and performance chemicals, functional chemicals (flame retardants, crop nutrients), industrial chemicals (salt and chlor-alkalis), surfactants, and specialty starches.