Naik ... ‘Jotun Paints is active in the region’.
Jotun unveils new lines in Saudi market
A new low-VOC coating, which promises superior durability, and a high-build textured coating are the latest products launched on the kingdom’s market by Jotun Paints.
01 May 2009
JOTUN, one of the world’s leading paint manufacturers, has launched two new products on the Saudi market under the Jotashield brand: the ‘SuperDurable’ and the ‘Heritage High Build’.
The products have been launched by its Saudi operation Jotun Saudia Company, which is celebrating 25 years of its strong presence in Saudi Arabia. These new paint products are designed primarily to enhance the variety of decorative finishes while protecting structures from the Middle East’s harsh weather conditions.
“Jotun Paints, the market leader in the Middle East, has invested heavily in research and development to foster its commitment to customers, providing special features in paints to protect the concrete structure as well as the environment,” says Niru Naik, regional specification manager — Jotun Middle East and North Africa (Mena).
SuperDurable has already been used on a number of projects in the GCC, including the Mina Al Arab in Ras Al Khaimah, the Itihad and Beirut Road tunnels for RTA in Dubai and the City Centre on Emirates Road, all in the UAE; the Lulu Hypermarket in Oman; and a 12-storey building for Raya Real Estate in Kuwait.
Jotashield SuperDurable has been developed in a bid to address the increasing demand for environmentally-safe paint products in the region. The low volatile organic compound (VOC) coating is based on a special hybrid silicone binder offering 20 years protection.
“Formulated to provide superior durability, the product has anti-carbonation properties and low chemical reactivity, thus enabling it to offer superior concrete protection and help reduce maintenance costs, he points out.
Jotun has also identified the potential in offering speciality decorative paints amidst the growing trend for traditional designs in new structures, which is the focus of the Jotashield Heritage High Build.
A follow-through to the success of its Jotashield Heritage range, the new paint product is a single-pack modified acrylic, water-based high-build textured coating that is ideal for buildings that require either a worn look or trendy look, he says.
According to Naik, the feedback from the market to these products has been extremely positive and the response “overwhelming”.
He continues: “Amidst the continuous evolution in terms of size and complexity of developments in the Middle East, customers are looking for top-quality and high-performance paint products, which address the main protective and decorative requirements of their projects.
“The market wants low VOC products with low maintenance costs. Since the cost of repainting a structure is very high, people are looking for low maintenance and SuperDurable satisfies this need. With regard to Jotashield Heritage High Build, there is a need for thick natural-looking finishes and hence we can apply the product up to 4 mm thick and provide anti-carbonation properties.
“Through extensive investments in research and development, Jotun has formulated a range of paints under its protection and decorative systems, with both its newest additions expected to become reliable partners for developers and contractors in the region.”
Norway-based Jotun Paints started operations in Saudi Arabia in 1984 and is a leading paint supplier and contributor to the kingdom’s construction development. It is also a popular paint brand among end-users for its variety of quality paint products suitable for any decorative and protective necessities. Jotun Saudia has a number of impressive projects like King Abdulla Economic City (Bay La Sun) and Jamarat Bridge and General Authority for Civil Aviation developments, to name a few in its portfolio.
Meanwhile, Jotun Paints has announced plans to further fortify its market presence within the Egyptian paint market, estimated to be worth $284 million this year, according to top company officials.
The paint manufacturer also revealed that it is targeting a five per cent increase in its market share, by leveraging the growing popularity of both its established and newly-launched paint products among customers in the country.
Among Jotun’s range of top-quality products that are garnering strong presence within the Egyptian paint market is ‘Lady Essentials’, an eco-friendly emulsion paint developed exclusively for the Middle East market and launched after two years of intensive research. In addition, environmentally-safe exterior and interior paint ranges ‘Jotashield’ and ‘Fenomastic’ have also been witnessing consistent growth as users identify the products' excellent aesthetic as well as practical features. Company officials also pointed to its extensive network of 327 Multicolour Centres in Egypt as one of the primary drivers of its growth in the country.
Jotun has been active in Egypt since 1987 and is a market leader in providing fully integrated protective and decorative paints, and marine coatings. Some of the renowned projects and landmarks in the country where Jotun’s paints have been used include Sofitel El Gezira, Emaar Prototypes Villas, Beach Club, Marssi, Streets of Dreams, Up Town Cairo, Nile Hilton – Down Town, Fairmont (Nile City) and HSBC Head Office in Cairo; in addition to Mena House Oberoi — Pyramids and Grand Museum in Giza.
