Gulf Construction Online - Hempel to open new Kuwait factory in Q1

Regional News

Hempel’s regional management team and board members ... at the celebrations.

Hempel to open new Kuwait factory in Q1

01 January 2017

Hempel, a leading paint manufacturer, is set to open a new factory in Kuwait this year in line with its plans to boost the company’s production capacity to 19 million litres from the current 13 million litres.

The 20,000-sq-m facility, which is likely to be launched in the first quarter of 2017, will have cooling facilities, and will produce solvent-borne as well as water-borne products, said Hempel, which is celebrating 50 years of its operations in Kuwait.

Within five decades, Hempel has emerged as a major force in the country with a 60 per cent share of the marine coatings market, and 30 per cent of the construction paint market. It is also contributing to major projects including the Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah Hospital, Al Sabah Housing Project, First Ring bridges, Kuwait Opera House, Kuwait Towers, and Kuwait National Petroleum Company’s Clean Fuel Project, said a top official.

Karsten Pedersen, group vice-president and CEO of Hempel Middle East-West, said: “Kuwait holds a special place in our hearts. It was our gateway to Middle East markets. Fifty years later, Hempel Kuwait is stronger and more dedicated, with a leading position in the paints market.”

He was speaking at a golden jubilee ceremony held recently in Kuwait which was attended by a large number of guests including engineers, contractors, consultants, suppliers and other key industry players.

In 1966, Hempel Group partnered with Al Rashed Family and United Industries Company, establishing Hempel Kuwait, which started producing marine coatings, and also supplying decorative paints for Kuwait’s infrastructure.