The Dar Al Arab Medical Centre in Riyadh ... Sigma project.
Sigma has grip on clinical sector
Clinical environments demand paints with highly hygienic properties and maximum durability to prevent frequent clousure of these facilities for maintenance. Sigma Paints of Saudi Arabia says it has a significant share of this specialist sector.
01 MARCH 2001
Sigma Paints, a leading quality paint manufacturer in the region, has recently completed a number of hospital projects in Saudi Arabia due to the high quality of its paints and consultancy services.
In both newly-built hospitals and maintenance projects in the Kingdom, over the past few months, Sigma has completed contracts for three hospitals in Dammam, three in Jeddah and a total of 12 in Riyadh.
The Saudi-based paint manufacturer's advanced formulas are said to provide longer lasting, more hygienic solutions.
Explaining the company's particular success in the medical sector, Sigma marketing manager Fred Aalbers says the Ministry of Health has long favoured Sigma Paints because of its high quality and also because of Sigma's comprehensive advisory services.
"Continuous operation is of the utmost importance to hospitals, whereas maintenance will force a hospital to close down one or more sections. By choosing Sigma Paints, the Ministry knows that it can postpone maintenance for many years and so hospitals remain in full use for longer," Aalbers explains.
In addition, Sigma Paints delivers excellent advice and service before, during and after the painting works, which also saves time and costs for the Ministry and hospital management, he adds.
Sigma, which estimates it commands a 25 per cent share of the government and private hospitals sector, produces coatings that are particularly suited to clinical environments. Its product Sigmadur - in addition to its hygienic properties - is very suitable for operating rooms as its hard finish guarantees a long life without any maintenance requirement.
Other popular coatings for hospitals include Sigmacryl semi-gloss, which is also suitable in clinical situations, Sigmurolac and SigmaScan.
The Saudi Ministry of Health has an ambitious two-fold plan to build a substantial number of hospitals during the next few years to keep pace with the Kingdom's growing population of four per cent a year.
As this will double the country's population over the next 20 years, several big hospitals are planned for the major cities and numerous smaller hospitals across the rest of the Kingdom.
It is also encouraging the private sector to invest in this field.
Sigma expects that these new hospitals will incorporate greater use of coloured paints than in the past.
"The Ministry is looking into ways for using colour to achieve a variety of goals, such as the identification of different areas within hospitals, the relaxing effect of colours, the cleaner appearance of coloured finishes over white - which shows dirt very easily - and also for purely decorative reasons," Aalbers says.
"As a manufacturer of high-quality paints, Sigma is very keen to demonstrate its full support for and commitment to the hospital market. At Sigma Paints, we are renowned for the fact that we provide our customers with complete solutions from A to Z. Our experts are always on hand to answer any customer enquiry," Aalbers adds.
Recent hospital projects undertaken by Sigma Paints in Saudi Arabia include the Gulf Central Hospital, Dammam Central Hospital, Al Hassa Kidney Hospital and Saad Medical Centre, all in Dammam; King Abdul Aziz Hospital, New Jeddah Clinic Hospital and Erfan Hospital, all in Jeddah; and the Al Zulfi Hospital, Shaqra Hospital, Dar Al Arab Clinic, Al Yamamah Hospital, Hamadi Hospital, Al Salama Hospital, Ibn Sina Hospital, National Hospital, Al Bustan Hospital, King Faisal Hospital, Dar Al Sheffa Clinic and Al Khuzami Hospital, all in Riyadh.
Established in 1980, with its own production, storage, research and development facilities in Dammam, Sigma Paints Saudi Arabia Limited is a leading company in the development, production and marketing of decorative paint, protective coatings and marine coatings in the Middle East with an annual production capacity of 60,000 tonnes and 250 employees.
Its complete range consists of more than 100 products in more than 10,000 colours. Sigma's expertise is inherited from its association with Sigma Coatings Holland that was founded in 1722, effectively giving it over 275 years of experience in the international paints industry.
Sigma Coatings is part of SigmaKalon, the result of a merger in 1999 between Sigma Coatings and Kalon.
The new entity is ranked the fifth largest paints and coatings manufacturer worldwide. It has a sales turnover of $2 billion and employs 10,000 people in 40 countries across the world.
