Gulf Construction Online - Jotun celebrates 16 colourful years

Oman

Jotun products ... superior quality.

Jotun celebrates 16 colourful years

01 December 2001

Jotun Paints Oman, a joint venture between Jotun of Norway and local partner WJ Towell & Company, has completed 16 years of colourful operations in the Sultanate of Oman.

"In Oman, Jotun's market share has been steadily improving over the last five years,'' says Gunnar Eikebo, sales manager with the Muscat-based company. ''This achievement is more significant in the light of the entry of new competitors and imported paint products from different countries.

"The growth in our market share can be easily evidenced from volume and value growth,'' he continues. ''While our volume has increased by 40 per cent since 1996, the value has improved by 30 per cent. These substantial increases have significantly contributed to profitability.''

The firm has also won accolades for its performance in the Sultanate.

Eikebo says: ''Jotun Oman won the prestigious His Majesty's Cup for being among the top five manufacturing industries in Oman in 1999. This cup signifies attainment of overall efficiency in operation, the quality of our products, health, safety and environment-awareness, export, employment of Omani nationals and profitability.

"We have voluntarily pursued localisation as one of our strategic objectives. Our Omanisation ratio has improved consistently since we launched the programme in 1997 and currently stands at 40 per cent of our staff. We have employed nationals at all levels of the organisation. Our training programmes are continuously targeted at upgrading the skills of nationals in order to employ a more productive local workforce in the long run. We were felicitated for our continued efforts in this regard by the industrial estates authorities.''

Jotun has also been aggressive in its export arena.

''Our exports have increased several-fold during the past three years. Our exports to Yemen has reached a level which justifies establishing a manufacturing unit there,'' Eikebo points out. ''We have been actively servicing other export markets, such as Tanzania, Kenya and India.

''Jotun Oman has participated in major projects in the local market. These include Oman LNG, a flour mill, vegetable plant and sewage treatment plants in Salalah, port expansion in Salalah, Sohar fisheries jetty, all major hotels, hospitals, schools, sports complexes and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.''

Overseas, Jotun has participated in a port expansion in Slovenia financed by the US, maintenance of Safar - the largest fuel supply supply ship in the world - supplies to Petrofac for an LNG project in Yemen, and Shell refinery in Kenya.

Jotun of Norway was founded way back in 1926 by Odd Gleditsch Sr.

"Its superior quality products are manufactured in its 25 factories spread across Europe, the Middle East and the Far East with a worldwide network for sales and distribution, making Jotun a leader in paints and a pioneer in unlimited solutions worldwide," says Eikebo.

R&D

Protection of the environment is always one of the most important considerations behind any new development at Jotun.

"Jotun's research and development (R&D) activity touches on many interdisciplinary areas. We have an R&D department in Norway with 300 chemical engineers. To ensure that its resources are fully utilised, research teams are established across the Jotun group to focus on joint projects, which are of interest to several spheres of activity.

"We constantly introduce the most innovative and technically-advanced products to meet the highest quality expectations and the growing quality-consciousness of the Omani market,'' he says. ''Last year, in the decorative field, Jotun introduced the Jotashield series which protects concrete against salts and carbon dioxide and prevents concrete corrosion. This series has also been a success in several prestigious projects in Oman as well as in our export market and is extensively specified by consultants and architects.

''In the protective coating segment, Jotun introduced the top-quality 100 per cent environment-friendly water-based systems to protect steel surfaces against corrosion.

"Jotun is the first manufacturer in Oman to promote such products. It has achieved great success in introducing new products, which are more environmentally acceptable and meet stringent international legislation, including its SeaQuantum tin-free self-polishing antifoulings and the WaterFine range of water-borne protective coatings.

"Our R&D lab in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) contributes to our success by introducing new innovative product assortments.

''Jotun is highly focused on promotions and marketing activities. Today, our well-known Multicolor computerised tinting system is a great revolution in colour tinting. It offers more than 16,000 shades in any quantity instantly. The customer just needs to select the preferred shade and the system will mix the base and colours with high accuracy to give the exact shade within minutes.

"We have an aggressive strategy in establishing Multicolor centres. Having recognised the potential of the concept, we have been in the forefront in establishing these centres, both locally as well as in the export markets. In 1996, Jotun did not have a single Multicolor centre in Oman but currently we have 15 such centres in the Sultanate, two in Yemen, two in Kenya and one in East Africa.

''To increase awareness about this concept we are advertising in newspapers and TV channels.''

"Our human resources comprise professionals able to tackle any competitive environment and our loyal, dedicated professional team creates these exemplary results in this market."