01 January 2000

AS Syria steps up to strengthen infrastructure development in the region, Sigma Paints, a leading paint manufacturer in the GCC, is gearing up for a serious thrust into the country's paint market.

One of the first steps in this direction was the staging of a series of seminars in Damascus. Targeting the architects, contractors and paint specifiers in the country, these seminars focused on providing a fresh concept of the paint industry and the use of modern information technology in the industry.

Sigma also announced that it had signed an agreement with Shehade and Yassin Company of Damascus, for the distribution and sales of Sigma products in Syria.

''We see great potential for the paint market in Syria and the turnout at the seminars demonstrates a positive response,'' says Fred Aalbers, marketing manager at Sigma Paints, citing the over 90 per cent attendance from the invitees.

SigmaStar, a sophisticated software system developed by Sigma to aid professionals in the selection of paint systems, made a strong impact on the seminar participants, he says.

According to Aalbers, decorative and protective paints are expected to be a fast-growing segment in the paints market in the country. ''The result of our research shows that the Syrian paint market is still at its early stage of development. We believe that awareness of modern paints technology and paint application system will be a key element in the development of this market. With our strength well established, we are confident that Sigma products can be the key player in the country,'' comments Aalbers. The company has already received a number of inquiries from industries around the country, he says.

''Over the past year, we went into a strategic development phase to consolidate on our leading position in the GCC markets,'' says Aalbers. ''The markets in the Levant are now beginning to show clear indications of growth and development. With our infrastructure in the region, including those in research and development, we are confident that Syria will be a key market for the paints industry in the coming years.''

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