Hempel has launched its new Hempaline Defend Vinyl Ester range of linings, which have been designed specifically for challenging applications where heavy-duty performance is critical to reducing corrosion and maximising production uptime. These applications include tanks, stacks, ductwork, flue gas desulphurisation units and secondary containment areas.

The Hempaline Defend Vinyl Ester range is a comprehensive set of linings for the power generation and oil and gas markets. In the power generation industry, the linings are used to protect the internal surfaces of flue gas desulphurisation units, ductwork and stacks in wet and dry environments. In both the power generation and the oil and gas industries, the Hempaline range can be used as tank linings, as well as to protect concrete surfaces, such as secondary containment structures, from aggressive cargos.

The launch of the linings means that Hempel can now offer customers a full range of products for internal and external protection.

Pernille Lind Olsen, group product director, protective marketing, comments: “There is increasing global demand for coatings for power plants and oil and gas facilities that can protect valuable equipment in aggressive service environments.

“The Hempaline Defend Vinyl Ester lining assortment provides our customers in South East Asia and the Middle East with a locally produced lining assortment, offering a full range of solutions for these difficult conditions.”

The Hempaline range includes glass and mineral-flake filled coatings and fibreglass-reinforced linings for specific applications.

Since 1915, Hempel has been a world-leading coatings specialist. Today it has over 5,500 people in 80 countries delivering trusted solutions in the protective, decorative, marine, container, industrial and yacht markets. This includes many recognised brands like Crown Paints, Schaepman and Jones-Blair.

Meanwhile, the leading paints manufacturer, which commemorated its centenary year of global operations in 2015, is poised to open a new factory in Kuwait.

The opening of the 20,000-sq-m factory in 2017 will boost Hempel Kuwait’s capacity to 19 million litres in two shifts. With the new factory, the company seeks to leverage markets in a number of regional countries like Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, says Hempel Kuwait.

The new factory will produce solvent-borne as well as water-borne products, and will also include a regenerative thermal oxidiser in the paint production unit that will remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to prevent atmospheric pollution, it said.

Additionally, in order to create the best possible working atmosphere, the factory will also come with cooling facilities, which will provide a suitable environment for workers in the factory to cope with the extreme summer heat in Kuwait.

The expansion plan coincides with Hempel’s golden jubilee anniversary in Kuwait as a result of an alliance with the Al Rashed family, which for the past 50 years has witnessed major developments and has strengthened its position as a leading coating and paints company in the country, it says.

Khaled Al Rashed, member of the board of directors at Hempel Middle East-West, says: “We look forward to the big celebration of our five decades here in Kuwait this coming October. Additionally, the establishment of the Mina Abdallah factory in 2017 will increase our productivity by 40 per cent and will put us on the map in the region.”

“We realise that our customers’ requirements vary from one country to another, and therefore, based on our extensive experience in the region, we provide our customers with products and services that match their specific needs,” he says.

Henrik Andersen, group president and CEO of Hempel Global, says: “The Middle East region and Kuwait, in particular, play a very important part of the history of Hempel as 2015 marked our global centennial celebration.”

“During our 50 years in Kuwait, we have built an excellent partnership with local firms, not only in the oil and gas industry, but also when it comes to contractors, architects and consultants. We have dedicated 15 global research and development (R&D) centres which continuously provide the local market with newly developed products that cater to special climatic conditions in Kuwait and the region,” he says.

“I would like to thank our valued partners and shareholders in Kuwait and the Middle East for their vision, support and business acumen over the last 50 years,” he adds.