Leading Saudi paint manufacturer Saudi Industrial Paint Company Limited (Sipco) is looking forward to strengthen its position as a major player in the regional paints market by continuing its programme of introducing innovative solutions that are suited to the harsh environmental vagaries of the region.

Established in 1982 as a joint venture between Saudi investors and Akzo Nobel of Holland, Sipco is now one of the largest 100 per cent Saudi-owned companies specialised in the development, manufacture and marketing of decorative, protective and industrial coatings, and adhesives and construction chemicals to the highest international technological standards for performance, safety and protection of the environment, says a company spokesman.
Following its outstanding success as a manufacturer of quality paints, the company has been fully acquired by the Saudi Arabia-based Al Muhaidib Group.
During its formative years, Sipco also built close relationships with ICI-Devoe Coatings of the US, culminating in licensing agreements to manufacture specialised product for the protective coatings market, and in particular for Saudi Aramco, for which the company has approval for most of its product range.
 "Sipco has developed an enviable reputation for supplying high-quality coatings, which are technologically advanced to the highest international standards," says general manager Dr Ahmed Ismail Jomha says. Many products are highly specialised and developed through licensing agreements with the industry's world leaders.
"The durability and overall performance of the Sipco product range is equal to, and in some cases better than our competitors. Products are appropriately manufactured to Saudi Arabian standards (Saso), British Standards (BS), and American standards. Our track record in the field speaks for itself – it is sound and clean and free of any major compensation claims in 23 years of business involving the supply of thousands of tonnes of protective coatings for the protection of local and regional structures. In fact we take pride in that."
With an enthusiasm to deal with the local demands and meet them beyond expectations the company has over the years developed and introduced a range of products. "We have introduced in the market a few state-of-the-art products, which include solvent-free 100 per cent solids technology for severely corrosive environments. We have also introduced self-priming, high-build, fast-curing pipe coatings to meet various service requirements. These have very good heat resistance, making Sipco pipe coatings suitable for live pipelines," says Dr Jomha.
"Exceptional cathodic disbondment resistance facilitates cathodic protection of pipeline. The coatings have an excellent track record of affording protection in exposed and buried areas, including both dry and wet (subkha) surroundings. Also available are exceptional emergency repair coatings for pipelines inland and in-sea with excellent underwater curing," he adds.
Sipco manufactures protective coatings to protect steel and concrete structures against environmental and chemical exposures and boasts of a select clientele who are active in the oil, petrochemical, water, and electricity domains.
Sipco retains its hard-won reputation as a major supplier of protective coatings to the petrochemical and downstream industries (including the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic). Prominent amongst the customers for whom Sipco has approvals and provides technical and application advice as well as products are Saudi Aramco and ABV Rock, two of the largest users of protective coatings in the whole region. The division continues to develop into new areas, tackling new problems and technologies to provide protection in one of the harshest environments on the planet.
"We always design our product in line with market requirements and almost all of our protective coating products are approved under different coating systems in all the said organisations. We endeavour to meet the requirements of the market and clients and all our research and development efforts in this area is focused to meet specific requirements of the industry," Dr Jomha points out.
Among its diverse range of products is Sipoxyshield 656, which was developed following eight years of continual research for the external renovation of buried pipelines. The product has outstanding characteristics and was field-tested at Aramco sites for more than three year, before it was finally approved.
Sipco's silicon-aluminum based product called Siptherm 520 is suitable for applications where coatings have to withstand ultra-high temperatures of up to 540 deg C. The coating also has moderate chemical resistance properties.
For potable water immersion service, Sipco recommends its solvent-free epoxy product called Sipoxy Guard 256, which is approved by WRC-NSF against BS 6920, for potable water.
Among the more recent innovations from the company is a new generation of elastomeric polyurethane, long-life liquid membranes under the brand name of Sipflex.
Sipco has also developed and maintained a distinguished record of quality performance and standards since its foundation, resulting in it being accredited with ISO9001.
“A total commitment of quality and performance throughout the workforce, has gained recognition within the industry, making Sipco a formidable competitor in a demanding marketplace,” Dr Jomha concludes.