Sigma Paints, which last year took the industry by storm with its Guardian Nano that introduced nano-technology into the paint sector, has been overwhelmed by the response it has received to its Guardian range of products.

“We anticipated that the new Guardian would amaze the professionals. Yet, it remained unclear how quickly the market would appreciate the immediate and long-term benefits of the range and start using it,” says Ira Linea von Witte, PR and communications manager Middle East.

“The Guardian range has helped Sigma secure several mega projects throughout Saudi Arabia, against stiff competition from leading paint manufacturers in the region,” says Steven Rijkaard, Sigma’s ME brand manager, adding that the prestigious King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh and the car-parking facilities beneath the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah are two of the latest projects where the range is being used.

At the KAFD, Sigma’s products are being used for the protection of the huge basement of the $10-billion project. Sigma Guardian primer and filler and two coats of Sigma Guardian Flex is being used for three levels of basement.

Meanwhile, the Guardian range is being used at the piazza car-parking facilities beneath the Prophet’s Mosque after the main contractor Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) decided to upgrade the previously specified system – at its own expense.

KAFD

According to Sigma, the project marks a departure from usual practice in the region. “In this part of the world, consultants generally specify the top products, whereas contractors often try to settle for less, in view of short-term savings. The contractor has paid tribute to the Holy Mosque, the client and the consultant by selecting Sigma Guardian,” says Hesham Hassan, project sales manager, Western Province.

“A car-parking of this magnitude beneath the Holy Mosque deserves unique and protective coatings,” he continues. “Sigma Guardian, with its superior quality elastomeric crack-bridging and anti-carbonation coating system that has been applied under constant supervision from Sigma, will afford the right protection.”

Commenting on the choice of the product, consultant Dar Al Handasah’s senior architect for this project Hamdi Monir says: “We believe in quality, hence we only specify systems recommended by a quality paint manufacturer. For this prestigious project we needed a superior system with two main benefits: ultimate protection of the concrete, coupled with decorative properties. We are delighted that the contractor chose to use the unique Sigma Guardian range, not only to match the extreme Middle East exposure conditions – such as humidity and carbonation – but also address the universal challenges of moisture vapour, evaporation, efflorescence and alkalinity.”

According to SBG’s project manager Emad Abu Hantash, the paint system chosen was required to meet the specifications set by the consultant, cover all defects and protect the surfaces and save money.

“We appreciate the advice and support provided by Sigma personnel. They analyse the needs of the client and provide complete systems and solutions accordingly, supported by field visits and technical advice. We needed a high-quality coating system to cover particularly the surface imperfections and provide crack-bridging properties and superior protection of the concrete, which will provide cost savings in the long run and postpone maintenance intervals and hence satisfy both the consultant and client. Sigma Guardians helped us to achieve this,” he says.

In the Eastern Province, the Guardian range is being for Port Gate in Dammam, where Sigma Guardian primer and Guardian Shell Coarse are being used over a 2,500 sq m area; and The Royal Hotel in Jubail (using Sigma Guardian primer, Guardian filler and Nano for a 10,000 sq m area).

Sigma Paints is chosen for its quality and service, and because its products help postpone maintenance, according to von Witte. Its various products have been selected for several other projects in the region.

In Saudi Arabia, Sigma has been involved in the prestigious King Saud University (KSU) project over the past 30 months, right from its design stage.

“We are currently supplying Sigma’s water-based paints worth around SR10 million ($3.67 million) for this prominent development and are hopeful of securing further orders,” says Mohammed Tawfiq, manager-project sales Central Province. “We are working with a number of leading contractors on the project including Saudi Binladin Group, RTCC and ABV Rock.”

On this project, Sigma’s paints will be supplied to several buildings including: the girls’ campus, (to cover an area of 750,000 sq m); staff housing (550,000 sq m); multi-storey car-parks (75,000 sq m); King Khalid Hospital extension (50,000 sq m); Techno Valley (250,000 sq m); and the University Endowment facility (275,000 sq m).

Sigma is also engaged on two other large projects in the Central and Northern provinces. “We are working with contractor RTCC and consultant Khatib Al Alami on the Border Security project. This 6 m to 7 m security wall extends some 2,000 km, right from the kingdom’s border with Jordan to Kuwait,” says Tawfiq. “Sigma’s contract is worth SR5 million ($1.33 million) involving a paint coverage area of 1.4 million sq m to be completed by the end of next year.”

 “The second one is the SR650,000 ($170,000) order to supply paint for the Al Imam University project in Riyadh to cover an area of 120,000 sq m. We are working with contractor Al Fauzan and consultant Tipsa,” he says.