WITH landmark developments such as the Meydan Development, the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Metro recently added to its project portfolio, Jotun Paints has declared 2009 as its best year ever.

The company is now focusing on strengthening its distribution network as well as introducing new innovations this year in order to meet the increased competition.
“We think 2010 will be a little bit of a battle as there are a lot of companies in the market, including those that faced problems in 2009, looking for business this year,” says Eirik Kristensen, Jotun Paints’ regional marketing manager – Mena (Middle East and North Africa).
“Some companies will be looking at increasing their distribution and we are going to do the same. We currently have 1,650 shops around the region and are looking at increasing this number to over 3,000 by 2012,” he says.
Jotun Paints Dubai serves as the regional headquarters for 23 countries encompassing North Africa, Middle East and South-East Asia.

“While there has been a decline in the mega projects sector, the maintenance and the medium-range sector is picking up for us and the volume has increased slightly. This year will be a battle for volume, distribution and also for gross margins for all paint companies. We are working towards further strengthening our position in the market,” he says.
“Our growth strategy this year is aimed towards increasing our market share and we are going to come up with a lot of innovations,” says Kristensen.
The company spends around $30 million on R&D (research and development) every year. “We are currently developing a green line of products in order to meet the rising demand for sustainable products. Also for exterior application we will soon have an innovation that will be groundbreaking,” he says.
Jotun has recently risen to the challenge of meeting the special requirements of Dubai’s Meydan project, where a total of 500,000 litres of its paint and protective coatings were used to protect and decorate the UAE’s new iconic horse-racing development, as well as the Grandstand, The Meydan Hotel and the bridges that connect to the Meydan City development.
The newly-opened Meydan Racecourse hosted the prestigious ‘Dubai World Cup’, the world’s richest race, last month.

The special needs of the Meydan project were met using a combination of Jotun’s anti-carbonation systems including the Jotashield top coat matt system, which was used to coat 20,000 sq m of basement walls and columns. The 100 per cent pure acrylic-based paint has been specially formulated to withstand the harsh Middle East climate.
Additionally, Jotashield Tex Ultra System – a durable, pure acrylic paint that offers unique UV (ultraviolet) resistance and superior flexible concrete/plaster protection that helps bridge cracks up to 2.6 mm – was used on the 20,000 sq m surface of the bridge.
“Jotun has been the preferred paint and coating for a number of high-profile projects in the UAE,” says Kristensen. “Our range of protective and decorative paints and coatings has been tried and tested to deliver longer life cycles and superior aesthetic value. Our selection of specially-formulated products available in an array of vibrant hues continues to encourage leading master developers to choose Jotun Paints.”
A total of 275,000 sq m of internal walls and ceilings within Meydan were coated with Fenomastic emulsion matt system, a high-quality acrylic copolymer-based emulsion paint with outstanding washability, hiding power and colour retention properties. In addition, metal doors and window frames, spanning a total area of 5,000 sq m, have been painted with Fenomastic enamel system, a lead-free, premium-quality enamel paint with maximum resistance against yellowing, giving a tough yet smooth finish and good hiding and adhesion properties, says Kristensen.
Furthermore, Steel Master with Pioneer Top Coat was used to coat steel surfaces of The Meydan Hotel and inside the car-park. Formulated to provide superior fire protection in case of fire, the coating expands into a foam-like insulating layer, which greatly extends the time before the steelwork is weakened by rising temperatures. For corrosion protection, a system comprising Penguard Primer, Jotamastic GF, and Hardtop AS was used to provide long-lasting corrosion protection through the hard-wearing resistance of glass flakes in a glossy finish, and excellent UV and abrasion resistance.
“Only Jotun products could meet the unique requirements of a project of this nature and size. The Meydan project will stand as a unique milestone and achievement for Jotun,” says Philippe Fouques, regional manager – Protective Coatings ME, Jotun UAE.
The opening of the prestigious project comes on the heels of another mega reference in Jotun’s portfolio – the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower which was inaugurated on January 4. The company supplied 122,000 kg of powder coatings and 487,000 litres of paint to decorate and protect the tower.
Jotun has also supplied over 3 million litres of paint for the first phase of Dubai Metro’s Red Line, which was launched last September. Under the terms of the contract, Jotun Paints is still to deliver its paints and coatings for the remaining phases within the Red Line and the entire Green Line.
Describing the Dubai Metro project as a highly complex project involving all the departments of Jotun Paints, Kristensen says: “We were challenged on application and time factor but because we are structured it was quite easy to pull it off.”
The paints used for the first mass rapid transport system in the region include floor coating (Jotafloor), steel protection (Penguard and Hardtop), fire protection (Steelmaster), interior emulsion (Fenomastic) and exterior protection (Jotashield Tex Ultra), which all come under the manufacturer’s pioneering ‘Single Source Solution’ concept.
Among other developments, the company recently launched ‘Colour Trends 2010’, the latest colour range for its decorative paints. Seventeen new vibrant shades comprise the new collection, which have been specially formulated to meet the rising demand for one-of-a-kind colours in decorative paints, as many cutting-edge projects in the region approach delivery stage this year, he says.
“The 2010 collection has three ranges, including Jazz Up, a dynamic palette designed to reflect an individual’s true colours and creativity; Pure Nurture, which offers a colour scheme that is ideal for nature lovers; and Mystic Elegance, which features a glamorous collection based on the values of traditional Middle Eastern interiors.
Each year, the company adds several new shades to the range, which are based on extensive research and customer feedback. It has also launched a new catalogue called Jotun Techniques highlighting 16 new finishes created by using the existing product range.
The company is also repositioning certain products and is currently working on improving some of its existing products that will soon fall under the popular ‘Lady’ family.
Talking about other initiatives taken by the company recently, he says: “In order to help customers make speedy decisions, Jotun has conceptualised all its shops, with all components specified into a manual that is placed in all its shops across the region.”
Commenting on the company’s expansion plans, Kristensen says: “We are putting up a factory in Pune, India. We recently opened a factory in Saudi Arabia, another one in Libya to cater to the North African market and have opened sales offices in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. We have also opened an office in Pakistan and will be increasing our distribution in Iran. We are also growing in countries like Cambodia.”