FINAL finishing work is under way at Dhahran Tower, where the interiors are being dressed in Jotun colours and protective coatings to ensure it retains its elegance over the years.

Jotun Saudia has supplied about 150,000 litres of coatings in addition to providing support services for the distinctive residential high-rise building in the Eastern Province. The bulk of the coatings have been applied on the interiors of the building, although some exterior paints were supplied for the primarily glass-clad building.

As part of its contract which it secured in March 2008, the leading paint manufacturer proposed products to meet the specifications, provided mock-up samples, staged application demonstrations, conducted training and provided site inspections, according to Masroor Khan, area sales manager for the Eastern Province.

“Given the climatic conditions experienced in Dammam, where temperatures soar above 50 deg C during summer but fall very low during winter, Jotun proposed products that could withstand the harsh Middle Eastern conditions. The company also ensured their proper and effective application through training and inspections,” he adds.

The company assigned a technical inspector to the site to ensure correct usage and to liaise with the project management for on-site assistance, he explains.

“Dhahran Tower’s strategic location in the heart of Al Khobar on King Abdullah Road makes it a preferred residential address in the Eastern Province and Jotun has ensured that it has supplied quality products for the project in line with the high standards of its construction,” says Khan.

“All products supplied were water-based and low on emissions to help the project attain a green rating. This apart, Jotashield Tex Ultra was specified for critical areas where flexibility and performance was a priority,” he adds.

Jotun boasts a presence of over 25 years in Saudi Arabia and claims to have been the first paint manufacturer in the kingdom to be awarded ISO 9001 certification. It built its first Saudi factory in 1985 and has since been in the forefront of developing products that suit local conditions and meet Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation (Saso) standards, he says.

Jotun Saudia manufactures, distributes and markets a wide range of decorative, protective and marine paints. In addition, it also produces and sells architectural and functional powder coatings, as well as intumescent coatings for fire protection and floor coatings.

“Our extensive product portfolio is a testament to our reputation of being truly a ‘single source solution’ for clients, consultants and contractors alike,” Khan says.

He continues: “The company has recently opened a new state-of-the-art paint factory adjacent to its existing plant in Yanbu – the largest of its kind in the region – taking its total production capacity to an outstanding 110 million litres of paint and coatings in the kingdom. The closed production facility – with its water recycling systems and automatic fire detection equipment – ensures the highest standards of operational safety and a healthy work environment.”

Jotun Saudia is certified to ISO 14001:2007 and OHSAS 18001:2004 for its environmental management and international occupational health and safety management systems, respectively.

Although the construction industry has witnessed a slowdown, Jotun continues to do well in most of the markets. Compared to last year, the company has witnessed steady growth this year, while prospects for the coming year look promising, says Khan.

Commenting on the company’s goals for the next year, Khan says: “Jotun aims to retain its leadership position in the market as a service-oriented, customer-friendly and innovative paint company through continuously exceeding customer expectations.”

Khan is optimistic about Saudi Arabia’s the construction market, stating that in spite of the economic crisis and financial meltdown, the kingdom still offers huge potential for various business activities. “With projects such as the economic cities, educational and health infrastructure projects, the kingdom’s construction industry is poised for huge growth in the years to come,” he says.

Jotun Saudia continues to be involved in a number of highly prestigious projects in the kingdom. Having recently supplied to the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (Kaust), a state-of-the-art research university dedicated to advancing science and technology, the firm is currently working on the $11.5-billion Princess Nora University for Women project (for the main contractors Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger and El Seif) and the King Abdullah Economic City, a new-age city being built on a 168-million-sq-m area on the Red Sea coast. Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger, Freyssinet, Al Saad and others are the main contractors for this $26 billion project.

Jotun Saudia has factories in Jeddah and Yanbu, warehouses in Jeddah, Yanbu, Riyadh, Dammam and Khamis Mushayt, and sales offices in Jeddah, Yanbu, Riyadh, Dammam, Khamis Mushayt and Jubail.

Jotun first began making paint in 1926 in Norway and has expanded dramatically with its logo becoming one of the most recognisable in the industry. Today, it is amongst the top companies in paints and coatings, has 74 companies and 40 production facilities on all continents and has agents, branch offices and distributors in more than 80 countries.