THE construction boom in Qatar kicked off by the country’s successful bid to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup has boosted demand for paint and coatings like intumescent coating, floor coating, powder coating, decorative coating, marine and protective coating in the country, says Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading paint and power coatings manufacturers.

According to the company, Qatar’s rapidly growing paint segment is estimated to be worth over QR300 million ($82.38 million) with market reports revealing a strong preference for products that adhere to ‘green’ standards.

In view of the huge opportunities offered by the country, Jotun has been keenly eyeing prospects and is upbeat about continued growth in Qatar’s decorative, infrastructure and marine segments.

The paint major participated at the Qatar Projects 2012 conference in Doha last month (February 5 to 8) to strengthen its market presence there. During the event, Jotun put the spotlight on its unique range of products that has been developed using state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) and technology, and which is focused on sustainability and protecting property.

“Qatar continues to be a very important market for us, where we confidently see the potential of continuous growth, which is being driven by the influx of construction projects in preparation for Fifa World Cup in 2022,” says Gunnar Eikebu, country manager – Qatar, Jotun Paints.

Jotun posted excellent growth over the past year, as it was able to consolidate its leadership across the country’s paint and powder coatings segment and looks forward to even better prospects this year. “We are very bullish on achieving strong growth for 2012, implementing aggressive and strategic initiatives that are aimed at achieving 20 per cent growth as compared to our performance in 2011,” says Ashish Vasudev, retail and marketing manager – UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, Jotun Paints.

Eikebu.

According to Jotun, the key drivers for the paint segment include cost, pricing, Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), green initiatives and QSAS (Qatar Sustainability Assessment System) compliance, international specification and product quality.

Jotun’s commitment to Qatar’s paint market is backed by an extensive and continuous product development initiative and an ever-growing portfolio of global and regional projects. To date, the firm has a total of more than QR150-million ($41.19 million) worth of projects that have been completed, are ongoing or in the pipeline. Its completed projects include the Qatar State Mosque, Barzan Camp (Phase One), Doha Golf Club, townhouses, and 40 per cent of towers in The Pearl-Qatar, the country’s first international luxury residential development comprising 10 distinct, themed districts all situated on a multibillion-dollar man-made island just off the coast of Qatar.

Current projects include the first three towers in Lusail, some phases of the New Doha International Airport, Barwa Financial District, Barzan Camp (Phase Two), 60 per cent of Sidra Medical and Research Centre, Barwa City housing, Qatar Radio and TV complex, the Qatar Islamic Centre, World Trade Centre and, at least, 90 per cent of the Kahramaa substations.

Jotun has also positioned itself in the country’s marine coating segment, having added to its project portfolio the first commercial vessel to dock into the N-KOM dry dock in Ras Laffan, which was coated by the company.

The company has recently launched a number of advanced products, in response to the global trend towards and the growing demand locally for green products. “The increase in awareness among consumers and strong government initiatives towards developing more eco-friendly and sustainable developments has led to a growing preference for products that strictly adhere to set ‘green’ standards. In line with this, Jotun has recently launched two environment-friendly products, Jotashield Extreme and Woodshield,” Vasudev says.

Barwa City housing in Qatar ... one of Jotun’s many projects.

Elaborating on these products, he says: “Jotashield Extreme, a revolutionary new exterior paint product developed for the Middle East region, reflects heat and allows surfaces to remain cool. It makes use of an innovative and revolutionary pigment technology that allows consumers to have darker shades of colours, giving them indoor thermal comfort and a longer lasting paint with superior exterior protection at a competitive price.”

The product provides protection against ultraviolet and near infra-red heat, thus significantly reducing indoor and surface temperatures and consequently driving down energy consumption. Jotashield Extreme exceeds GS-11 coatings standards, and can perform effectively for 10 years, he adds.

Furthermore, Jotashield Extreme has been developed to help address the urban heat island (UHI) effect, a phenomenon wherein metropolitan areas are significantly warmer than their surrounding rural areas. The UHI effect prompts an increase in air-conditioning costs and also creates more air pollutants. “It is also the only product in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region that significantly reduces temperature upon application,” he states.

Turning to Woodshield, Vasudev says it is the first wood coating of its kind in the region to use advanced ultraviolet (UV) absorbers and hindered amine light stabilisers (HALS) technology to provide twice the UV protection, which minimises colour fading and protects wood against cracking, peeling and erosion from sunlight.

Available in exterior and interior formats, this product provides a protective barrier against harsh weather for longer lasting wood protection and has a uniquely formulated quick drying resin, which acts as a fast drying formula and leads to a convenient and quick drying solution – saving time, energy and manpower, says the spokesman.

He adds the both products, which possess low odour solvents and low odour binders give off fewer odours during and after applications, offer high water resistance and flexibility. Woodshield Interior and Woodshield Exterior are free of heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium and arsenic.

Founded in 1926 in Norway, Jotun established its presence in the Middle East in 1974, with Jotun UAE. The Qatar operations were founded in 1982.

Since then, the company has expanded dramatically throughout the region and claims to be the first paint manufacturer to have been awarded the ISO 9001 certification.

Jotun has been at the forefront in terms of developing products specifically suited to local conditions. Three decades of experience in the Middle East region has helped the company produce a variety of conventional and specialised coatings, each incorporating the latest technological developments while offering performance with economy catering to the various product segments and demands of the different markets. Today, Jotun’s diverse product range includes decorative, protective, marine, floor/concrete protection, powder coatings and intumescent coatings, bearing a testament to the company’s reputation of being a single-source solution for clients, consultants and contractors alike.