In order to put on an impressive show, Red Sea Paints of Saudi Arabia is leaving no stone unturned in its preparations leading up to SaudiBuild 2001.

"We are especially keen to showcase our range of top-class products which do more than simply create an attractive appearance; they also provide protection against the sun, weather and other environmental factors that can gradually deteriorate any property in this part of the world," says sales manager Chito Onglatco.

Red Sea Paints is a joint venture between world-renowned paint technologist Jotun of Norway and Marie bin Mahfouz Al Amoudi Company.

The company is one of Saudi Arabia's paint pioneers, having launched production in Jeddah Industrial City way back in 1975.

Red Sea Paints, which has branches in Riyadh and Dammam, specialises in high-quality decorative and architectural finishes, nitrocellulose, industrial paints such as heat and chemically-cured coatings and automotive finishes. It has an annual capacity of 20 million litres of paint and employs a total staff of 240.

"Through on-going technological research and development, Red Sea offers the best in consumer and industrial paints to the users in the Middle East," says Onglatco.

He continues: "Red Sea Paints manufactures a comprehensive range of sophisticated and conventional coatings to serve the needs of Saudi Arabia's domestic market.

"Our motto is to see that any customer gets the best value for money and that's why our experienced sales and technical staff are more than willing to assist on site applications and practical demonstrations. Just a telephone call is all it takes to get technical assistance on proper surface preparation, training paint contractors on how to adopt the most cost-effective method of application and advice on what is the best paint system to use."

Red Sea Paints has been a keen participant at previous SaudiBuild exhibitions and has always evoked a good response which has resulted in several positive inquiries, according to Onglatco.

In addition, the event has contributed very positively to increased awareness of Red Sea Paints as a professional supplier to the construction industry of high-quality products which meet the highest and most demanding standards, he says.

"One of the factors that encourages us to participate in SaudiBuild every year is that the event attracts a very large number of visitors from the building industry, including key customers, decision-makers, top architects, consultants and purchasers," he says. "Also, it is important for us to be seen as a high-quality producer of paints in the Kingdom and as having an impressive track record in the projects market."

Describing the company's range of paints, Onglatco says: "Vinycryl is a flat interior emulsion paint with the Saso (Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation) mark of quality. It is suitable for use on a variety of new or previously-painted surfaces as a topcoat where a matt finish is required.

"Duracryl is a water-based styrene acrylic emulsion paint with a flat finish, which is most suitable for interior and exterior surfaces. It is also available as bases to be tinted through the Red Sea Paints' colour processing system. Duracryl has good weather and scrub resistance and is also suitable as an undercoat for textured coating systems.

"The Maxi series of emulsion paints comprise of matt, silk, semigloss and gloss finishes, which conform to the Saso mark of quality. All products from the Maxi family have excellent weather resistance and high scrub resistance. They are available as bases, which may be tinted through the colour processing system.

"Weather Cover is a range of roller or spray-applied, water-based textured paints specially developed to withstand the harsh weather conditions in the Middle East, and available in fine, smooth and coarse finishes.

"Ecolac enamels are alkyd-based paints suitable for use on a variety of new or previously painted surfaces and are available in flat, semi-gloss and gloss finishes. They can also be colour-tinted.

"Hammertone is an alkyd-based protective and decorative coating based on a quick-drying binder, which produces a hard and durable film with a unique finish. It is specially formulated for steel surfaces where a fast-drying hammertone finish is required."

Business this year has been above expectations and the company started 2001 well with a number of large, medium and small-sized orders in hand, the largest being for Saline Water Conversion Company (SWCC) projects at Shuqaiq, Yanbu and Shuaiba.

"This year we have targeted an annual growth rate of 10 per cent," Onglatco says. "2001 has seen an upturn in construction activity and everyone is feeling the ripples of a positive business climate created by the announcements of massive investments to be made in gas projects."

Red Sea Paints is currently supplying paints to a Border Security Forces (BSF) project which is due to be completed later this year. And in the face of stiff competition, it also secured major orders for several private villa projects in the Kingdom.

"The company is poised to grow rapidly over the next few years as it has done over the last three years. Plans have been implemented to deal with the growing volumes of work, so that customer service remains a high focus area," he says.

Red Sea Paints will be on show at stand 255.