GLOBAL paints giant Hempel is set to launch two new products within its interior and exterior segments by the year-end, to complement its extensive line of paints and coatings.

The launch comes as the company sets foot in new markets and plans additional showrooms within its current area of operations.

“The new addition to our exterior coatings portfolio will be within Contex, the most efficient product range for exterior concrete surfaces, while the second new product will join the Fusions family, adding a unique special effect to the existing distinguished collection,” says Moataz Kamel, regional marketing manager – Middle East (West) of Hempel.

The Fusions range was expanded earlier this year with a new collection of decorative special effects. These special effects combine application techniques and products to create an unprecedented combination of textures and colours. The plaster-type range of products, which give character and depth to walls, combine with a semi-transparent glaze to create special effects that ensure excellent results every time, he says.

“This blend of ideas, inspirations, colours, textures and application skills has led to a wide variety of beautiful and innovative effects, which have been highly appreciated by the market – as can be gauged from the remarkable increase in sales of the Fusions’ range in all regions,” Kamel says.

Hempel’s regional R&D Centre opened late last year.

These special effects are amply illustrated in a high-quality print brochure, printed with the “exact” finish press technology, to ensure that it shows close-to-real images. An e-brochure on the company’s website (hempelfusions.com) was also developed to incorporate this distinctive feature.

Apart from an increase in sales, Hempel has seen considerable organic growth and expansion over the past year. The paint major has launched operations in the Egyptian market which, it believes, offers great potential. “The huge demand for high quality and innovative paint products in that market encouraged us to take the step,” he says.

Hempel has also penetrated the Iraqi market.

Meanwhile, Hempel continues to consolidate its presence in its existing markets. By the year-end, it plans to inaugurate two new showrooms in Kuwait and Riyadh.

The Hempel showroom in Kuwait will be the largest of its kind in the country and one of the biggest and most modern paint showrooms in the Middle East, featuring a variety of sample displays and colour choices. Hempel’s professional staff at the showroom will provide efficient customer service, including advice on the best paint solutions and choice of colour, texture and effects.

Hempel’s new distinctive and spacious showroom in Riyadh will be located in the heart of the city’s paint and finishing materials market at Takhasusi Street.

“As flagship ventures, these two outlets will present to the market Hempel’s new showroom concept, which will be spread throughout the entire Middle East,” says Kamel.

Contex ... for exterior coating.

To reinforce its position in the decorative paint segment, Hempel last November opened a regional decorative R&D (research and development) centre in Bahrain. The state-of-the-art facility at the company’s factory in Mina Salman aims to be the focal point of all the company’s decorative R&D activities in the Middle East.

“It is Hempel’s first regional R&D centre focused on the decorative segment, and will strengthen the company’s position in the region by fulfilling customer demands for innovative products and solutions and developing products specifically for the Middle East’s climatic and environmental conditions. The centre will act as the research centre for all six of Hempel’s manufacturing facilities in the Middle East,” he says.

Hempel, which caters to the protective, marine, container, yacht and decorative segments, through its factories in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Syria, Qatar and Bahrain, supplies a full range of coating solutions to customers. From epoxies and antifoulings to architectural coatings, all products are designed to meet local requirements and government standards.

“Our factories in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain have ISO 9001:2008 multi-site quality certification. In addition, our Saudi factory has been accredited for ISO 140001 environmental standards,” he says. “All the company’s factories in the Middle East comply with the group’s high HSE (health, safety and environment) standards.”

Hempel’s customers in the Middle East have access to a network of coating advisers, who work closely with them to develop solutions that meet their specific requirements. “At Hempel, we understand that our customers’ requirements vary from region to region and from business to business. So we combine extensive knowledge of their business with a focus on their unique needs to provide the best possible products and services,” he says.

The company has supplied to a number of high-profile projects in the region, winning the trust of the market. Based on this trust, Hempel has recently won the contract to supply paints to Phase One of the Makkah Monorail project, which is expected to be completed before this year’s Hajj season.

Hempel's showrrom in Riyadh ... set to open shortly.

“Hempel succeeded in securing the project amidst stiff competition and has already started supplying Contex anti-carbonation concrete protection coating system for the project.

“The company will also provide all project parties with necessary technical services and support through its dedicated staff on site,” says Kamel.

Phase One of the Makkah railway project will connect Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, thus largely reducing the traffic congestion caused by some 50,000-plus cars and buses that carry pilgrims between these holy sites, particularly on the day of Arafat.

Work on the project began two years ago in the southern parts of the holy sites.

The entire rail network, including stations, is elevated and can be accessed by escalators and staircases. It will initially link the holy sites to the Haramain Railway and eventually to the Gulf Rail network. China Railway Corporation of China has undertaken the construction of the railway lines and stations employing 5,000 workers, who work round the clock.

Hempel was founded in 1915 by JC Hempel, who introduced the concept of readymixed marine paint. Today, the company has grown to become the largest independent supplier of marine and protective coatings in the world, states Kamel.

The company has 20 factories, 49 sales offices, two main and six regional research and development centres, and more than 150 stock points strategically located around the world. Its thousands of employees in five continents provide customers in more than 80 countries with efficient service and fast delivery of high quality paint.