Excel Coatings (Middle East), a new paints and coatings venture, has been launched in the Sultanate of Oman.

The new company has its factory at Rusayl Industrial Estate and a paint showroom and colour-matching centre, considered to be Oman's largest, located at the Al Barami building in the Wadi Kabir area of Muscat, according to a company spokesman.

Excel Coatings will offer a range of innovative and unique paints under licence from Mauvilac, one of the Indian Ocean Rim's pioneer paint manufacturers.

The spokesman explains: ''Mauvilac was established in Mauritius in 1964. With 36 years of hard work, a focus on professionalism, continuous development, selective investments and ISO 9002 certification, Mauvilac has become a player of international standing, setting up paint factories as an investor or a technology provider, or both, in the Reunion Islands, the Republic of Seychelles, Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya and, now, in Oman.

''Mauvilac's sister company, Centron Coatings Incorporated of the US, is a specialist hi-tech coatings manufacturer located in the state of New Jersey, offering products for the petroleum and industrial flooring sectors and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved coatings for potable water pipelines. Centron products are supplied to major customers such as Corban,US Steel, US Post Offices and Griffin Pipe.

''Whilst its research and development centre is based in Mauritius, Mauvilac exchanges know-how with its affiliates and has strategic partners in technology in France, South Africa and Germany.

''Excel Coatings will thus benefit from this pool of technological resources to offer more than 200 product references with unique coatings such as anti-insect and heat-reflecting paints, amongst others.

''Mauvilac anti-insect paints are used and applied just like any other good quality paints. Once dry, the film becomes active immediately. It will kill and eliminate crawling and flying insects from homes, offices, hospitals, restaurants, canteens, shops and hotels.

''The effect is permanent against cockroaches, mosquitoes, spiders, scorpions, flies, termites, dust mites and many more. The paints are harmless and non-toxic to humans and their pets. This is confirmed by certification from Institut Medico-legal de Paris and lnstitut Francis de Technology Hazelton. The long-lasting effect against insects is proven by certificates from lnstitut Pasteur, INRA and Itech, all in France. The dry paint is free of vapours, odours and harmful deposits. It is activated only on contact with the insect's legs.''

Excel Coatings will produce a complete range of paints for decorative and industrial applications; heat insulating; waterproofing and dampproofing compounds; wood coatings, furniture lacquers and automotive paints.

The company's production will be supplied to the local market and exported to other GCC states and northern Africa.

Excel Coatings celebrated its official launch at a function held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Muscat on September 19.