Berger Paints UAE has been producing in excess of 10 million litres of various paint products per annum to effectively meet the rising demands brought on by the boom in construction in the UAE, says R V Ramanujam, CEO of the Dubai-based decorative, industrial, protective and wood coatings specialist.
“With so many new projects being announced regularly in the UAE and the existing ones requiring maintenance periodically, the demand for paints is certainly on the rise. There is a huge pressure on the supply of quality paints and Berger is looking at expanding its production capacity to cater to the increased needs of the market," he adds.
Berger is also well poised to introduce new products and usher in capacity expansions to meet the changing needs of one of the most vibrant markets in the region – the UAE. The company has recently introduced Berger Colourworld – a computerised colour-tinting system at its dealer shops, where consumers have access not only to the 1,000-plus shades, but also have the freedom to choose the shade of their choice using a spectrophotometer. In addition, they also have access to the company’s interactive software which allows consumers to virtually paint their house and choose from what best suits their requirements and taste, and also offers valuable advice on aspects as regards the type of paint to be used for optimum results and also in calculating the volume of paint required for covering the walls.
“This is a unique facility for the customers as it not only gives them a virtually endless colour selection but also lets them see the virtual results of the painted house. Berger has introduced the facility wherever it has operations across the Middle East,” Ramanujam says.
Berger Group launched its operations in the UAE, following the acquisition of a Sharjah-based manufacturing facility in 1986. The company later moved its operations to a new state-of-the-art facility at Al Quoz in 1995. The company traces back its history to Berger UK, which was established in 1760, but is currently a subsidiary of Singapore-based Berger International Limited.
Berger International Limited, is a part of the Asian Paints Group, which ranks among the top 10 decorative coatings companies in the world, and is the only paint company to be ranked amongst the '200 Best Under-a-Billion Dollar Companies' in the world for 2003 by The Forbes Global Magazine. The $600 million Asian Paints Group has a presence in 24 countries, spread across the Caribbean, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South Pacific region. It has 29 paint manufacturing facilities worldwide which service customers in over 50 countries.
The group has separate production facilities in Bahrain and Oman in the Gulf region with a workforce of more than 100 employees, Berger UAE stands tall among the paint manufacturers in the region. It has carved its own niche in the highly competitive market of the region by achieving a healthy growth in business, largely due to swift injection of funds in the construction business of the region.
“We believe this trend of rapid growth is going to last for a while and we are confident of bagging several more contracts in the years to come,” says Raj PK, marketing manager, Berger UAE.
Over the years, Berger has added colour to numerous projects in the UAE, including the BurJuman Centre, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Al Khaleej Centre, Deira City Centre extension, Musallah Towers, Hilton Jumeirah, Hilton Ras Al Khaimah, Skywalk Towers, Dubai Marina, Shangri-La Towers, Le Meridien, Dibba, Muragabad Police Station, International Private Hospital, Khalifa Hospital in Ajman, Emaar Villas at Emirate Hills, Jumeirah Islands, International City, Aweer Bus Service Centre, and Masafi Library, among others.
“We are continuously looking at developing innovative products for the discerning consumers in the UAE and the export markets of Qatar, CIS and Africa and we are leaving no stone unturned in our mission to capitalise on the opportunities that are being generated by the markets of the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar,” he concludes.