Leading paint manufacturer integrates Facebook to revolutionary online colour visualisation tool ‘ColourAdvisor’, helping consumers plan better and make quicker painting decisions

January 26, 2011

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has announced that it has integrated Facebook, one of the world’s leading social media networking sites, to its online colour visualisation tool called ‘ColourAdvisor’ (www.colouradvisor.com). The tool will help consumers in the Middle East plan better and make quicker and better painting decisions for their homes.

Customers can click on the ‘Share on Facebook’ button to share their creations with their friends and family, as wall posts. ‘Email Picture to a Friend’ button meanwhile lets customers email the picture they painted to email addresses of their choice. ‘Find a Jotun Dealer’ button allows customers to locate the nearest Jotun Paints dealer on Google maps. ‘Email Us’ button on the other hand allows customers to send their feedback and comments to Jotun Paints officials.

“’Opinions & Suggestions’ are the two key words when it comes to making a creative painting decision for homes. It is common that when people want to paint their homes, they ask for opinions on wall colours from their friends, relatives, and so on. ‘ColourAdvisor’ lets people visualise different colours on the walls of their homes, and hence we thought it was a good value addition to let them share these ideas,” said Per Olav Ramstad, Regional Marketing Director ME, Jotun Paints.

According to a recent research done by Jotun Paints, consumers in the Middle East are becoming more conscious and more engaged in the decoration or redecoration process of their homes. Thus, colour plays an important role in inspiring individuals into creating a relaxing ambience. Jotun Paints wants to get closer to its customers and follow its customers’ decoration and redecoration process online. In the age of ever-increasing online activities, end users are getting highly interactive on social media platforms such as Facebook, which is precisely what Jotun aims to leverage through its latest innovation.

Jotun Paints is providing end users with options to share their creativity with their family and friends. ‘ColourAdvisor’ is a revolutionary easy-to-use online colour visualisation tool, which can also be accessed in more than 1500 outlets across the Middle East. The enhanced software is capable of letting the end-users do a ‘digital paint job’ by uploading a picture of their own rooms and selecting their desired colours. Customers can now enjoy a more realistic experience through superior colour rendering, extended interactivity and accessibility to more colours, thereby making their decision regarding colour choices easier.

Leading paint manufacturer’s durable & high-performing products meet global ‘green building’ standards

January 17, 2011

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, is showcasing its revolutionary energy-saving and environmentally-friendly products during the 4th ‘World Future Energy Summit (WFES)’, that begins today (January 17, 2011) and runs until January 20, 2011 at ADNEC - the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The leading manufacturer believes that the best paint with the least environmental impact should deliver durability, performance, energy efficiency and the ability to minimize its effect on air quality while adding high value to beautification projects. Jotun is displaying a world-class paint portfolio featuring all these properties at Hall Number 7 - Norway Pavilion, stand number 7322 throughout the summit.

The manufacturer is also exhibiting its ‘Jotun Green Paint System’, a group of products that qualify under various international Green Building Rating Standards. The system comprises ‘Fenomastic’ for improving indoor air quality; ‘Jotashield Thermo’ for achieving high energy efficiency; and ‘Jotashield SuperDurable’ for enhancing structural performance and durability. These high-performance offerings were specially formulated to reduce environmental impact and meet or exceed regional and global regulations on ‘green’ standards.

Fenomastic Gold Interior paint has low volatile organic compound content (VOC) (less than 10g/l), low odor, and availability in any color. It has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-fire spread properties, a high crack tolerance of 1.4 mm, and applies easily and dries quickly for seamless touch-ups. Jotashield Thermo, on the other hand, improves indoor temperature and reduces energy loads by reducing the heat absorbed by walls. It can also extend roof life expectancy and aid in the reduction of the Heat Island Effect and heat-related smog. Finally, Jotashield SuperDurable features a special hybrid binding technology, which offers twice the life span of solvent-based durable coatings. It protects well-prepared concrete/plastered surfaces for up to 20 years.

“The current focus on sustainable architecture seeks to ensure that what we build today does not limit opportunities for future generations. At the same time, we need to optimize the use of materials, energy and building space in light of escalating energy costs and dwindling resources,” said Per Olav Ramstad, Regional Marketing Director ME, Jotun Paints. “Architects face the daunting task of addressing the environmental aspects of design and construction in light of growing global demand for improved quality of life and environmental sustainability. Jotun aims to help their cause by introducing pioneering products reflecting our total commitment to conservation and energy efficiency. Our new collection offers a wide range of paints that meet the stringent sustainability and energy requirements of modern developments.”

To meet evolving market needs, Jotun is set to launch a new paint under its Jotashield brand developed using revolutionary technology that enables even darker shades of colors to reflect heat. The product delivers enhanced thermal indoor comfort, longer endurance and superior exterior protection, all at a competitive price. The innovative offering is particularly relevant to GCC countries, which have been experiencing a phenomenon called the Urban Heat Island effect due to the exponential growth of their urban areas.

In the Heat Island Effect, temperatures of urban air domes can range up to 4 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding countryside. This raises air-conditioning costs and increases air pollution due to higher energy production requirements, thus contributing to global warming. Jotun is addressing these concerns via its latest addition to its eco-friendly and energy-efficient Jotashield line and the only paint in the Middle East, which shows significant temperature reductions upon application.

“Jotun considers WFES the right platform to showcase practical and sustainable solutions for today’s energy consumption and climate change challenges. The event has been very successful in promoting innovation and investment opportunities surrounding renewable energy and environment. It brings together our target audience of project owners, solutions providers, investors and buyers from both the public and private sectors that will benefit from our range of environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient products,” added Ramstad.

One prime example of Jotun’s support for environmental initiatives is its involvement in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar project, which is being developed as the world’s first carbon-neutral city. A total of 50,000 litres of Jotashield Thermo was used for Masdar, making the city the biggest reference project in the world for the company in terms of securing green projects. Jotun also enforces manufacturing procedures that focus on solid waste reduction, recycling, and the implementation of ISO 14001 and OASHAS certification in its factories worldwide. In addition, the company’s global R&D team is also constantly developing advanced coatings to help reduce harmful emissions as well as lower VOC content.

Jotun’s proactive efforts towards lessening its environmental impact are partly driven by its position as a founding member of the Emirates Green Building Council as well as its membership under the United States Green Building Council. The company is also actively involved in two other green Building Councils in India and in Turkey. Furthermore, Jotun is the only paint manufacturer that is both a member of the Emirates Green Building Council and a corporate member of the Emirates Environment Group (EEG).

Leading paint manufacturer looking to increase its market share in Egypt’s EGP 1.8 billion paint market

December 21, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and supplier of paints and coatings, has successfully showcased its latest range of interior and exterior paint brands at the ‘Le Marche 2010’, Egypt’s Biggest home furnishings and accessories exhibition, which concluded yesterday (December 20th, 2010) at the Cairo International Conference Centre (CICC) in Cairo, Egypt. The company’s participation in the annual high-profile event was in line with Jotun’s strategic move to further increase market share and reinforce its position in Egypt’s EGP 1.8 billion paint market - leveraging its products among the country’s leading interior and exterior design professionals and consultants.

Aside from targeting interior industry professionals, Jotun is also eyeing Egypt’s high-end consumers like villa owner segments, building developers and small facilities owners. During the five-day event, the company highlighted its recently launched interior paint product line, ‘Lady Effects’, which offers better finish and new interior effects with four unique finishes – ‘Lady Effects Pearl’, ‘Lady Effects Metallic’, ‘Lady Effects Glaze’, and ‘Lady Effects Stucco Antica’ - allowing customers to have more options in selecting the paint effects that complement their lifestyles and personalities. The company also featured its exterior product line, which includes ‘Jotashield Heritage Traditional Tex’, ‘Jotashield Heritage Antique Tex’ and ‘Jotashield Heritage Classic Tex’. One of the key highlights of Jotun’s participation at ‘Le Marche 2010’ was the promotion of the coming ‘Colour trends 2011’; a new line of paints that consists of four new ranges such as the Earth, Princesses, Generations and Festival of Colours.

“Over the last 28 years, the ‘Le Marche’ exhibition has become a strategic platform for the region’s interior and exterior design segment; an important venue to display the best and the latest trendy products in the market and a venue to discuss and exchange ideas to help improve the industry and expand into different target audiences,” said Tor Hatlo-Johansen, General Manager, El- Mohandes Jotun Egypt. “Jotun Paints has always been the sole paint supplier to participate in this annual exhibition. Attracting high-end consumers from all over Egypt and even from different international areas, ‘Le Marche 2010’ has given Jotun the unique opportunity to showcase our professional range of products to a high potential audience - from industry professionals and consultants to high-end residential and facilities owners.”

This year’s Jotun booth carried a diverse set of themes designed by Dr. Mohamed Noaman, a leading Egyptian interior designer. The booth showcased six different interior moods – Pub, Deco, Loft, Lodge, Gold, and Elegance and three exterior moods – Traditional, Antique Tex and Gold.  Jotun’s ‘Jotashield Super Durable’, which is under the Jotashield brand, is a low volatile organic compound (VOC) coating with twice the life span of traditional coatings. It provides superior durability, anti-concrete carbonation properties, and low chemical reactivity, thus enabling it to offer superior concrete protection and help reduce maintenance costs. Furthermore, the product offers superior durability to withstand the harsh climate in the region, among other properties that prevent the degradation of structures. The ‘Lady Essentials’ range gives a beautiful matt finish that is easy to clean, does not leave any trace of odor after 6 hours of application and guarantees lasting colors for years. Aside from its exhibition booth, Jotun Paints supplied the paints used for the event’s designer’s hall, which was also designed by Dr. Mohamed Noaman and for the concept ideal home exhibit, which was designed by international interior designer Karim Rashid.

“Recent international industrial reports have shown that decorative and protective coatings account for almost half of the world’s total paint consumption. Aiming to capitalize on this, Jotun Paints remains steadfast with its commitment to be a key trendsetter in the industry by increasing awareness of the unique advantages and features that our products have to offer. In Egypt alone, there is already a growing demand for quality paint products and services that are safe to use and environment friendly – the products that we have exhibited in ‘Le Marche 2010’ not only aim to meet these growing demands but will also help position ourselves as industry leaders,” concluded Tor Hatlo-Johansen.

Jotun Paints has a major presence in Egypt since 1987 and is considered a market leader in providing fully-integrated protective and decorative. Jotun paints have been used in a number of high profile and renowned projects, including luxury hotels, offices and residential developments and landmarks such as Cataract Aswan Hotel, Marassi and Up Town Cairo by Emaar, and Al Tahrir Museum.

Leading paint manufacturer to leverage presence in USD 418 billion worth of active projects in the UAE

November 20, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, is set to showcase its range of professional exterior and interior paints - ‘Lady Effects,’ ‘Fenomastic’ and ‘Jotashield’ - at ‘The Big 5 International Building and Construction Show’, the largest tradeshow for the Middle East’s construction sector, from November 22 - 25, 2010 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). The company’s participation at the high-profile event complements Jotun’s strategic move to leverage the demand for top-quality paints and coatings in the UAE construction industry - showcasing all the advanced features of its flagship brands like cost-effectiveness, aesthetic uniqueness and eco-friendliness. The Jotun exhibition booth will be located at Zabeel Hall, Stand W127.

According to a recent report from UAE based research firm Proleads Global, the UAE has a current total of 1,296 projects with a total value of USD 418 billion and is followed by an additional 303 projects in the design, planning and bidding stage, with an estimated worth of USD 143 billion. Jotun remains upbeat that the ongoing and start of construction on these projects will drive in an increased demand for their key products. The company will also launch the ‘Jotashield Experience’ - a new interactive medium based on ‘Augmented Reality’ 3D technology, which will allow Jotun to increase more brand awareness and understanding for its ‘Jotashield’ range among industry specialists and professionals like architects, developers, contractors and market consultants.

“The UAE economy is posed to experience further growth; complementing projections that it will touch AED 1 trillion in 2010. Jotun is gearing towards maximizing the opportunities within the construction sector, which is witnessing an upturn as more projects start to become active again,” said Ashish Vasudev, Marketing Manager, Jotun Paints. “Our participation at ‘The Big 5’ event is part of our strategic move to expand our visibility among high potential partners, which can lead to further recognition for our ‘Lady Effects’, ‘Fenomastic’ and ‘Jotashield’ ranges as the best in their class. We are also very excited to be the very first Middle East company to introduce ‘Jotashield Experience’, which makes use of ‘Augmented Reality’ technology. This new initiative is in line with our strategic thrust towards utilizing new technologies as key mediums to engage with our target consumers - demonstrating the incomparable properties of Jotun products among others available in the market.”

Launched under Jotun’s ‘Lady’ brand, ‘Lady Effects’ offers better finish and new interior effects with four unique finishes - ‘Lady Effects Pearl’, ‘Lady Effects Metallic’, ‘Lady Effects Glaze’, and ‘Lady Effects Stucco Antica’ - which allow customers to be more artistic in selecting the colours to complement their lifestyles and personalities. The preferred choice for superior exterior protection, ‘Jotashield’ offers thermal insulation properties that result in superior heat deflection and reduced interior temperature and cooling costs, leading to up to substantial savings in electricity bills. Distinguished by their industry-leading features, the ‘Fenomastic’ range include ‘Fenomastic Enamel’, the first lead-free and non-yellowing enamel paint in the region and gives a tough yet smooth finish that lasts long, washes easily and has superior hiding and adhesion; and ‘Fenomastic Gold’, one of the acrylic options and boasts of antifungus properties, anti flames spread certification and crack tolerance up to one
millimeter.

“The growing focus on the delivery and completion of projects is effectively driving the market’s maturity, which entails strong emphasis on high quality products with excellent safety and eco-friendly properties. Our ‘Lady Effects’, ‘Jotashield’ and ‘Fenomastic’ range address these demands and more, making us a industry leader not only in terms of market share but more importantly in terms of product advancement. By reaching out to the regional market through our presence in this year’s ‘The Big 5’ event, we hope to strike the perfect opportunities for new alliances and projects in the region,” concluded Vasudev.

With investments towards the research and development of unique products exceeding USD 25 million, Jotun Paints has become a global group with 67 companies and 39 production facilities on five continents among which the largest is in Dubai, which serves as its hub for R&D, production and distribution in the Middle East. The company’s strong focus on customer service and technical support has made it the preferred paint brand for many iconic projects across the region, with some of its latest projects including the Dubai Metro, Burj Khalifa, the Burj Al Arab, the Nile City Complex, the Kingdom Center, and the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market in Kuwait.

Leading manufacturer provides supplies to paint playground at Aisha Hassanein Orphanage

October 03, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has lent its support to the Egyptian Society for Intercultural Exchanges’ (ESIE) ‘Intercultural Exchange Program’ for foreign students. The project aims to teach exchange students the Arabic language and introduce them to traditional Egyptian culture through placement with local host families. Part of the program was a public service activity that involved painting the playground of Aisha Hassanein Orphanage in Fayoum City held recently, for which El Mohandes Jotun Paints provided the paint supplies used by the students.

Working together, the residents of the orphanage and its staff, volunteers from the AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS IP), the national office of ESIE, and the exchange students completed the project using paint supplied by Jotun for the courtyard and activities room, which breathe a new, lively vibe in the area. The exchange students also wrote the word ‘peace’ in 11 different languages as part of a mural within the facility. At the end of the activity, Jotun Paints gave gifts to the students and volunteers as a token of appreciation for their enthusiastic involvement.

“We fully support the community service programs being undertaken by Egyptian Society for Intercultural Exchanges, and we believe in the significance of these initiatives both in developing the understanding of foreign students of the Egyptian culture and way of life, and their impact on the lives of host families and all Egyptians benefiting from the program’s activities,” said Tor Hatlo-Johansen, General Manager, El Mohandes Jotun Paints Egypt. “We are pleased with the outcome of this initiative and proud as well of the good work we have done in the play and activity area, and we hope that our efforts will help uplift the spirits and inspire the children in Aisha Hassanein Orphanage through the power of colours.”

The Egyptian Society for Intercultural Exchanges (ESIE) is a voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. It is also the national office of AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS IP), which is made up of 50 partner organizations across six continents. The organisation coordinates 11,000 exchange paths between eighty countries around the globe every year, with aims to let students leave Egypt with a sense of commitment to global development issues and a true understanding of Egyptian culture and values. The public service activity supported by Jotun Paints was organised in cooperation with AFS USA.

New yachting product formulated to provide long-term resistance to UV light, erosion, impacts and chemicals

 September 19, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, launched to the Middle East market its newest yachting product – ‘Megagloss HG’, a safe and trouble-free polyester-polyurethane topcoat, during a ceremony held today (September 19, 2010) at in Dubai Maritime City. The new top coat has been formulated to provide long-term resistance to UV light, erosion, impacts and chemicals, the new topcoat is the result of almost four years of development by the Norwegian main corporate laboratory, in close co-operation with the worldwide Yacht Concept Centre in Barcelona.

As a testament to the excellent quality of ‘Megagloss HG’, Jotun revealed that the new product has been used by expert application company Rolling Stock to paint ‘SY Canica’, a luxury sailing yacht moored in Palma de Mallorca, Marina Port de Mallorca. By launching the newest addition to its yachting product range in the Middle East, the company aims to strengthen its presence in the marine paints segment by attracting the interest of yacht and superyacht owners in the region.

“To come up with the formulation for ‘Megagloss HG’, we have boosted the same properties that have made our previous topcoats the choice for many luxury yacht and superyacht in the region by leveraging our Norwegian laboratory’s long-term experience in manufacturing environmentally-complaint topcoats with high solids and low VOC content and zero ethyl glycol acetate,” said Stein Kjolberg, Regional Marine Director, Jotun Paints. “Given the volume of these kinds of luxury vessels in the region, we are confident that the launch of this new product will help drive our overall regional growth and further underline our leading position within the marine paint segment.”

Boasting of a revolutionary binder-catalyst combination that utilises a breakthrough technology that improves flow-out/levelling, a 1:1 mixing ratio and excellent colour stability during long-term shelf storage, ‘Megagloss HG’ is available in variants of standard colours and a range of custom colours to meet our customer needs.  It also has great levelling properties, extremely high gloss levels (around 94 G.U. at 60º) and high resistance to UV light, as well as outstanding resistance to abrasion, salt spray and water.

“’Megagloss HG’ is the only topcoat available today that will consistently provide, in many kinds of application situation, the glassy, smooth shine and deep, rich colour that all yacht and super yacht owners strive for. In addition to providing our regional clients sophisticated products that effectively prevent corrosion and fouling on any vessel, we also offer them value added services through our more than 600 coating advisors,” concluded Kjolberg. 

Online initiative aims to expand reach and enhance service levels for women customers in the region

July 27, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has launched an Arabic version of its ‘Jotun Lady’ website (http://lady.jotun.com), following the successful launch of the English website last year and demands for a localised online portal from women customers in the region. The online initiative, which incorporates features to guide users on the latest design trends and help them update the overall appearance of their homes, is aimed at further expanding the website’s reach and enhancing service levels provided for regional customers.  Designed as a new contact point between the ‘LADY’ brand and its target users, the highly interactive portal provides users with extensive product information, advice on colour psychology, as well as on how to decorate their homes.

The Arab world is continually witnessing increasing usage of the Internet, with majority of sectors in the region recording rising online dependence for both information and connectivity. Combining this growing trend with the insight that almost half of the users of the famous online networking site Facebook in the region utilises Arabic as their primary language according to latest reports, Jotun has identified the potential in launching the ‘Jotun Lady’ website in the vernacular.  The website also links to ‘Colour Advisor’, Jotun Paints’ revolutionary, easy-to-use online colour visualisation tool that lets users enjoy a more realistic experience through the extended interactivity and accessibility to more colours.

“Having the website in Arabic allows us to talk to Arab women without any barrier and directly in the language that they feel, think, and use to communicate naturally,” said Trine Finnevolden, General Manager, Jotun Paints UAE. “With the growing affinity of Arab women towards using the Internet, we have been inspired to communicate with them through technology in a platform that will revolve around inspiration, colours and advice for choosing the right paint products and colours, which enables them to make better planning and painting decisions. In addition to the website, we are also looking to launch domain names in Arabic, as a testament to our focus on the regional market.”

Over 62,000 litres of Jotafloor products used on the project

July 06, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, announced that it has painted the KD 30 million (AED 441 million) ‘Al Forda Central Fruits and Vegetable Hyper Market’, the largest establishment of its kind in Kuwait. The company further revealed that over 62,000 litres of paints and coatings under its ‘Jotafloor System’ were used on the project’s 95,000 square metre interior floor area. A project of Al-Wafir Marketing Services Company, the hyper market is built on a 3 square kilometre area in the Sulaibiya district, and was completed after 3 years of construction.

Introducing a new concept in the region where vendors will bid for the produce directly from local farmers, the massive establishment aims to provide a cleaner venue for the produce business in the locality. Taking this into consideration, Jotun’s expert sales team proposed the use of the vibrant colours from the Jotafloor range, for the flooring of this massive project, which is specifically formulated for surfaces exposed to heavy traffic or harsh conditions. Among the Jotun products used in the project include the ‘Jotafloor SF Primer’ and ‘Jotafloor Coating Grey’ for the cold storage area, and three shades of ‘Jotafloor Topcoat’ for the stall area.

“The continuous growth of our brand among customers in Kuwait underlines our capacity to address their specific needs as well as the high growth potential of our products in this market,” said Shafique Siddiqui, Country Manager, Jotun Paints - Kuwait. “Our involvement in this landmark project is aligned with our goals to fully penetrate the growing demand for high quality and specially formulated paints and coatings. In addition to this, we are also confident that our products will play a vital part in ensuring that the structure is protected from natural wear and tear while adding to the lively atmosphere in this one-of-a-kind marketplace.”

‘Jotun Topcoat’ and ‘Jotafloor Coating Grey’ are part of the ‘Jotafloor’ range of epoxy-based products that offer excellent chemical, abrasion and impact resistance. As a result of Jotun’s massive investment towards research and development, the company has added another product to its ‘Jotafloor’ range - ‘Jotafloor Rapid Dry WB’, the first floor coating based on ‘nanotechnology’, which it launched in the Middle East recently.

“The Al Forda Central Fruits and Vegetable Hyper Market is considered a landmark project in Kuwait, and being one of the suppliers to be a part of this undertaking is a testament to our leading position in this ever-growing market. A large part of this success is driven by our capacity to deliver painting solutions that complement all the specifications and functionalities of a structure, and we do this through close collaboration with our clients and keen attention to the customer’s needs. We have successfully displayed this level of acuity in this project, which is a testament to our consistent efforts to further grow our business in Kuwait,” concluded Siddiqui.

Leading paint manufacturer partners with ‘Friends of Children with Cancer’ to support treatment of cancer-afflicted children

June 14, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has partnered with the ‘Friends of Children with Cancer’ (FOCC), an Egyptian non-government, non-profit organisation registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity (under number 231 for the year 1992), to support the treatment of cancer-afflicted children in Egypt. Driven by its belief in the power of colours to bring smiles to people, the leading manufacturer will paint the first phase of FOCC’s project - the ‘Health and Hope Oasis’, a nutritional and recreational centre, located in Wadi Al-Natrun at the Beheira Governorate, for children with cancer who are undergoing treatment.

The ‘Health and Hope Oasis’ aims to offer children with cancer the opportunity to escape the confines of the hospital and be in a healthy and nurturing environment where they can receive nutritional support critical for the success of recovery and cure rate. Jotun Paints’ involvement in the project will entail the provision of paint on the project’s first phase, which includes 64 accommodation units for children and their families, kitchen facilities, multipurpose activity centre and staff housing.

“The capacity of colour to influence human emotions is a core belief that continues to inspire us in the Jotun Group to become involved in initiatives supporting charity organisations,” said Per Harald Engesaeth, General Manager, El Mohandes Jotun Paints Egypt. “By filling ‘Health and Hope Oasis’ with vibrant and calming hues, we are hoping to supplement and assist with the treatment of Egyptian children with cancer, and provide them and their families encouragement in their fights against the disease. We also want to acknowledge the wonderful work that ‘Friends of Children with Cancer’ has done and continues to do with such great dedication, and we are proud to be working with them in this excellent initiative.”

Interior and exterior paints for the first phase of the ‘Health and Hope Oasis’ extension have already been delivered by Jotun Paints at the project site, which mainly benefits from donations from charitable groups, corporations and individuals. In addition to providing emotional support to the children and their families during the critical stages of chemotherapy and recovery, ‘Health and Hope Oasis’s’ core focus is to provide nutritional sustenance to the patients through an operating farm that has been donated to ensure the quality of food provided and to help sustain the project. It also conducts awareness drives and training for families of the children about the importance of continuing the cancer treatment, safe hygienic practices and appropriate nutrition, infection control and the children’s emotional needs.

“Our longstanding support for charitable causes is in line with our commitment towards corporate social responsibility and the value we place in being a model for successful CSR undertakings among regional organisations. We have seen significant success in the Middle East since we started our regional operations 30 years ago, and as a means of giving back, we are dedicated to lending our support in any way we can in order to enhance the development of the community that has nurtured our growth,” concluded Engesaeth.

High profile undertaking part of manufacturer’s aggressive growth strategy in the region

June 02, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, announced that it has secured a massive contract to paint the ‘King Abdullah Financial District’ (KAFD), a state-of-the-art and fully self contained centre for doing business and facilitating investment and enterprise currently under construction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The high profile undertaking, which will involve paint work on the 3 million sq. metre-financial centre, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013, is part of manufacturer’s aggressive growth strategy in the region.

Envisioned as part of the Kingdom’s overall economic diversification program, KAFD is being built by Hill International, with Omrania & Associates and Gensler & Associates acting as the project consultants, and will have a total built-up area of 1.6 million sq. metres. With aims to protect the structure from the elements and natural wear and tear, Jotun recommended its ’Fenomastic’ range for the structure’s interiors and ‘Jotashield’ for the exteriors, with solvent-free ‘Jotafloor’ coatings to be used for the floors.

“The ‘King Abdullah Financial District’ project stands to be one of our biggest achievements in terms of decorative projects we have undertaken in Riyadh till date, and we are very excited to complete this enormous task using our specially-formulated paints and coatings,” said Kjell Gundersen, Managing Director, Jotun Saudia. “Given the important role it will play in further strengthening the Kingdom’s position as the Middle East’s financial capital, we are committed to ensuring that the paint solutions we will deliver will provide maximum protection for this important icon of the Kingdom’s economic dominance.” 

Upon its completion, KAFD will house the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Stock Exchange (Tadawul), as well as financial institutions and other service providers such as accountants, auditors, lawyers, analysts, rating agencies, consultants, and IT providers. In addition, the project will also accommodate a financial academy for 5,000 students, offices, hotels, shops, recreational facilities, waterways, squares, parks, sports arenas, restaurants and six mosques including. A monorail system will serve as the main means of transportation within the development, while skywalks bridges will connect all 30 buildings within the financial district.