Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has recently secured an SR1.5 million ($400,000) contract with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement covers a three-year maintenance contract for 23 existing domestic airports in Saudi Arabia and the delivery of paint products for new airports, which are being constructed in the country as part of a $36.8 billion expansion plan that the regional aviation industry is set to undertake this year.
“After a thorough assessment of the requirements of the local airports, Jotun has proposed its Fenomastic Gold for the interior and Jotashield Thermo for the exterior of the structures.” says Dilip Tambe, project sales manager of Jotun Paints.
He adds: “Identified as the most suitable product for projects of this nature, Fenomastic Gold’s industry-leading features include antibacterial properties, anti-flame features and crack tolerance up to one millimetre, which are perfect for high-traffic areas. In line with ‘green’ initiatives, which are rapidly becoming a trend among the region’s most important sectors, the project will also benefit from the thermal insulation properties of Jotashield Thermo, which facilitates superior heat deflection, and reduces interior temperature and cooling costs.”
“With the huge boom in air travel, as evident in the 18 per cent increase in air traffic in the Middle East – which is well above the global average of 7.5 per cent – it is expected that most of the states in the GCC will expand their airports or build new ones,” Tambe adds. “We see this as a perfect opportunity for us to highlight our best-of-breed paint products and solutions, which we have designed to meet the demand and cater to the unique needs of highly specialised sectors. Our partnership with GACA is another huge undertaking that further expands our link with the regional airline industry.”
Jotun has been increasing its presence in the Saudi Arabian market, which is the midst of a construction boom that is fuelling the demand for high-quality paint solutions. With 160 major outlets currently operating across the kingdom, the manufacturer is seeking to further expand its dealer network, which markets its innovative decorative and protective products. In addition, Jotun has also laid out plans to increase the manufacturing capacity of its Jeddah and Yanbu plans, which are currently producing 50 million litres of paint per year, to satisfy the growing demand for paint in Saudi Arabia every year.
“Through our active involvement with a majority of mega projects in Saudi Arabia and the reinforcement of our dedicated sales team and paint professionals across our local branches in the country, we are aiming to entrench our presence within this rapidly growing market. Our strategy entails a structured plan to penetrate booming markets apart from the construction industry, such as the aviation sector,” states Gunnar Thoresen, managing director of Jotun Saudia Company.
Having established a strong reputation in developing highly innovative paint solutions, Jotun has pioneered a number of breakthrough products and technologies, which have been designed to adapt to extreme weather conditions, especially in the Middle East region. This includes a variety of conventional and specialised paints, which have been formulated using the latest technological innovations in paint production. As a result, the company’s range of decorative, protective, marine, floor/concrete protection and intumescent coatings has been used in a number of high-profile projects in the region.
Founded in 1926 in Norway, Jotun – one of the world’s leading paint manufacturers – established its presence in the Middle East in 1974, with Jotun UAE. Over the years, Jotun has expanded dramatically throughout the region and claims to have been the first paint manufacturer to be awarded the ISO 9001 certification. Jotun has consistently invested in state-of-the-art factories including the recently-opened plant in the Al Quoz area of Dubai, UAE – the biggest worldwide for Jotun and the Middle East.
“Jotun has been at the forefront in terms of developing products specifically suited to local conditions. Three decades of experience in the Middle East, has helped the company produce a variety of conventional and specialised coatings – each incorporating the latest technological developments while offering performance with economy – catering to the various product segments and demands of the different markets. Today, Jotun’s diverse product range includes decorative, protective, marine, floor/concrete protection and intumescent coatings, bearing a solid testament to the company’s reputation of being truly a single source solution for clients, consultants and contractors alike,” Thoresen concludes.