At a time when the National Paints Factories Company Ltd prepares to open the largest paint factory in the Middle East, in Sharjah in the UAE, 'Shell in the Middle East' talks to Managing Director Mr Saleem Sayegh about the growth of the company and a new contract for Shell. Shell has been the company's main supplier of solvents and epoxies from the very beginning, over 30 years ago….

"My brothers and I started the National Paints Factories Company Ltd in Amman, Jordan, in 1969," says Mr Saleem Sayegh, who is Managing Director of the company and based in Sharjah in the UAE.

"We began with a small paint factory but soon grew into a larger operation and, in 1973, we moved to a new production unit in Amman, producing many different types of paints.

"In 1974, we signed an agreement with Dyruob, a Danish paint company, to produce their products under our licence in Jordan. This partnership not only enabled us to produce more paints and sell Dyruob products, but to reap the benefits of technology transfer and know-how.

"Due to the growth in regional demand and the increase in size of the market for paint and associated products in the GCC, we opened a second factory in Sharjah in the UAE in 1977, and a third in Qatar in 1980. In 1988, we moved into a much bigger, more modern complex in Amman with an improved production line to increase our productivity and to produce a wider variety of products.

"All three paint factories manufacture a full range of domestic and industrial paints, industrial protective coatings, automobile paints and furniture finishes. We also manufacture marine paint in the UAE under licence from Transocean, a Dutch company.

"All three National Paints factories now have ISO 9002 accreditation, and we will be seeking ISO 9001 and 14000 accreditation for the future. In 1999 the UAE company alone produced some 85,000 tonnes of paint, coatings and finishes. The total production of our three factories in 1999 added up to 170,000 metric tonnes, and we expect this figure to total 200,000 tonnes for the year 2000," says Mr Saleem.

"Both the National Paint factories in Amman and Qatar are being modernised, and in March 2000 we will open a new state-of-the art, computerised factory in Sharjah on a plot of 85,000 square metres.

"It will be the largest paint factory in the Middle East with a production capacity of 120,000 metric tonnes per annum for paint alone. There will be a separate plant for the production of Alkyd resins on the same site, with a production capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes per annum. Alkyd resins are used as a raw material in the production of paint. Our production capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes per annum will satisfy our requirements, and we will be able to sell the surplus on the open market. Within the new factory there will also be a plant to make powder coatings for the aluminium and steel fabrication industry.

"Shell have been our major supplier of solvents and epoxies from the very beginning, when we purchased supplies from their Beirut office, then later the Amman office, and finally now from Shell's UAE office," explains Mr Saleem.

"The service back-up from Shell continues to be strong and Shell representatives pay regular visits to our factories to discuss any technical problems we may have and to help us find solutions..."

"The service we have received from Shell has been consistently good throughout our 30 year relationship. The quality of Shell's products has been of the highest standard, with reasonable prices. The service back-up from Shell continues to be strong and Shell representatives pay regular visits to our factories to discuss any technical problems we may have and to help us find solutions.

"So, all in all," concludes Mr Saleem, "it comes as no surprise to say that we have just signed a new contract with Shell to supply solvents and epoxies for our new plant in the United Arab Emirates, and we look forward to growing our relationship with Shell in the New Year…"