aleidoscope

2013
5 7 9
ITCC - Rising to tHe cHallenge SHarjaH Glass JOTUN POWDER COATINGS MIDDLE EAST MAGAZINE

10

ISSUE

REVeal Edge launcH

A time for growth and recovery

issUe 10 | Contents
1 2 5 Editor's Letter feAtUre storY - Jotun and the UAE - A Chronicle ProJect feAtUre - Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC) CUstomer FeAtUre - Sharjah Glass shoWcAse - Reveal Edge Launch - Jotun Premier League (JPL) - The Jotun Golf Day - Project list

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

7 9

Monesh Aidasani

Welcome to the 10th edition of Kaleidoscope. 2013 is off to a great start for us, with several new high profile projects on the go including Yas Mall (Abu Dhabi), Salalah Airport (Oman) and the Four Seasons Hotel (Dubai). We've also launched Reveal Edge, our new range of metallic finishes with intense sparkle and special pearlescent effects to catch the eye.

his year we've seen the slow but steady recovery of the industry, particularly in Dubai, with several old projects being resurrected and a number of prominent new projects underway. Our feature story on page 2 looks at the rise of Dubai and the journey Jotun has taken alongside the development of this magnificent city.

In this edition is a behind the scenes look at the new Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC) that is nearing completion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jotun Powder Coatings worked alongside the developers to create finishes that are climate friendly and showcase each building as a piece of art. We also spoke with Sharjah Glass (page 7) and gained insight into how the company has grown over the years, with clients now stretching throughout the Emirates. Earlier this year, Jotun Paints and Jotun Powder Coatings hosted the annual Jotun Golf Day at the Emirates Golf Course. A highlight on everyone's calendar, the day was a huge success and brought customers from throughout the industry together. Read more about the event on page 10 and find out who won this year's trophy. With so much growth happening in the Region, we're excited to see what the remainder of 2013 brings. Email us at kaleidoscope@ jotun.com and let us know your comments, views and news.

"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle." - Napoleon Hill, American author

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featUre Story

| GROWTH

A chronicle
Jotun and the UAE

Dubai Marina Skyline

otun is a name synonymous with paint products in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today; however its growth did not happen overnight. The Company's history in the Emirate is as old as the country itself and Jotun is extremely proud to have prospered along with the UAE.

brought together Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah, Ajman and a year later Ras Al Khaimah to form the United Arab Emirates.

Jotun Powder Coatings's association with the UAE began in 1970, just before the UAE was formed, when it first started importing powder from Norway and Thailand to the then fledgling nation.
The region that is the UAE has a history stretching back to nearly 5,500 BC, when it was the route used by early man to move out of Africa into Asia. Through the centuries that followed, it thrived as a trading point between continents, till the British brought the individual emirates together under their protection as 'The Trucial states'. Following their withdrawal in 1968, His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan called for a federation in 1971 that

Jotun Powder Coatings UAE, Manufacturing Plant, Al Quoz, Dubai 2

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The UAE has not looked back since, forging a distinct identity for itself under a common banner to emerge as a bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa. In 1974, one of the first big steps to strengthen the economy was made when the UAE merged the oil departments of the various Emirates under the UAE Petroleum Ministry. Thereafter, the young country made its presence felt in the global political arena with a string of important decisions and associations over the next few years. In 1981 the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC was formed bringing together the states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In one swift move, the entire region became a force to be reckoned with as the GCC initiated a host of joint venture projects in a variety of fields.

architectural marvels like Dubai Airport, Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Ferrari World and the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nayhan Mosque among numerous others. Each of these structures continue to capture the world's imagination every day. Jotun has kept pace right along with this meteoric growth. In fact, Jotun Powder Coatings UAE has been associated with the country since 1970, just before the UAE was formed. At this time, Jotun started importing powder from Norway and Thailand to the then fledgling nation. From being the first powder coating supplier to the UAE, Jotun Powder Coatings UAE has grown to supply a vast range of products in various quantities for different markets and applications. From 1990, when the factory was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamadan, to now the factory has undergone many stages of expansion. These include higher productivity to more office space and now the upcoming accommodation for a greater strength of people. Not a company to sit back and enjoy its early starter advantage, Jotun has regularly introduced innovations in keeping with market demands. For example, The Super Durable technology in 1990, Cool Shades in 2009, Guard Miles in 2010 and most recently Reveal Edge in 2013. Each of these products immediately found favour in the market and changed the dynamics within the local powder industry. With its continuing focus on building customer relationships, Jotun has always gone out of its way to meet the needs of its customers. As traditional architectural styles gave way to today's glass and aluminum facades, powder coatings for architecture were introduced and they soon became the preferred choice among leading architects and designers.

Jotun Powder Coatings UAE has grown to supply a vast range of products in various quantities for different markets and applications.
The advent of the new millennium saw the UAE take the first steps towards making a strong impression on the global stage by revealing the farsighted strategy of its rulers. The new millennium saw the UAE invest heavily in infrastructure. Roads, bridges, airports, sea-ports, public transport, medical services and the hospitality industry. This was investment that transformed the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai overnight, into metropolises offering among the best standards of living available worldwide. With its visionary development, not surprising that today, both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are proud homes to iconic

Shiekh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE

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The Powder Coatings business in UAE for Jotun is a strategically important one. This is demonstrated by the recent opening of the R&D technical centre in Dubai, the first of its kind outside of Norway. It will be responsible for developing bespoke solutions for customers, especially for addressing local and regional product needs in three regions; WestEurope, East-Europe and MEIA (Middle East, India & Africa).
Moreover, Jotun Powder Coatings UAE has grown from importing powders to exporting them from the UAE. Markets now include not only the GCC, but places as far away as the Americas and Australia, and sectors such as Oil & Gas, Construction, Manufacturing and more. The future is what you make of it. Both for the UAE and Jotun, rest assured it will be glorious. Today, many iconic structures in the UAE such as the Burj Al Arab, Emirates Towers and Dubai International Airport are proudly protected by Jotun Powder Coatings. Just like the UAE has grown from a tribal society reliant on pearl diving and fishing to become a modern success story where the impossible is possible, Jotun has ambitiously grown with it. Today Jotun Powder Coatings UAE is ten times the size compared to what it was way back in 1970.

Deepak Agarwal, General Sales Manager, Jotun Powder Coatings, UAE

Dubai was severely hit by the financial downturn over the past few years and this particularly impacted the building sector, which is a big customer of powder coatings. However, business is starting to pick up again and we can certainly see that optimism is beginning to return to the emirate.

Deira Creekside, Dubai, UAE

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project featUre

| ITCC

Rising to the challenge

Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC)

An artists impression of the Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC), KSA

ITCC has been built to draw leading Information Technology Communications companies from around the world.

iyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is about to make its mark with the completion of its Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC), the Kingdom's first 'smart city'. Jotun Powder Coatings was able to assist in several key aspects, including working with architects and interested parties to develop specialised coating products.

Not only will ITCC cater for the business side of the industry, it also provides support services such as hotels, restaurants, a convention centre, residential apartments, a technical college and government service buildings".

Constructing the future

The multi-million dollar project was split into several packages, with the main one being completed by Al Rajhi Projects. Al Rajhi Projects won the tender to complete the central development of ITCC four 20-storey towers at the heart of the complex. They also built two research and development buildings, two business technology incubator buildings, a sports club and a clinic. Al Ghurair Construction was sub-contracted to complete the facades of the towers and the aim was to create visual, yet practical masterpieces.

ITCC has been built to draw leading Information Technology Communications companies from around the world. It has top-class facilities that will enable businesses to "extend their operations". Developed by Rayadah Investment Company, the investment arm of the government's Public Pensions Agency, with master planning by Zuhair Fayez Partnership, ITCC covers 776,000m. Included in the complex are administration buildings for ITC companies, technical business centres, buildings for research, training and development and software production companies.

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Construction Contracting Enterprises is looking after another package and are building a 326 room Crown Plaza hotel and a convention centre. Al Yamama Company won the final package and is constructing a $50 million residential complex complete with apartments, villas and recreational areas.

Supplying the perfect finish

Such a large scale project demands the best of finishes. Initially, master planners Zuhair Fayez Partnership specified Corro-Coat PE-SDF Super Durable for the towers' finish however Al Ghurair Construction requested a finish with an intense sparkle, as well as the ability to withstand the tough Saudi Arabia climate. Kaleidoscope sat down with Mr Abdullah Hamid, Operations Manager - Saudi from Al Ghurair Construction Aluminium, to discuss his thoughts about this new smart city about to be completed in Saudi Arabia and the requirement of aluminium finishes. Mr Abdullah Hamid admits, "We knew it would be difficult to achieve such high requirements in terms of aesthetic appeal and weathering resistance at the same time with conventional powder coating technology, but Jotun stepped up to the challenge." After many trials, a bonded metallic Super Durable powder coating was submitted for approval. The end result met the requirements of durability in the harsh Riyadh sun, and the specialised aesthetic desired. Jotun also supplied ITCC with a grey silver metallic colour for the aluminium on the four 20 storey towers, residential complex, villas and recreational areas. Such a large scale project demands the best of finishes. A finish with an intense sparkle, as well as the ability to withstand the tough Saudi Arabia climate was requested.

Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC), KSA

During the day, the sheets are equally as pleasant to view, with a golden shine coating the aluminium. The 'golden shine' presented another challenge for Jotun as originally the architect specified a PVDF finish in a bright gold colour finish. As Abdullah admits "The choice was hard to colour match in a powder coating finish however Jotun managed to solve this. A series of meetings were held between Jotun, the architects and our team at Al Ghurair Construction, with the positive outcome to use Super Durable instead of PVDF. The deciding factors were the better abrasion resistance of Super Durables, negligible VOC content and recyclability during application." The final result is a stunning golden sheen that reflects up to 60% of the solar gain. All four towers form a striking centrepiece, with the gold aluminium screens adorning the front faade the icing on the cake. All parties involved agree that the result is simply magnificent. "We are very pleased with Jotun's interest in our project and we are very confident of the performance of their products. As the faade sub-contractor, we believe our relationship with Jotun has been strengthened by meeting this project's challenges", said Mr Abdullah Hamid.

Protecting the environment

As well as bringing together social and information structures, the ITCC smart city aims to use and implement environmentally sound materials and systems. All buildings in ITCC will achieve, at a minimum, basic LEED environmental certification. A unique cladding design wraps around the four central towers in ITCC that is specially designed to reflect the sun's rays, reducing the temperature inside the building in turn saving cooling costs. About 1.4 meters from the curtain wall an aluminium sheet has been put in place covering the entire building. The sheet is perforated, allowing those inside the building to see out whilst providing privacy from the glass from outside. Diamond-shaped panels hold the aluminium sheets and are individually lit, illuminating the four towers at night. This creates changing patterns that are eyecatching and basically create art in the sky.
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We knew it would be difficult to achieve such high requirements in terms of aesthetic appeal and weathering resistance at the same time with conventional powder coating technology, but Jotun stepped up to the challenge.
Once completed, ITCC will be one of the largest projects Jotun Powder Coatings has undertaken. On the worldwide stage, ITCC is a flagship project for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and indeed for Al Ghurair Construction and Jotun.

CUSTOMER FEATURE

| SHARJAH GLAss

Growth through the years

Sharjah Glass

Yusuf Ustad, Managing Partner, Sharjah Glass, UAE

Valuing customers and staff and delivering quality products - a key to growth

ust a few years after Sharjah joined the United Arab Emirates, Sharjah Glass was born. Initially set up as a glass and fabrication business, Sharjah Glass has grown to employ over 120 people within three divisions Glass, Powder Coating and a Retail showroom. The company's history in powder coating dates back to 1991 when they decided to install a powder coating line that offered the service to customers on a case by case basis. By doing so, they avoided the delays that occurred when the job was outsourced. The decision to introduce powder coating to Sharjah Glass's repertoire was an easy one. "We studied the market and saw that there was a need for quality powder coating, plus it was commercially viable for us and made good business sense", said Yusuf Ustad, Managing Partner. "We were able to use our existing business license under the name Sharjah Glass and became one of the first coaters in the country." At the same time, Jotun started manufacturing operations in the UAE, neither company realising the future relationship that would form. Initially, Sharjah Glass set up coating for 150 metric tonnes of aluminium per month. After six months of resolving minor teething problems, the service started taking off and within a year the operation evolved to two shifts.

Over the next five years, the powder coating line grew to a point where the capacity could no longer cope with market demands. A new line capable of 300 metric tonnes per month was installed and Sharjah Glass has never looked back. With an emphasis on quality, high standards of work were expected and met. In its journey of growth they found a partner in Jotun who has been able to offer quality of product and services, which is a key factor for growth in such high paced market.

We studied the market and saw that there was a need for quality powder coating, plus it was commercially viable for us and made good business sense.

Watching the region grow

Since 1990, Sharjah Glass has seen the coating business in the region grow, slowly at first, then in leaps and bounds from 2000 onwards. The industry has managed to remain stable despite periods of instability in the area, due to geo political situations such as the Gulf War and the Syrian crisis, and the financial recession of 2008. In fact, its ability to bounce back from these downturns is outstanding.
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The benefit to Sharjah Glass is reduced lead time and timely execution of jobs. Customers are also a key to growth. "Just like our staff, we also value our customers and ensure we deliver quality products and create a positive working relationship", said Vikar. "We have had times where we have sacrificed profit for the sake of relationships as we know that as our customers grow, we too grow with them." The team at Sharjah Glass also acknowledge the difference that suppliers like Jotun have made. Yusef is quick to state, "Our suppliers such as Jotun keep us informed about the market and ensure our quality remains up to standard. We particularly appreciate the input from Jotun and have relied on their service for years."

Planning for the future

So far, 2013 is showing signs of growth. Work levels at Sharjah Glass are back to full shifts and look to be sustainable into the future. Construction activity in both Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is heightened and Sharjah Glass is feeling the positive effects of this. Looking forward, a number of new projects have been announced throughout the Emirates, plus Dubai is a candidate city for Expo 2020. Indeed, the future is looking bright for Sharjah Glass and the team are optimistic about new opportunities.

Vikar Ali Khan, Manager - Powder Coatings

The construction boom that began in the region in the 2000's brought major projects to life, creating high demand for all related industries, including powder coating. With the UAE firmly on the world map, Sharjah Glass took the opportunity to expand and shifted from catering only to customers in Sharjah, to customers throughout the Emirates.

Just like our staff, we also value our customers and ensure we deliver quality products and create a positive working relationship.

The construction boom that began in the region in the 2000's brought major projects to life, creating high demand for all related industries, including powder coating.

Recovering from the recession

The financial crisis which began in 2008 wasn't truly felt by Sharjah Glass until 2011. When the crisis hit, the company already had a number of secured projects which kept them working consistently for some time. During 2011-12, the market began to slow down and Sharjah Glass needed to adjust their practises to suit. "We've had to reduce shifts and although costs have increased, we've managed to be competitive to ensure our affordability in tough times", said Vikar Ali Khan, Manager Powder Coatings.

Key factors of growth

"People are our greatest asset", said Yusef. "We have people who joined us during our initial period and are still with us today". After 20 years or more of service, such employees form the Sharjah Glass family. This is a key factor for the successful growth experienced because the people understand the process and customers. It also results in quick turnaround of pick up, coating and overnight delivery.

Powder coating line at Sharjah Glass

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showcase

Bigger. Better. Brighter.

Reveal Edge Launch

eveal Edge is a new range specially formulated to bring distinct visual character, colour and personality into household products. It offers outstanding appearance in terms of flow and colour range, delivers high protection against scratches and excellent cleanability properties. The Reveal Edge range comprises of 20 vibrant metallic colours under four main themes that include matt and sparkle effects: Clarity, Foundry, Enliven, and Retrace. These palettes represent different moods to infuse a specific collage of emotions into a living space or products. It allows designers to tap into the deep desire for individuality amongst today's consumers and to transform what was once merely functional into an individual statement. Benefits: Outstanding appearance, consistency and reliability Longer lifetime & optimised protection for dry and wet environments Scratch resistance Superior cleanability Suits the demands of the appliances and furniture environments

NEWs FLAsH

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Hitting the green together

The Jotun Golf Day 2013

he stunning championship Emirates Golf Course was the venue for the Jotun Golf Day 2013, organised by Jotun Paints and Jotun Powder Coatings. Held on 4 April, the event is an anticipated one on everyone's calendar and was well attended by the architectural and aluminium community. This year saw participation at a high with people attending from companies across the industry, including ARUP, Godwin Austen Johnson, Schuco and Alumco. Martin Mochan from Alumco won the 2013 trophy and spoke very highly of the day. "As always, the Jotun Golf Day lived up to the expectations we all have and is not to be missed," he said. "Those of us working in construction in the UAE make sure we keep our diaries free for it, and of course, it makes the day even better when you walk away with the win!" Following the day on the green, golfers and their partners celebrated in style at an exclusive evening party. The event was a great success for all involved and we look forward to next year's challenge.

Jotun Golf Day Participants

PROJECT LIsT

Continuing to Cover the Gulf

Jotun Powder Coatings continues to supply some of the most exciting developments in the region, with our recent new projects detailed below.
Yas Mall Al Fahidi Market Salalah Airport Four Seasons Hotel Al Ahmadi Hospital Credit Libanais H/Q Abu Dhabi Dubai Oman Dubai Kuwait Lebanon Cool Shades Collection Cool Shades Collection Jotun Durasol Corro-Coat PE-SDF Super Durable Corro-Coat PE-SDF Super Durable Corro-Coat PE-SDF Super Durable

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