Norwegian company to invest Shs250m in Kenya

Posted on : Friday , 23rd January 2015

 Norwegian paint maker, Jotun, has announced a Shs250million investment in Kenya as it strives to increase its market presence and grow its business in the country and East Africa region.

The funds are already being invested in setting up regional offices in Nairobi, a warehouse and recruiting and development of its workforce. The paint makers is also currently employing staff in sales, marketing, financial control and supply chain.

The office, which is already operational, is there to support the company’s business in Kenya, Uganda (shortly) and Tanzania with the company looking to grow its business in emerging markets.

Speaking during the office opening, Jotun Kenya Country Manager, East Africa Region Ashish Vasudev said the company is in the process of strengthening its distribution network by recruiting more dealers to support their business in the region.

“We look at Kenya as a very attractive paint market, where high growth is expected. The fast growing economic development in country and high level of education gives us the confidence that Kenya will continue to grow in the future. We will continue to work and grow our dealership, distributors and customers. A direct presence ensures better customer service, and accurate guidance on application of our products,” he said.

The company’s operation in Kenya started through an agent in 1995 and seeing the immense potential in the region, Jotun is now established as a legal entity and plans to set up a paint factory in Kenya within the next three years and using it to export to other countries in East Africa.

In the meantime, the company will continue importing the paints from its factories in Egypt and Dubai and will initially focus on protective coating and decorative paints. The protective coating and decorative paints give better products and systems for exterior protection of buildings and corrosion protection of infrastructure projects.

Jotun also plans to introduce into the local market new products within the year for instance marine and powder coatings. “We will work together with quality dealers to develop the market,” Vasudev said.

And with the stiff competition in the market, Vasudev said the company will be focusing on Jotun strengths of producing unique products and concepts.

“We are for instance the world leader in tinting system for paint shops. Furthermore we will develop the unique culture of “Penguins spirit”. We are here to grow the overall market by offering customers world class quality products.”

Jotun is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing paint companies and is now present in over 80 countries around the world.