Hempel Paints, the world's largest privately owned paint group and one of the top players in the marine industrial and domestic paints sector, has emerged with what it feels is a clear winner as it prepares to meet demand following the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) ban on tin-based anti-fouling coatings.

"Hempel Globic Series will definitely be a major contender as the next-generation of effective TBT-free antifouling in the market judging by its performance thus far," the company says.

"Hemel's Globic antifoulings are different from all existing TBT-free antifouling technologies as it has incorporated its patented fibre-based technology into the product.

"This gives it its unmatched mechanical strength and very uniform polishing. The result: fouling-free sailing with no future re-coating problems."

Under regulations announced by the IMO, there will be no sales of tin-based antifouling by 2003 and no ships will be sailing with that kind of coat by 2008.

Tin-free antifoulings have been used by yachts in Europe for the last 10 years.

"Many companies have proceeded to develop tin-free antifouling and many that were devised have not worked," said Hempel Paints Bahrain general manager Jens Borgen-Nielsen.

"Hempel's new Globic antifouling has been developed over the last four years and is considered by most people in the shipping industry to be the most advanced tin-free coating of its kind. It is a very powerful medium."

The new coating was developed at Hempel's R & D facility in Copenhagen and tested in Singapore, Spain, the US and Australia.

"The Hempel Globic Series is based on high-quality synthetic resins which are far more superior to natural resins in terms of exudation sensitivity and mechanical strength," said the company.

"They are also based on an award-winning biocide which has a half-life of less than one hour which means there is a far less bioaccumulation of biocides in the environment."

Another feature of the Globic antifoulings is its high-volume solids of 60 per cent, which the company says is unmatched in the present market place and would translate into substantial cost savings for the customers.

LMS Shipmanagement Singapore recently had two 30,000grt special-purpose vessels, M/V Bali Sea and M/V Banda Sea, painted with Hempel's Globic antifouling technology for a protection period of 60 months in Singapore. Hempel provided guarantees for the same period to LMS Shipmanagement.

According to Hempel, some 500 vessels worldwide have been coated with its Globic antifouling patented fibre technology including more than 60 vessels opting for a five-year system. The company said the new product performed well because of its "controlled polishing rate, optimum release of powerful antifouling agents, efficient self-smoothing and excellent mechanical properties".

It added that Globic's controlled leached layer meant subsequent applications only needed high-pressure fresh-water hosing. There was no need for a sealer coat.

While Hempel Paints now caters to various industries, it was in the marine sector that the company first made its mark.

The founder, JC Hempel, watched boat builders in Denmark mixing their own paints with varying results and stumbled on the idea he could come up with a suitable standard coating material. He formulated a ready-made marine paint that soon became popular. By 1917 the company was firmly into the manufacture of marine paints and some 20 years later it transformed itself into an international organisation with seven factories and 27 agents handling its products on a global scale. At the turn of the century, the group had grown to 23 factories and 150 stock centres worldwide.

Hempel is also now a major player in industrial coatings and domestic paints.

In the Gulf, Hempel's Dubai factory would likely be the first to start making the Globic series, as marine paints constitute an important segment of its business. The UAE has shipyards and offshore buildings that would require marine paints. As regards production of Globic at the Bahrain plant, Borgen-Nielsen said: "We can start here anytime but it requires new raw materials. We'll start sometime next year. "There have been no requests as yet for this new product. That is because shipping lines still have time to comply with the new regulation and, as the new product is slightly more expensive than existing tin-based antifouling, they feel there is no need to be in a hurry. Most ships using Globic are newbuildigs.

Hempel has five factories in the Gulf - Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar - and prides itself in marketing paints that are uniform throughout the world. This practice stems from its reputation going back to the earliest days as a top marine paints maker and supplier. When ships visited distant ports on the globe they would expect the same coating they had applied in their home ports.

In the Gulf region, Hempel's output totals some 30,000 tonnes per year in a range of more than 200 products. The Bahrain factory produces some three million litres of various coatings, some 50 of them for use in the marine sector. Its sale to Arabian Ship Repair Yard (Asry) is a very important part of its turnover.

According to Borgen-Nielsen, marine and industrial paints account for half the turnover, domestic paints making up the remainder. The 2000 production was an improvement over the 2.8 million litres realised in 1999. Borgen-Nielsen expects this year's performance to surpass last year's by some 20 per cent on the basis of the momentum already witnessed in the domestic, industrial and other sectors.

More than 50 per cent of Hempel Bahrain's shareholding is with Bahraini individuals and companies including Intercol, which has one of the major stakes. The rest of the shareholding is with Kuwaiti and Danish interests.

An advantage of specialising in marine paints is that some of them prove very good for general industry because of their strength and durability and the protection they offer. The Bahrain factory only moved in fully to its current premises from a nearby site last year, the relocation taking place over three years. The office and factory overlook well-maintained lawns in the Mina Sulman industrial area. Environmental considerations have not been overlooked in the production area, and the factory has equipment to prevent harmful dust from mingling in the atmosphere. There is also a waste recycling unit.

An important accompaniment to the business is the well laid-out showroom where professional guidance is offered in colour designs and paint selection.

"Our people are well trained. Most of our staff has been with us 15 to 20 years," says Borgen-Nielsen. He himself has been with the Bahrain plant for 28 years.

Three senior officials having the Norwegian Frosio-certification have been serving the company for a substantial length of time - technical manager Gordon Bailey, 26 years, marine co-ordinator Oliver Devlin, 20 years and industrial co-ordinator Nigel Preece, 19 years.

"We have a high market share in Bahrain. There are many paints in the Bahrain market in the lower ranges, quality-wise. If you consider the high-quality category, we have a very high share," says Borgen-Nielsen. "The simple secret is that a good paint job is the result of correct preparation followed by the application of a top-quality product. All those who attend the course receive a special certificate endorsed by the Institute of Corrosion of the UK. Hempel's squeaky-clean working environment suggests a stress on quality, while the company's philosophy is best reflected in its research and development activities. In addition to the main R&D centre in Cophenhagen, there are research centres in Barcelona and Singapore.

The company has extensive spare space, which it expects to use for a contemplated expansion that will double capacity to some six million litres. The additional capacity will be mainly for domestic and industrial paints production.