Sigma Coatings, possessing a range of marine products in its repertoire, has managed to gain prominent shipping lines as customers. Sigma is already one of the top five paint manufacturers worldwide with a vast network of supply and service centres in all major ports.

"Our main goal is to achieve full customer satisfaction in all aspects - product quality, technical advice, service, availability, reliability and inspection," says Sigma Saudi Arabia marketing manager Fred Aalbers.

"Due to the network of supply centres in all major ports of the world, Sigma is able to supply almost anywhere in the world to meet customers' requirements of short docking times and short-notice maintenance paints."

Sigma's product range for the marine market includes drydocking paints, maintenance paints (sea stock supplies), tank coatings and newbuilding paints.

"Many large ship owners worldwide have recognised the value of having a reliable partnership with Sigma," says Aalbers.

He named some of them as Blinder, Worldwide Tankers, Papachristides, Stena, P & O, ITM, UASC, Docenave, SCI, Acomarit, Frontline, NITC, IRISL, Princess Lines and Shell Tankers.

He says Sigma prefers tailor-made products to meet customers' needs in protection (durability), easy application, surface preparation and maintenance, adding that they are at the same time economical.

Explaining the significance of Sigma products, he observes: "For tank coatings, Sigma has a worldwide reputation that is second to none and is considered as one of the market leaders.

"Our systems vary from specialised tank coatings for product/chemical tankers to specialised ballast tank coatings, and our famous Sigmaguard CSF (a cold solvent-free epoxy coating) is the solution for part or complete tank-bottoms refurbishments in single- and lately in double-hull oil tankers.

"For newbuildings, Sigma is supplier to several reputed yards all over the world including Hitachi/Sozen, Mitsubishi, Hyundai Mipo, HHI, Samsung, Kvaerner, Gdynia, Gdansk and Fricantieri.

"The latest technology for tin-free anti-foulings, the Sigma Alphagen series, has begun to be widely used by large ship owners and managers worldwide following IMO directives."

The Dubai Sigma Paints Company is a licensee of Sigma Coatings Holland. The Sigma head office and factory for the Gulf area is based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.