Sadolin Paints (Oman), which claims a market share of more than 40 per cent in Oman and has recorded export sales of RO2 million ($5.1 million) in 2001, amounting to 30 per cent of the turnover, is currently in the process of introducing a range of woodcare products to all GCC states, a senior official says.

The company manufactures decorative paints, furniture lacquers, adhesives and auto refinishes, of which furniture lacquers and woodcare products did very well in exports.

"We hope to cross RO2.5 million in exports during 2002," said deputy general manager KVN Kutty. For the production of its decorative and woodcare products, the company uses Sadolin Denmark's technology. Technology for furniture lacquers comes from Akzo Industrial Coatings, Italy, while Pidilite India supplies the expertise for adhesives.

Sadolin Oman, which has been exporting since 1989, now ships its consignments to all GCC countries and a couple of markets in South Asia.

The company appears to have its hands full and does not expect to concentrate on new markets in the near future.

"Over the past four years demand has been growing at a very low rate across the GCC," said Kutty.

Between 1989 and 1991, he recalled, exports were a "low-key affair with a handful of customers", but in subsequent years, the company got serious in developing new markets. "We worked with actual users of our products extensively to understand the requirements and develop products accordingly. It ensured pricing was competitive and quality consistent. The main problem in the early years was in respect of customising the product range to suit the requirements of the different markets and in setting up the distribution network," he said.

Sadolin Oman products are distributed in most markets through its sales offices and in places where they don't exist distributors do the work.

The company last expanded its capacity when a new state-of-the-art plant was put up at the Rusayl Industrial Estate and capacity was doubled to 15 million litres.

Over the past two years, new products have been introduced which include a range of 100 per cent acrylic emulsions under the brand name Armour, a high-quality exterior/interior emulsion (Sadomastic) and an improved version of its popular Contract Emulsion 77 (77 Plus). Also introduced were a tinting system, which gives the customer a choice of more than 16,000 shades in different products through exclusive "colour point" outlets.

Set up in 1977 by the Omzest Group and some other business houses, Sadolin Paints Oman now has two manufacturing plants in Muscat. It is the largest paint manufacturing company in Oman and the first paint company in the Middle East to earn the ISO 9000 and ISO 14,000 certifications.