Asian Paints Berger, one of the fastest growing companies in the Gulf region, is looking forward to a spike in its sales following the launch of a new emulsion paint ‘Royale Smart Clean’ in Bahrain, last month.

The company unveiled the latest product at a glittering event which was attended by its network of dealers across the kingdom.

The premium interior emulsion, designed specifically for easy stain removal, has been positioned as `a helping hand’ to Moms, who the company believes is fast emerging as the key decision maker in the GCC families and hence the right audience to connect.

“As one of the largest coating companies in the world, we are constantly studying the market and identifying what products will strike a chord with the consumers,” stated Amit Bose, general manager of Asian Paints Berger Bahrain.

“Smart Clean is one such product that has a beautiful finish which can be maintained with minimum effort. It is a tribute to super moms who work round the clock to provide the best to their family,” he added.

The product is recommended for areas that are most prone to stains such as kids’ rooms, living room, dining rooms, kitchens and corridors. 

While admitting that the market situation is not so encouraging, Bose said that the company believes it’s the right time to launch a new product and a campaign to stir some action in a dull and stagnant market.

According to Bose, the company just managed a growth of 3 to 4 per cent in its retail sales in 2019 and is now hoping to get a boost in the New Year 2020.

“We are waiting and watching. With projects like Bapco modernisation in the works, we are hoping to get some boost in our business soon,” said Bose while talking to Gulf Industry on the sidelines of the launch.

Bose lamented that the sales have been affected mainly because of `no major projects’ in the pipeline. “The VAT effect since January 2019 has also had its impact on lukewarm sales,” he said. The company, he said, is looking forward to new project announcements, particularly in the housing and hotels segment.

Meanwhile, the company is looking at expanding its retail presence by adding some more Asian Paints Décor Lounges. It currently has its products being sold through over 90 retail outlets and 20 Asian Paints Décor Lounges.

According to Jayashankar Nair, manager sales & marketing, Royale Smart Clean is created with Lumino Tech that imparts walls with the brightest colours, total opacity and a smooth silk finish. On coming in contact with water, the paint does not allow water to penetrate or spot; instead the water ‘beads’ on the surface.

The environment-friendly paint also has the exceptional ability to ‘stretch’ so that hairline fractures remain covered. Smart Clean is also highly washable keeping the painted walls pristine for a longer duration and reducing the number of repaints.

“Most people are house-proud, but the responsibility to maintain that often falls on the woman of the house who may be working or balancing multitude chores. One of the common issues across most homes is to keep the walls clean, especially if there are children or pets. Scrawling on the walls, dirt and foot marks, ink stains and food stains are the typical culprits. Royale Smart Clean has been conceived as a tribute to the multi-tasking Super Mom as well as the children, so as not to hinder their creativity,” Nair said.

To support the launch, the company is providing Demo kits in all Asian Paints Décor Lounges for customers to try out the new paint. Each kit will have two sample boards painted with Royale Smart Clean and a mini selection of crayons, pencils, ink and ketchup that can be used to scribble and mess up the board. The kit also includes a sponge and common household cleaning agent to testify how easy it is to wipe the entire mess with just a swipe. Smart Clean has over 1650 shades to choose from and is available in three packs of 1 litre, 3.6 litres and 18 litres.

Over the years, the company has consistently innovated its product and service offerings by introducing definitive products such as Royale, Weathercoat, Royale Play, Tuff and Select gaining mind share amongst all its stakeholders.

Asian Paints Berger has its manufacturing facilities in Bahrain, Oman and the UAE.  It is part of the Asian Paints Group which operates in 16 countries across Asia, Middle East, Africa and the South Pacific Islands,

The annual production output at Berger Paints Bahrain, which started its operations in the kingdom in 1981, is 12,000 kilo litres, according to Bose.

With its established presence in retail markets, strong B2B products and solutions portfolio, the company has been at the forefront of the coatings industry in Bahrain, it added.