Nukote Coating Systems, a manufacturer of advanced polymer coatings, several of which have marine aplications, has announced plans to set up production facilities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and at the Hamriyah Free Zone in the UAE.

The US-based company is also moving its international operations headquarters from Shanghai to Dubai and will be opening a limited liability company in Dubai later this year.
The company’s marine coatings are used on naval and commercial vessels, piers, offshore platforms and other marine structures.
According to Michael Osborne, president and CEO of Nukote Coating Systems International, “Nukote polymers are ideal for marine applications due to their ability to maintain physical characteristics in extended ultraviolet and salt water exposure. The products are also resistant to marine-borers.”
Nukote polymers are not sensitive to temperature or humidity and can be applied in a broader range of weather conditions when compared with other traditional marine coatings, for example it can be applied in humidity, he says.  “This is important in commercial dry docks where schedules are tight and a critical concern of both the dry dock operators and vessel owners. This is also a critical factor in offshore structure applications where humidity restrictions prohibit traditional coating applications extensively increasing application costs due to the time required to apply the older coating technologies.
“When marine coatings fail, rust and corrosion begin immediately and repairs at sea are difficult if not impossible. Nukote polymers are designed to withstand the rigours of both commercial and military marine use where vessels are away from ports for months or even years at a time,” he says.
Other applications include new pier and wharf projects (where the pilings are coated prior to installation) and pier and wharf restoration projects (where applications are performed in-situ).
In addition to the benefits provided by the physical properties of Nukote polymers, NCS and its affiliates can set up coating facilities at the project site reducing excessive transportation costs. Pilings coated with Nukote polymers can be put into service within hours of coating and are virtually damage-proof during installation. The installed pilings are easily capped with the same polymer, producing a seamless coating to protect the piling well-beyond the expected life of other coating options. In retrofit applications the extremely fast cure times allow for application in the splash zone during the tidal shifts. For port restoration projects, Nukote says its polymers are an ideal choice.
Nukote polymers can even be applied in Zone 1 application conditions that exist on offshore platforms, allowing owners and operators to take advantage of Nukote polymers’ physical properties. The company’s products are designed to meet the demanding requirements unique to these applications. Downtimes in these facilities are either limited or not an option, so the exceptional turnaround times provided with Nukote polymers fit the conditions that exist in these and many similar multinational applications and operations.
Other marine applications include protecting equipment operated in marine environments and coating of pontoons, docks, fenders, buoys, vessel hulls, vessel decks and vessel ballast tanks. 
Nukote, also a distributor for polymer-specific application equipment and related products, set up in the Middle East in 2004 and currently has agents in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen and Oman. The company has benefited from working in emerging countries due to the ongoing development and infrastructure work.
Last year the company’s global turnover was $65 million with the Middle East accounting for 21.5 per cent. Over the past five years, Nukote has been growing at the rate of 65 per cent year-on-year.
“Success in the ME region has prompted us to move our international headquarters to Dubai and set up manufacturing plants in Dammam and Hamriyah,” says Osborne.
Additionally the company is setting up a plant in India. The ME plants will be operational mid-2007 and each boasts a capacity of 90,000 tonnes per year “The new plants demonstrate our commitment to this region. Having a local plant cuts down delivery lead time,” said Osborne.
The company’s focus in this region is mainly the oil and gas sector. “Within the segment we target major oil companies, refineries, pipelines and tank farms,” he said adding that the company had been involved with many projects including refineries, storage facilities, pipelines and offshore facilities.”
It has also been involved with infrastructure and has done projects including bridges, tunnels, wastewater treatment and potable water facilities.
Commenting on the product range he says, “We provide high-performance polymer coatings manufactured by utilising the latest elastomer and ceramic technologies.”
Nukote products are designed for a variety of application types including anticorrosion, anti-erosion, waterproofing and primary and secondary containment. They include manufacturing, industrial and architectural coatings. The company’s products are widely used in pipelines, tank farms, infrastructure, transportation, manufacturing and civil construction projects. 
“We are specialists in the containment of hazardous chemicals and wastes or byproducts from petrochemical, wastewater, asbestos and even nuclear industries and have been working in these specific environmental project applications for more than 10 years.”
The company also offers an insurance cover to customers. The warranties extend to 25 years with an insurance cover on both the product specified and its application. “Our products are applied by companies certified by us and the installation standards are written and supervised by our technical experts,” says Osborne.
“We believe that the product offered for sale should be backed up by its manufacturer. The application of the product is as critical as the product itself and so we warrant both supply and apply.  Provision of this kind of warranties makes the manufacturer liable for both supply and application. It also protects the customer and affirms our quality and credibility in the market,” he adds.