December 2013
15
Designer coatings hit Kenyan market
Latest trends in the construction industry show developers are paying more attention to the
quality of their living and work spaces. For this reason, Crown Paints launched three new classy
products in August targeting the style-conscious home property developer and home owner.
The products comprise of metallic and wood finishes designed to convey a trendy aesthetic
appeal to interior spaces. These are Crown Metallica, a metallic finish comprising gold and silver
hues, a water-based varnish paint called Crown Aquavar and Crown Gyplast, Kenya’s first locally
manufactured gypsum plaster best used on ceilings and partitions. The launch comes as Crown
move to tighten its hold in the premium segment of the construction industry.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya David Gaitho
emphasized the need for quality improvement in the construction sector. “I urge all players in the
construction sector to work towards making safety and quality our number one priority.”
Crown to launch showroom in Mombasa
A state-of-the-art showroom will be launched in Mombasa in late January
showcasing innovative coating and finishes available from Crown Paints.
Consumers will be in a position to interact with Crown’s interior design experts and
gain useful insights such as how to spruce up their work and living spaces.
This is the third showroom the firm is opening after launching similar ones in
Nairobi at Westlands and Lavington. There are also plans to open additional Crown
showrooms in other major towns like Nakuru, Kisumu, Nyeri and Malindi.
Tree planting initiative takes root
Non-profit international organization BAPS Charities held a tree planting exercise in
the Kereita Forest, Kiambu County. The event took place on November 17 and was
sponsored by Crown Paints whose employees also took part in planting trees.
The sponsorship is part of Crown’s continued focus on environmental protection.
Besides supporting tree planting initiatives, the company has also shifted focus to
water-based paints which have low environmental impact. According to a recent
report by UNEP, deforestation cost the country Kshs.5.8 billion shillings in 2010.
Architects’ rendezvous at Sankara
Crown Paints hosted architects to a memorable dinner at the Sankara Hotel on August
2. As the wine flowed and guests sampled the sumptuous buffet, Crown Paints senior
executives led by CEO Rakesh Rao and Chief Marketing Officer John Hadley mingled
freely and offered tips on the firm’s latest innovative products. Rao reiterated that Crown
valued its relationship with architects as critical players in the construction industry.
“We are committed to strengthening our working relationship with the architectural
fraternity in Kenya. This is one of the engagements we have lined up to cement this
partnership,” he said during the dinner. Practicing architects from leading firms attended
the dinner event.
