June 2013
5
DuPont Chemicals Brand Licensing Representative in Europe, Middle East and Africa Johan Van Den Hemel signs the partnership agreement
with Crown Paints CEO, Mr. Rakesh Rao at the launch of Crown Permacote with Teflon
®
surface protector.
Trending the Market
How often do you have to re-paint the
walls in your house or office owing to dirt
or stains? Woe unto you if the painter did a
shoddy job or used paint that gets dirty at
the slightest touch or murram dust from
even the slightest breeze. Property owners
can now smile as maintenance costs will
come down following the introduction of
Teflon
®
surface protection coating solution
that makes walls easier to clean while
making them dirt and stain resistant. This
new product is a partnership between
Crown Paints Kenya and US-based
DuPont Chemicals. The move brings this
innovative product ideal for hiding surface
imperfections and enhancing wall wash
ability into the Kenyan market.
What is Teflon?
Teflon
®
is the trademarked name for the
chemical Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE);
a chemical that makes things “non-stick”
and is therefore suitable for cookware
as well as fabrics and pipes. PTFE is
exclusively a product of DuPont Chemicals,
a global science-based products and
service conglomerate. In partnership
with Crown Paints, Kenya’s leading paint
maker, DuPont offers Kenyan paint users
access to a quality product from an
internationally acclaimed brand. Crown
Paints is the first company in Africa to
use Teflon
®
in paint. The benefits of using
Teflon
®
surface protector include surfaces
that are easy to clean and are dirt and
stain resistant. It is available in over 3000
shades. “Crown Paints is the first to bring
Teflon
®
surface protector to paint buyers in
Africa which reinforces our commitment to
innovation, quality products and customer
satisfaction,” says Crown Paints CEO,
Rakesh Rao.
At no extra cost
Being a superior matt emulsion, Crown
Paints was expected to charge customers
an extra 12.5 per cent over the normal price
of this kind of paint. But the company has
instead chosen to focus on giving consumers
quality at the same price considering the
benefits that come with using Teflon
®
surface
protector.
“We didn’t see the need to penalize our
customers with a higher price. As a company
committed to giving our customers superior
quality, we have had to shoulder the
additional Ksh 70million used to acquire the
Teflon additive and retain the normal price
of Matt Emulsion. This is double benefit for
our customers,” says Crown Paints Chief
Marketing Officer, John Hadley. Currently,
the expected lifespan of a normal wall and
surface paint job is 3-4 years.
However, with Teflon
®
surface protector,
this is extended to six years, constituting
a huge saving to property owners and
the economy at large. Paint sales in
Kenya currently stands at five million
litres a month. Recognized as a leader in
architectural coatings, Crown Paints has
successfully advanced the regional paint
manufacturing standards. It has introduced
leading brands such as Sandtex and Ruff
n Tuff for exterior surfaces. Crown Matt
Emulsion with Teflon
®
surface protector
combines physical and chemical features
to provide consumers with the ultimate
decorative finish while also meeting
regulatory requirements.
Teflon is zero-rated for volatile organic
compounds (VOC). Globally, its proven
efficacy and safety assures exclusive
performance. According to Mr. Rao, Teflon
®
Surface Protector is the most successful
product in the company’s product portfolio.
Crown Paints sells over 18 million litres of
paint per year. The Crown Matt Emulsion
launched three decades ago is reputedly
Kenya’s leading interior paint across all
decorative segments and was available in
over 3,000 shades.
Crown Permacote with Teflon®
surface protector
- A real cash-saver
for building owners
