Brazil. The paint manufacturer, Jotun, announced the opening of a new marine protection coatings factory located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The new facility is the company's first in South America, and will have an annual production capacity of 10 million liters.
The factory is built on a plot of 130,000 square meters of land, with a total investment of more than 100 million Brazilian reais (about US$25 million).
According to Jotun Brazil CEO Ferran Bueno, the new factory will support the company's ambitions to become one of the market leaders in marine protective coatings in Brazil. "Despite today's troubled economy, Brazil represents an important growth opportunity for Jotun and a gateway to the region," he says. "Jotun is a relatively small player in some areas, but we have a long-term perspective and expect that our ability to produce locally will help us double our market share in selected industrial segments."
The opening ceremony was attended by the Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon, who officially opened the factory. Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Monica Mæland and local representatives from the State of Rio de Janeiro and the city of Itaborai were also present.
Jotun began supplying marine coatings to trading vessels in the region in 1998, and in 2008 began offering protective coatings to offshore facilities, renewable energy projects, and a wide range of industrial and civil infrastructure projects. Today, the company offers a wide range of advanced coatings designed to meet the challenges of users.
