An initiative by Harris Paints is giving Vincentians a wider range of colours for painting.
Persons buying paint have as many as 6,000 colours to choose.
Last Tuesday evening at a cocktail reception held at the Haddon Hotel attended by guests comprising of interior designers, architects, contractors and journalists, Harris Paints Barbados (2003) Limited officially launched the Harris Colour Centre and Choices Card.{{more}}
Brenda Foster, regional marketing manager for Harris Paints, spoke of the genesis of Harris Paints. She reflected to 1972 when Harris Paints opened its doors in Barbados. Key businessmen in the hardware sector saw the need to have local products in the market place.
She stated the response from the public was overwhelming and that led to expansion in the region. But since 1994, it has not been business as usual, she added. “The world has been changing and with it has come the opening of all the local markets to extra regional companies.”
Faced with a dilemma, Foster said, Harris Paints as a comparatively small fish and realising it could not compete with the sharks, formed alliances. In 2000, Harris began distributing products from Cuprinol in the United Kingdom that complemented its own products, and when Cuprinol was acquired by ICI, one of the world leaders in paint, Harris began negotiations with the parent company. Two years later it formed a technical alliance with ICI, one of the largest companies in decorative paints worldwide.
This alliance, said Foster, gave Harris access to the most advanced technological tinting process available and the Harris Colour Centre was born in Barbados to replace the obsolete Colour Creations tinting system. Harris distributes Cuprinol, Dulux Trade, Hammerite, Polycell and Devoe Industrial Coatings on behalf of ICI.
Michael Carter, Harris Paints export manager, said some of the new products that will be on the market are: Five Star Wood Treatment, Teak Oil, Deeking Oil, Deeking Stain, Premier Five Woodstain, Classic Select Woodstain, Diamond Glaze, Aquacrylic Gripper Primer, Satin Finish Exterior, Flat Finish Exterior and Matte Finish Interior.
On Wednesday, Harris Paints introduced a promotion to the Vincentian market which will give Harris customers a chance to win a Toyota Sprinter. The draw is expected to take place in October.
State Minister in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Senator Glen Beache said he looked forward to the new products. “Our Ministry is always in need of paint,” he added.
Beache said his Ministry anticipated high quality paint on the shelves.