by Curlan Campbell
- Facility at Frequente, Grand Anse undergoing refurbishment
- Sissons able to meet target exports while refurbishments ongoing
- Colour range specifically designed for Caribbean palate
Sissons Paints Grenada Limited, a subsidiary of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies, has begun refurbishment and expansion of their facility to accommodate the manufacturing of Berger Paints, ANSA McAL’s premium line of interior and exterior paints.
This forms part of the company’s new charted path towards innovation and sustainability.
Since August 2022, Sissons Paints Grenada Limited have taken over the manufacturing of Berger Paints, which were previously manufactured out of Barbados and exported to the OECS. As a result, their facility at Frequente, Grand Anse, is currently undergoing refurbishment to accommodate the increase in production and exports of Berger Paints to OECS markets, which are expected to more than double.
“We are expanding our production floor to make space for that. We have already started manufacturing Berger Paints in August, and our first exports went out in October. We are also enhancing our retail area to make it customer friendly, and by January 2023 we will launch what is our Colour Shop by Sissons… Jonas Browne and Hubbard Building Supplies in Grand Anse was the first to get a Colour Shop display unit, and come January, our facility here at Frequente will also have one,” Regional Sales Manager Reyan Neckles explained.
Neckles also indicated that so far, Sissons were able to meet their target exports, while refurbishments are still ongoing. “We met the target for exports and we were able to do that without our warehouse expansion being completed, which was a challenge. The warehouse expansion should be completed by mid-December 2022, so we will be ready by January.”
Colour/Product Consultant Roger Brathwaite also announced the company’s launch of its newest innovative paint product, Weather Guard Pro, an enhanced paint option for both interior and exterior surfaces which offers superior weather protection.
In addition, as part of Sissons Paints’ new transformation to better serve its customers, is the use of Innovatint Paint Tinting Software — their new colour technology solutions which began roll-out in March 2022. The newly designed Innovatint user interface allows greater efficiency in tinting operation and opens up a wider range of colour choices for customers.
“The system allows us to do a lot more for our customers. For example, it allows us to save customer data, so you can recall it easily, and it is an automated system, so wherever you go, you will get the same level of consistency,” Braithwaite said.
He added that this new software system drives their tint machines and has allowed their colour range to expand from 1,000 to over 2,000 unique colours, “specifically designed for the Caribbean palette. This is the new colour system we called our colour library.”
Brathwaite said people’s colour trends have become more sophisticated, with colours reflecting the need for comfort and serenity while also allowing for vibrant accents to make living spaces more cheerful. The global pandemic, he said, influenced this trend in paint colours.
“Colour choices have changed vastly over the years, and I think television channels like HGTV have driven a lot of that. People’s taste as it relates to colours has become more sophisticated. People are no longer asking for white interiors, but are going for bolder colours. What is trending now is people are moving towards earth-tone colours on their exteriors, and I think what Covid-19 did was to make people want to beautify their homes more because many people were stuck at home for a very long time, and then people started to look at their surroundings,” Braithwaite explained.
Sissons Paints have also reformulated and relaunched its textured paint Texcote, after consumer feedback through market surveys. The company reformulated Texcote, which is now easier to apply with a faster drying time while maintaining its durability and fantastic appearance. Customers also continue to benefit from one price for any grade or colour of Texcote.
In November, Sissons Paints rolled out its Christmas promotions, giving customers 10% off the purchase of any size of Weather Guard Pro until 23 December 2022. In addition, customers who spend over $300 can win cash and prizes, including getting a room painted for free!
