Jotun (company)
Encyclopedia
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Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
s, coatings and powder coating
Powder coating
thumb|right|Aluminium extrusions being powder coatedPowder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler...
s. The group has 70 companies and 38 production facilities on all continents. In addition, Jotun has agents, branch offices and distributors in more than 80 countries. The Jotun Group has four divisions, with its head office in Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Divisions
Jotun Dekorativ is responsible for decorative paints, stainStain
A stain is a discoloration that can be clearly distinguished from the surface, material, or medium it is found upon. Stains are caused by the chemical or physical interaction of two dissimilar materials...
s and varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
deliveries to the trade and do it yourself
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
, (DIY) markets in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. This division comprises the decorative operations of Jotun A/S, Jotun Danmark A/S, Jotun Sverige AB and Scanox AS.
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
s for all markets outside Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. The responsibility includes marine and protective coating
Coating
Coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. In many cases coatings are applied to improve surface properties of the substrate, such as appearance, adhesion, wetability, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and scratch resistance...
s for markets in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
Jotun Coatings has global responsibility for marine and protective coatings. The responsibility includes decorative paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
s in local markets in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and selected markets in Asia. Jotun is No. 2 in the world in marine coatings and No. 4 in protective coatings.
Jotun Powder Coatings has global responsibility for powder coatings. The product portfolio caters to the architectural, functional and industrial market segments to protect metal surfaces from corrosion
Corrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
and add style to their aesthetic appearance. Jotun is the world's fourth largest supplier of powder coatings for the industrial surface treatment.
History
The origins of Jotun can be traced back to a paint distributor's shop, opened by Odd Gleditsch in 1920. It was a good time for the whalingWhaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
industry, and Gleditsch soon worked his way into the business of supplier to the whaling fleets in Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
, and Larvik
Larvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
.
As sales to the whaling fleet increased, Gleditsch saw the potential in manufacturing the paint as a solo trader. At Gimle, outside Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, there was an oil mill (Gimle Oljemølle A/S) which was closed due to bankruptcy – an oil mill which produced antifoulings and marine paints sold through the Gleditsch paint shop.
On 12 March 1926, Gleditsch invited shareholders to subscribe to the new company. With a share capital of NOK 60,000, Jotun Kemiske Fabrik A/S was founded, and bought the plant of Gimle Oljemølle A/S, with Odd Gleditsch as managing director. The production plant was modernised and product quality improved, all of which lead to increased sales.
Expansion
In 1962, international activities were introduced with Jotun, as a supplier of marine coatings to the Norwegian merchant fleet, establishing their first production plant outside Norway, in LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. Libya was a kingdom at the time, active in oil exploration
Oil exploration
Hydrocarbon exploration is the search by petroleum geologists and geophysicists for hydrocarbon deposits beneath the Earth's surface, such as oil and natural gas...
, and the indications were that the economy would develop fast. Odd Gleditsch junior was in the Jotun management, and on his initiative Libyan Norwegian Industrial Company - Linoco - was established.
Although Jotun's shareholding in Linoco was gradually reduced over time and eventually ceased in the mid-1980s, Linoco played an important role in the international development of Jotun, and the experience gained became the platform for Jotun's later development as a major paints manufacturer in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and South East Asia.
Alf Bjercke A/S
Head office in Oslo, a factory for unsaturated polyester outside OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and factories in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Alf Bjercke A/S was the oldest company participating in the merger. Their production went back to the 1880s - and the company's main production was paint for domestic and industrial use as well as unsaturated polyester.
Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S
Located in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, and was established in 1923. In addition to the Bergen factory, Fleischer had a production plant for alkyd
Alkyd
An alkyd is a polyester modified by the addition of fatty acids and other components. They are derived from polyols and a dicarboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride. The term alkyd is a modification of the original name "alcid", reflecting the fact that they are derived from alcohol and...
s as well as one for clear varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
es at Manger outside Bergen. Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S was particularly known for their paints for exterior timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
as well as paint systems for the fishing fleet
Fishing vessel
A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing....
.
A/S De-No-Fa Lilleborg Fabrikker
The activities in the business areas paint, varnish and synthetic resinResin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
s were separated from their other business areas and merged with three other companies. De-No-Fa Lilleborg had traditions in the paint business as far back as 1830, when the company started production of linseed oil
Linseed oil
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...
. The company had a production plant for paint and synthetic resins in Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
, where they manufactured house paints, marine coatings and synthetic resins as well as a large unit producing unsaturated polyester.
A/S Jotun Odd Gleditsch
This was the youngest company of the four - but the largest at the time of the merger. The basis for Jotun's rapid growth was mainly the sales of marine coatingCoating
Coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. In many cases coatings are applied to improve surface properties of the substrate, such as appearance, adhesion, wetability, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and scratch resistance...
s to the Norwegian merchant fleet, and at the time of the merge 50% of Jotun's production was marine coatings, which were sold all over the world. A/S Jotun Odd Gleditsch had their production plant and head office in Sandefjord, and subsidiaries and associated companies for production in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Logo history
Jotun was named after the Jotuns, a kind of giant featured in Norse mythologyNorse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, and the Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
mountain range. The original logo was a hammer that Jotuns had stolen from Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
, the god of thunder. During the 1930s, this was replaced by a giant carrying Thor's hammer over his shoulder, as the hammer was now taken to be a political symbol of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
Later, it was decided that the giant looked too much like a troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
and was for some time replaced by a reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
in flight with the Jotunheimen mountains in the background. This logo was in turn replaced by a penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
, which suggested Gleditsch's history of whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
in the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
.
The logo was updated in the 1970s to the current version by drawing a globe around the penguin to emphasize Jotun's global holdings.
Family ties
The company's history has been shaped largely by the family that sits at Jotun's helm: first came Odd Gleditsch senior, then Odd Gleditsch junior, and now Jotun is led by the third generation, Odd Gleditsch the younger.- 1926: Jotun Kemiske Fabriker A/S was founded by Odd Gleditsch sr together with Ole Aanderud LarsenOle Aanderud LarsenOle Aanderud Larsen was a ship designer and businessman from Norway.He was born in Tønsberg, and died in Sandefjord, in the county of Vestfold....
and Jean B. Linaae. All three sat on the board, with Ole Aanderud Larsen acting as chairman while Odd Gledisch was the company's first general manager. - 1930: Odd Gleditsch acquired Vera Fedtrafeneri, a vegetable oil refinery that had gone into liquidation.
- 1939: A pension fund was set up for all employees—a highly unusual move at the time.
- 1951: A new factory, complete with a large new laboratory, was finished at Gimle outside SandefjordSandefjordis a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
. Five engineers were taken on for the laboratory. Competitors thought this was madness, but Gleditsch justified it as follows: "Our future success depends on an investment in research and development." - 1968: Vera Fabrikker stopped producing vegetable oils and started manufacturing pipelines and heating oil tanks from glass fibre-reinforced polyester.
- 1968: Corro-CoatCorro-CoatChemrez Technologies, Inc. is a manufacturer of powder coatings based in the Philippines. Listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange since December 8, 2000. Member of the D&L Group of Companies....
was founded in conjunction with Gunnar Myhre, who felt that powder coatings, a new concept at the time, had real potential. - 1970: Odd Gleditsch jr was appointed chairman of the board in May.
- 1972: The Merger of the largest paint manufacturers in Norway: Alf Bjercke, Fleischers Kjemiske Fabrikker, DeNoFa-Lilleborg's paint and synthetic resin business, and Jotun Odd Gleditsch. Odd Gleditsch jr played a major diplomatic role in bringing about and implementing the merger.
- 1976: The fire of 15 September] was the most dramatic event in Jotun's 75-year history. Six people were killed instantly in a massive explosion and 11 were injured - two seriously. The paint factory in Sandefjord was totally destroyed, as were the resin plants, warehouses and laboratories. The company's R&D operation was hit extremely hard at the same time as much of the group's production capacity was wiped out. The management found itself facing the enormous challenge of coming up with new production capacity, planning the rebuilding work, etc. The fire also put the company in an extremely difficult financial position, a state of affairs that was to last for four years.
- 1977: The rebuilt paint factory at Gimle started manufacturing paint once more in April.
- 1978: A new warehouse and distribution centre at Vindal came aboard and was Europe's most modern, computer-controlled high-bay warehouse at the time.
- 1985: Scandia Kjemiske in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
was taken over by Jotun. - 1990: Jotun's founder, Odd Gleditsch Sr, died in January.
- 1991: A high-tech environmental factory opened at Vindal. This was the largest investment to date, and a factory for the future. Nodest, a paint manufacturer in LierLier, NorwayLier is an affluent municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lier. The municipality of Lier was established on 1 January 1838...
near Drammen, was taken over. - 1995: Scanox AS was formed through the merger of Nodest and Scandia Kjemiske Fabrikker A/S.
- 1997: The polymer division was sold.
Technology
1931: The Arcanol-patent was acquired and the product subsequently launched. This grey-coloured red leadLead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
had particularly good rust-inhibiting properties and was a success.
1935: Femkronerslakken (the five-"kroner" varnish) was launched and claimed a special place in the company's history. Jotun was still a small factory that supplied mainly the whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
fleet and some of the shipping companies and yards along the coast from Oslo to Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
. Gleditsch wanted to break into the retail market, but this proved difficult. He felt that a good floor varnish could be a real winner and asked his only chemist, Birger Lystad, to come up with the very best varnish possible.
The result was a spectacular varnish, but the expensive raw materials involved meant that the price would be high, at least NOK 4.40 per kg (other varnishes generally sold at around NOK 3.70). Although Gleditsch's colleagues thought that varnish costing NOK 4,40 would never sell, Gleditsch was adamant that the price should be NOK 5. He even referred to the price in the product's name and justified it as follows: "there will always be some people who are willing to pay that little bit extra for excellent quality." He also added: "We will never be rich and we will never be big by competing on price alone." This has been Jotun's philosophy ever since.
1953: Fenom, a matt thixotropic interior paint based on alkyd
Alkyd
An alkyd is a polyester modified by the addition of fatty acids and other components. They are derived from polyols and a dicarboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride. The term alkyd is a modification of the original name "alcid", reflecting the fact that they are derived from alcohol and...
resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
, was launched and proved a major success, enabling Jotun to expand in the retail market. In many ways this product was a breakthrough for the company on account of its application features, adhesion and attractive finish. It enabled consumers to achieve almost professional results themselves.
1954: Fenolux, a gloss thixotropic interior paint, was launched.
1959: Fenomix, the semi-gloss variant, came onto the market, but not without its problems. Although Odd Gleditsch sr opposed the semi-gloss variant, sales manager Rolf Ra felt that this was the way to go. He defied the boss's orders and had the paint, packaging and advertising material made up. He was right to do so—Fenomix was one of Jotun's biggest success stories ever.
1973: Demidekk Dekkbeis, a wood protection product based on new technology and a new concept, was launched. Neither a stain nor a paint, it was an enormous success. In 1983 alone it sold 3400000 litres (7,185,487 US pt) and between 1973 and 1990 it clocked up huge sales of 30000000 litres (63,401,355.9 US pt). however, it was phased out in 1984 on account of plummeting sales triggered by extremely negative media coverage.
1975: The Seamaster system, an innovation in antifoulings for large ships, was launched and enabled ships to go for four years between dry-dockings. Although a sudden drop in freight rates and the launch of self-polishing antifoulings meant that the product was phased out relatively quickly, it played a key role as a door opener to the international shipping industry, which until then had shown very little confidence in Jotun.
1976: Multicolor, the world's first electronically controlled paint mixing machine, was launched in Norway. It was the result of a project between Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's Tikkurila, which developed the tinter technology, Jotun, which developed the electronic control system, and Americas Gray Corporation, which developed the mechanical part for the system such as pumps, nozzles, etc.
1985: Multicolour Futura, the second generation—and the first computer-controlled mixing machine—was launched.
1998: Colourmaster Futura, the third generation of Multicolor machines, was launched.
1999: The tin-free antifouling, SeaQuantum, was launched.
2009: The Jotun ColourAdvisor, an online colour visualisation tool developed by Australian company Autech Software & Design
Autech Software and Design
Autech Software and Design is a software and graphic design company which provides colour marketing solutions to companies helping them to promote and sell their products. Established in 1993 in Launceston, Tasmania, Autech develops a number of specialised product visualisers and electronic colour...
that allows Jotun website users to upload digital photos of their own homes and 'paint' them online, is launched.
Overseas Expansion
1962: Odd Gleditsch jr. makes an important decision to establish a paint factory in LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. This was Jotun's first overseas plant. Libya was chosen at the suggestion of the Norwegian Export Council because oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
had been found there in 1959. At the time Libya was a peaceful but relatively poor kingdom; oil was expected to bring rapid growth to the country's economy, and thus greater demand for paint. The new factory opened without problems and Jotun encountered a new and unknown culture. Jotun also learned an important lesson: it is vital to understand and respect the culture of the country you are moving into. This paved the way for future successes.
1968: A new paint factory opens in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. This was the first of a series of successes in Southeast Asia.
1970: Jotun acquires UK company Henry Clark & Sons Ltd. This was an extremely important part of the company's strategy to become an international player in the marine coatings market. British shipping companies were extremely traditional, and it had proved difficult to break into the UK market.
1974: Jotun acquired Baltimore Copper Paint Co, a US marine coatings factory.
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
is founded. This was Jotun's second company in an Arab country. The Dubai factory has probably played the greatest role in the internationalisation of Jotun. In this year, Jotun also won the Norwegian Export prize.
1976: Jotun opens a paint factory in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Jotun had already been represented for some years through a sales company in the country, which had gradually built up an extensive ship repair business.
1977: Vera UAE in Dubai, a factory for the production of glass fibre-reinforced polyester pipelines, opens.
1978: Corro-Coat Thailand becomes Jotun's first powder coatings company outside Norway.
1980s: The 1980s were an exciting time for the company, characterised not only by expansion and innovation, but also by situations that called for tough decisions. Jotun had picked itself up again after the fire and went flat out to make a name for itself in the international market. 1983 alone brought the opening of three new paint factories: Jotun Saudia Co Ltd, Jotun (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, El-Mohandes Jotun SAE in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Baltimore Copper Paint Co Ltd was closed in 1984. Corro-Coat Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) was set up. Jotun Paints LLC in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
was formed.
1985: Jotun Powder Coatings Ltd is set up in the UK. Jotun Toz Boya (powder coatings) in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
was also taken over. A new marine coatings factory in Flixborough
Flixborough
Flixborough is a village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England. It is situated near to the River Trent, about 3 miles north-west of Scunthorpe. The village is noted for the 1974 Flixborough disaster....
in the UK came online.
1988: A sales subsidiary of marine coatings, Chokwang Jotun, was established in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. (Chokwang is one of the largest paint producer in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and it entered into a technical partnership with Jotun in 1982)
1990s: Expansion continued - the Jotun group became increasingly international.
1990: Corro-Coat UAE was founded in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
; Torné-Jotun in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
came about through the acquisition of Spanish player Industrial Torné; Jotun started manufacturing paint in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a result of the acquisition of Denso Dimet.
1991: the paint factory Jotun Boya San ve Tic was established in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
1992: A marine coatings factory of Chokwang Jotun(South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) was established
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, was established. Jotun Ocean Paint Co Ltd in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was formed through the acquisition of a 51% stake in a factory run by the Chinese state shipping company Cosco. Regional laboratories were set up in Dubai (for the Middle East) and Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
(for South-East Asia).
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
opened. Jotun acquired a 25% stake in the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
marine coatings factory Nor-Maali OY. The paint factory Jotun Abu Dhabi (LLC) was established. Red Sea Paint and binder factory Ratinjat in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
became part of the Jotun family.
1996: P T Jotun Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
opened and was the first company to manufacture both liquid and powder coatings. It was Jotun's 33rd new factory outside Norway.
1997: Jotun moved into South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
through the establishment of Jotun Paints South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Jotun decided to build a paint factory in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
1998: Jotun's international SHE standard was introduced at all group production plants.
1999: Jotun acquired Valspar's marine operation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. A new paint and powder coatings factory opened in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and was Jotun's single largest investment to date. A regional laboratory for marine coatings was set up in South Korea.
2000: Jotun acquired the marine coatings company PRS Inc in the United States. A new paint factory opened in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
2011: Jotun spent RM160 million on the production facility for its ultra-modern plant in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.The plant, the largest in Asia-Pacific, will produce solvent-based advanced protective coatings, marine paints as well as high-performance anti-fouling paints and tinters for markets in South-East Asia.