MEA | MEA Business Awards 2024 With more than 130 years of industry experience behind it, is no surprise that Kansai Plascon (formerly Plascon South Africa) is the biggest coatings company operating in Africa today, present in 22 countries across the continent. The brand’s Ugandan manufacturing base, Kansai Plascon Uganda, demonstrates both its standing and its dedication to excellence in the East Africa region. At the heart of its operation in this setting is a state-of-the-art production facility in Namanve, where 600 team members oversee the production of approximately 250,000 litres of its products every day. Launched in East Africa in 2016 before acquiring a local paint business the following year, Kansai Plascon has some of the best and brightest minds in the industry at its disposal, not to mention the more than a century of independent experience that the Plascon brand had in this market prior to merging with Kansai Paint, an industry giant that is discussed further below, in 2011. On the back of this combined expertise, what has arisen is a multifaceted, far-reaching operation showcasing the best of the best when it comes to coatings. Following in the trailblazing footsteps of the wider Kansai Plascon brand, Kansai Plascon Uganda is its namesake country’s definitive paints and coatings company, leading the industry as a result of its national distribution efforts and a comprehensive product selection spanning both budget and premium items. Leveraging its Namanve production facility and a second, more specialised plant in the 2nd Street industrial area, the company’s Ugandan division is a beacon of manufacturing prowess in the country. Although the manufacturing capabilities of Kansai Plascon Uganda are incredibly impressive, they far from capture the essence of this storied brand, which instead prizes itself on delivering quality and innovation at every turn. This is reflected right across its unrivalled range of paints and coatings, where there is something available for every customer’s unique requirements. Be it Plascon WeatherGuard for exterior walls or anti-mosquito paint for interior use, the company truly shines in the decorative segment of this market. These products only scratch the surface of the broad scope of Kansai Plascon’s offerings, with automotive paints such as Plascryl and a number of wood finish and manufacturing paints also available. In total, more than 40 different product classes exist across the company, and the wide range of colours means sees visions brought to life in just a few coats. It is for this reason that these products are staples in the garages and basements of discerning property and vehicle owners, as well as decorators, right across Africa. Diving deeper into how Kansai Plascon Uganda has achieved a staggering 70% market share, the brand’s distinction begins at the start of a product’s lifecycle – the R&D phase. Employing ongoing recruitment and training drives, the company affords its dedicated team unfettered access to cutting-edge facilities, which they utilise to excel in the product development and technological services fields. The wider organisation’s other entities in South Africa and Japan have also proven invaluable in sparking this innovation. Moreover, since it is a part of Kansai Paint, which is Japan’s largest paint manufacturer and one of the top ten paint companies in the world, Kansai Plascon is able to leverage industry-leading insights when it comes to the likes of colour technology, synthetic resin, and dispersion technologies. With these tools at its disposal, the team in Uganda have made huge leaps in innovation themselves, as seen through the likes of its aforementioned anti-mosquito paint and its effective wood protection and waterproofing solutions. “In recent years, we’ve also taken steps to address counterfeiting through innovative packaging and have continuously improved both our product formulations and colour selections. These efforts not only enhance our market position but also strengthen our bond with customers who trust us to deliver quality and reliability.” The unique bond that Kansai Plascon shares with its customers is further on display through the Plascon 360 Partnership Pledge, which sees encompassing and tailored service solutions inclusive of coatings specifics and maintenance service coordination delivered to customers for their properties. A true partnership, the company’s dedicated team are fully involved at every stage of a project, ensuring that the right coating systems are used to complement both the building itself and the environment in which it is situated. Initiatives like this are just some of the ways that Kansai Plascon is working towards its vision of becoming of Africa’s leading paints and coatings company, inspiring confidence in its customers and enabling them to achieve a consistent sense of quality across their projects, wherever in the continent they may be. Despite already operating in 22 nations across Africa, it is the brand’s ongoing mission to continue expanding its presence, without sacrificing on its industry-high standards of service and product quality. Adhering to its internal culture – which is built around the core values of integrity, customer focus, accountability, respect, entrepreneurship, and innovation – has proven key in the brand achieving this mission, as well as helping to build stakeholder trust and allowing staff to understand what is expected of them. It is the dedication of these staff that truly sets the brand apart, and every member of this team is well aware of the importance of their role when it comes to delivering the best paints at the best price. “We believe in empowering our staff to take ownership of decisions, harnessing their individual strengths and fostering collaboration. It is this collective effort that has propelled us to where we are today – an industry leader recognised for both innovation and quality.” Clearly then, when it comes to Kansai Plascon Uganda, everything can be traced back to the two definitive areas of quality and innovation. A common thread across both this Ugandan operation specifically and the wider companies behind it, continuous evolution has seen the brand set the bar for others to follow across Best Paints & Coatings Brand – East Africa
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