Singapore Volume 9

3 0 | S U P E R B R A N D S V O L U M E I X MARKET Formerly known as ICI Paints, AkzoNobel Paints (“AkzoNobel”) has been operating in Singapore since 1933, and has been immersed in the country’s growth and development. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the company is consistently ranked as a leader in sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, its 55,000 people around the world are committed to excellence. AkzoNobel Decorative Paints is in the market of improving spaces and creating beautiful homes, and it holds a prominent position in the decorative paint industry with the Dulux brand. The company is driven by a desire to consistently respond to the product and service needs of consumers and trade professionals, supplying them with innovative products and sustainable solutions. ACHIEVEMENTS Taking the lead in colour authority, supported by its Global Aesthetic Centre based in Amsterdam that identifies trend setting colour, Dulux is responsible for releasing annual colour trends known as “Colourfutures”, as well the focus “Colour of the Year”. AkzoNobel is also a company fully committed to health, safety, environment, and sustainability. It has a robust sustainability program at the heart of everything it does. The program framework has three levels: Invent, Manage and Improve that cover every aspect of business operations. Ranging from rigorous targets on energy, waste and water management, to social aspects, and the procurement of quality materials from sources that achieve a minimum level of compliance with sustainability norms, the company continuously strives to provide products to consumers that are Eco-Premium. This means they have a lower ecological impact on our planet compared to mass-market products. These efforts have been recognised with the achievement of Singapore Greenlabel certifications for the complete Dulux interior paint range. Greater focus has also been directed toward safety performance, diversity, employee engagement and talent development. In order to measure its own performance as a leader in sustainability, AkzoNobel uses the SAM (Sustainability Asset Management) benchmark. This offers an objective view on the areas in which the company performs well, where there is room for improvement, and how its performance compares to the competition. The regional Research, Development and Innovation Product Development Centre and Global Exterior Wall Expertise Centre have also been established in Singapore to explore further product innovations and enhancements. Laboratories from all over the world come together in the regional office at AkzoNobel House to share skills, talent and technology. There are laboratories from functional chemicals and surface chemistry, regional R&D laboratories for decorative paints, and a new global laboratory established to study exterior coatings for the whole world. Singapore is a very attractive location for R&D activities with its strong local and regional talent base. There is also a good “eco system of R&D” with easy access to technology through universities, testing laboratories, and research institutes. HISTORY Founded in 1646, AkzoNobel is the largest global paint and coatings company, and is a world leader in specialty chemical production. The name AkzoNobel derives from the merger between Dutch