ICI Dulux expands into Qatar

A Dulux Decorator Centre (DDC) has just opened in Qatar, and another will open in Oman shortly.

"ICI Dulux saw phenomenal growth in 2005 and eight DDC's are now up and running in the UAE. Last year saw the launch of a DDC at Better Life and IDdesign inside Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, the first centre to open in a UAE shopping mall," said Philip Mathew, General Manager, Al Gurg Leigh's Paints, which manufacturers Dulux in the UAE.

Mathew added:

"This growth trend is set to continue as we expand into Qatar, Oman and other Gulf countries. We have big plans for the rest of 2006. Our local and regional expansion builds on our promise to offer all customers convenient Dulux Decorator Centre locations."

Dulux Decorator Centres offer free colour consultations and home decoration advice for retail customers with a vast portfolio of colours to choose from. The new Qatar outlet is located at Al Feroz International Trading in Doha.

Customers can walk into a DDC store with their choice of curtain fabric, wallpaper, tiles or upholstery and get them matched to the nearest Dulux paint shade using a special colour-scanning device.

An advanced computerised tinting system allows customers to mix and match with up to 20,000 colour shades to help make interior and exterior painting jobs simple.

Ashish Chaturvedy, Dulux Marketing Manager, Al Gurg Leigh's Paints, said: "Dulux uses its unique Language of Colour tool to profile colour types. The Dulux Decorator Centre at Mall of the Emirates has a My MousePainterTM kiosk, which allows customers to use special software to see how colours will appear on their walls before they paint."

He said: "Customers can also upload images of their own property to see how they will look with a new coat of paint and select shades accordingly. We plan to introduce My MousePainter™ into Qatar shortly."

All Dulux Decorator Centres have trained sales staff who can recommend Dulux authorised decorators to take care of the painting chores.

In Dubai, centres are located in Satwa, Sheikh Zayed Road and at Mall of the Emirates. There are two centres in Sharjah, and the rest are located in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.

Al Gurg Leigh's Paints manufactures and distributes the full range of paints under the Dulux, Leigh's, and Firetex brands.

AGLP manufactures protective coatings under license from Leigh's Paints, UK. High-quality Dulux decorative paints are manufactured under license from ICI Paints, UK.