Comprising of seven emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah – UAE occupies a strategic location, being in between Asia and Europe as a gateway to a large part of the world’s population.
Known for its highest, largest, and some of the most expansive construction projects, the UAE is one of the highest per capita users of architectural coating products in the entire region. The country has some of the most iconic architectural marvels constructed during the last 50 years. These constructions have used copious amounts of the most premium coating offerings by domestic and international coating producers.
Currently, the architectural segment is the largest demand driver of the coating industry in the Emirates. A recent report from data analytical company, Global Data states, “The United Arab Emirates (UAE) construction market size was $100.7 billion in 2023. The market is projected to achieve robust growth rates during 2025-2028. The growth is attributed to elevated oil prices, net-zero emission targets, expanding real estate markets, and greater regional integration. The government’s plan to attract a substantial investment in FDI by 2035 will also drive the UAE construction market growth.”
Along with architectural coatings, the UAE is a major consumer of industrial coatings. The country’s robust oil & gas sector is a major consumer of protective coatings. The country is a significant player in the global oil and gas industry with the sixth-largest proven oil reserves and production of around 4 million barrels of crude oil per day. Oil and gas exports account for a substantial portion of the UAE's economy, with 30% of the UAE's GDP directly based on the oil and gas industry.
Producing paints in the harsh UAE climate is fraught with challenges, as climatic conditions have a significant impact on the way paint products are manufactured and shipped from the manufacturing location to the customer.
A key executive from National Paints Company told CW on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to make press statements, “Temperature control is a very important factor for performance coatings. Lack of temperature control during production and transportation can make the product non-usable. We tackle these challenges through strict protocols for the storage and transportation for temperature-sensitive products. Comprehensive temperature-sensitive material storage and handling processes have been developed by our company and all the relevant personnel are trained in the process.”
The paint and coatings industry in the UAE is witnessing a notable shift in consumer preferences, with a growing inclination towards eco-friendly and sustainable paints. In response to these changes in preference, domestic and international producers are investing in research and development to create high-performance paints that meet both aesthetic and environmental standards.
For example, leading coating producer AkzoNobel has been supplying the UAE market with its Cool Chemistry coatings range, which reduces the amount of heat absorbed by buildings and thus lowers their cooling energy consumption – a key issue in the UAE, where temperature touches as high as 45°C during summer months.
The availability of advanced and premium-quality coating products has driven a large number of project owners to opt for these products. For example, project owners of the City Tower in Dubai replaced a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) liquid paint with a solvent-bonded metallic product that resists extreme weather conditions without compromising on color retention.
Similarly, owners of the Jewel of the Creek opted for a premium range of powder coatings from a UAE-based European coating producer with superior weathering resistance. Jewel of the Creek is a 1 million square meter mixed-use development in the Port Saeed area of Deira occupying a strategic location at the north shore of Dubai Creek. The project incorporates a mix of residential, commercial, hospitality and recreational use.
Leading global paint & coating producers are present in the UAE through their offices, warehouses, or agents. Some of these producers have manufacturing footprints.
Jotun has been operating in the UAE since 1974. In the intervening years, the company has expanded throughout the region. Jotun has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
In 2023, Jotun commenced operations from its US$41 million specialized production facility in Dubai Science Park. This facility produces metallic powder coatings for architectural facades. The company claims that it has been at the forefront in terms of developing products specifically suited to local conditions. Jotun has supplied its coating products to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Metro.
US-based Axalta Coating System acquired Capital Paint LLC, a UAE-based thermosetting powder coatings manufacturer in 2019.
Akzo Nobel has been operating in the UAE since 2008, when the company opened a powder coatings facility in Jabel Ali (about 35 kilometers southwest of Dubai) to strengthen its business presence in the important Middle East market. Later, Akzo Nobel opened its first regional Application Training Center in Dubai to strengthen customer service standards and promote localized innovation of paint products.
Located in Al Quoz, the center houses cutting-edge industry equipment for businesses in wet paint and powder where manual application is applicable.
National Paints is among the top three paint and coatings suppliers in the United Arab Emirates. Starting paint production in Jordan in 1969 and then moving to UAE, the company currently owns 18 factories across the world. The National Paints factory in Sharjah is one of the largest production facilities for paints in the entire Middle Eastern region.
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