Advanced technology for marine paints

With its range of innovative, environmentally focused industrial paint solutions, CMP Europe continues to develop new products and reach new markets. EmmaJane Batey spoke to Michael Hop to find out more.

AS one of the many European operations of Japanese Chugoku Marine Paints Ltd, CMP Europe’s main office in the Netherlands is home to local sales teams and business development activities. CMP Ltd was founded in Tokyo in 1917 and has grown to become one of the leading manufacturers of marine paints in Japan, and among the top thee in the world, with a service network in over 30 countries and over 80 global locations. The ethos of the company has always been to ‘harmonise human activity with nature’, which manifests itself in CMP striving to develop ever-more ecologically responsible paints for its core market in the marine industry, and also for other industrial applications.

Michael Hop illustrated how the European operations fit into the global structure. He told Industry Europe, “Our worldwide geographical network is ably supported by the strong R&D teams in each core market, as well as a team of technology experts in our Hiroshima development centre. These guys work alongside some of the most innovative minds in Japanese universities to develop innovative coatings and further improve existing coatings. They then share their findings with the global R&D teams so that CMP is able to stay one step ahead of the competition.”

All about innovation

The Hiroshima development centre is focused on formulations of paints and coatings; the CMP factories worldwide are then able to produce the products to exact specifications, ensuring that all CMP customers worldwide are guaranteed the same high quality product. Mr Hop added, “We are careful to use local raw materials wherever possible because not only does this help to keep our products as low cost as possible, it also keeps our transport costs and environmental impact down too. The R&D teams work with the development centre to keep the formulations the same using the local raw materials so the quality is consistent and reliable.”

Reliability is a key word for CMP, with the company well aware that the reliability of its products is what keeps it in a market leading position. It is committed to regular communication with its customers, which include shipbuilders, ship repair yards, power generation companies and the construction industry, in order to maintain its promise to offer paints and coatings that meet demand. Senior representatives from CMP often hold industry-specific seminars to engage fully with customers and potential customers in an environment which encourages open debate, with the feedback from these events then given to the technical development teams to integrate into their latest research.

Mr Hop continued, “We are not a marketing driven company; we are very much a technical company that also takes service very seriously. Our products are special, with a real focus on performance and environmental responsibility and we are continually striving to ensure our product portfolio is among the best in the industry.”

Global supplier of paints and coatings

The CMP product portfolio includes a number of paints and coatings that are mainly supplied to the global marine industry’s major players such as MOL and NYK. CMP’s latest product development Seaflo Neo was recently launched at the Nor-Shipping trade exhibition in Oslo and this has further cemented its reputation for innovation. Mr Hop said, “Seaflo Neo is the very latest in anti-fouling technology and it has the important added benefit of cutting fuel consumption too. We call it ‘beyond Silyl’ as it is one step up from the original Silyl technology that all the other marine paint companies are offering. Besides that the VOC level is one of the lowest in the market.”

Ready for growth

CMP is strong worldwide, with its network covering every major country. CMP Europe’s aim for the coming years is to focus on developing its market presence in Scandinavia in particular, as it is already well-positioned in much of Europe and this represents a key market. Mr Hop added, “We are working towards building our profile across Scandinavia, in Norway especially, as this is an incredibly important marine industry location. We believe that our dedication to technologically advanced products with excellent service supporting our products will mean that CMP Europe’s paints and coatings will find a positive reception in the region. Most of the marine industry’s major players are already aware of CMP, so it is for us to share the features and benefits of our paints and coatings. The fact is, ships don’t lie, so if ships with our paints still look good after five years and are performing well, customers are happy to work with us. The industry is price sensitive too, of course, so we know that our products perform well and are well-priced.” n