With the paints sector dominated by a small number of very well-known brands, PBM gets the lowdown on what is perhaps a less familiar name at present — leading Finnish company, Teknos.
Established in 1948 when an old farm with a hen house was leased for the purposes of paint making, Teknos is now said to be one of Finland’s largest family-owned businesses and operates in more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia and the USA, employing some 1,600 people. A leading supplier in Europe of specialist industrial and decorative coatings for manufacturing industries, building and decorating professionals and consumers, the company has operated for over 25 years in the UK joinery market and is now building its reputation in the trade and architectural sectors.
PBM poses the questions…
The paint market is hugely competitive and dominated by a small number of really big players. What’s the rationale behind the development of TeknosPro?
Until now, Teknos has been one of the best kept secrets in paint. The chances are that most tradesmen will have encountered many Teknos coated products without realising it — for example in factory-finished doors, windows and furniture.
TeknosPro allows professional painters and decorators access to the years of research and investment that the company has put into our joinery paints. It also enables homeowners to have their homes painted with the same coating system originally used, thereby prolonging the periods between maintenance.
Similarly, whilst focusing on product quality and performance, we remain committed to sustainability. Teknos actively chooses to develop water-based paints over solvent-borne for the lowest environmental impact and the wide range of paints and coatings we offer comply fully with European VOC emission standards and REACH regulations. They do not contain lead, chrome or other heavy metal additives whilst our manufacturing facilities hold IOS 9001 quality and ISO 14001 environmental certificates.
With so much choice already on offer at the trade counter, how will you convince trade professionals to make the switch?
The TeknosPro range has been developed specifically for professionals and includes specialist, multi-surface paints for internal walls, metal and wood and is suitable for new build and maintenance projects alike. They are all water-based, quick-drying and low odour whilst they can be brushed, rolled or sprayed, have excellent flow and give high coverage.
While we won’t tempt everyone away, we know that many professionals are looking to impress their customers with high quality paints that can be colour-matched to any British Standard shade and that will last for years.
So what can merchant stockists of the range offer their customers?
Providing the right paints for the job will be easy! As well as opaque and translucent paints and varnishes for exterior wood, TeknosPro offers paints for exterior masonry and emulsions for interiors. These include specialist finishes such as anti-microbial or wipeable, suitable for bathrooms, hallways and other high wear areas.
One of our most versatile and popular paints is the Futura Aqua range which can be used inside and outside, on both wood and metal. It includes a high gloss option (Futura Aqua 80) that our water-based competitors have found hard to replicate.
And what about UK distribution? Where will tradespeople be able to purchase the TeknosPro range?
We’ve been carefully building a network of merchants and professional distributors, with more coming on board later this year. Our growing stockist list covers the UK and Ireland, with some of them offering our products online, making TeknosPro accessible anywhere in GBI.
Overall, builders’ merchants are an integral part of the distribution network for TeknosPro as independent and national merchants alike have been incorporating ‘decorating centres’ within their depots for many years to offer a one-stop-shop to joiners, landscapers and building contractors as well as professional decorators.
Merchants can benefit from providing the complete product solution to their varied customer base and in addition to the extensive product range, Teknos can also provide the Teknomix 50 Tinting System to supply contractors with a vast range of colours including RAL and NCS.
Amongst a wealth of information showcased on its website — www.teknos.co.uk — the company also provides details of the benefits it offers to merchant stockists of the TeknosPRO range of multi-surface, water based paints for professional users.
In addition to accessing an extensive range of interior and exterior decorative products for various substrates including plasterboard, timber, metal and masonry, merchants will receive training, have the option of tinting their own paints at their own premises and be supported with marketing literature, point-of-sale materials, merchandise and promotional advice from the supplier’s GBI head office in Oxfordshire.
Key product benefits are said to include:
- Superior pigments and binders — reducing maintenance times for your customers
- No heavy metals — Teknos paints are water based and do not contain lead, chrome or other heavy metals
- Good flowing agents — make the paints extremely easy to use, whether your customers are brushing, rolling or spraying, and they retain their ‘wet-edge’ to give an even, smooth finish
- High solids content — gives excellent coverage and reduces the number of coats of paint your customers need on their jobs
- Low to no odour — protects your customers from harmful fumes
- Stockist support — from Customer Services to its Technical Team, Teknos stockists and customers have support available whatever their enquiry.
(Article originally appeared in the May issue of Professional Builders Merchant).
