Hempel sets up new venture

JAKARTA (JP): Danish paint maker Hempel established a joint venture with PT Unimas Chemicals and Coatings on Monday in a bid to boost its operations in the country.

The president of Hempel, Guido B. Eelen, said on Tuesday that the venture would streamline Hempel's operations by centralizing the tasks of the two firms under the name of PT. Hempel Coatings Indonesia.

"With the establishment of this new company, we have started the process of concentrating all of the marketing and production activities of Hempel in this company," he said during a ceremony marking the donation of basic necessities to people living near Hempel's factory in Bekasi, West Java.

Earlier, company director Dahlan Hussein said that Hempel was served by two companies, PT Hempelindo, which markets and distributes Hempel's products, and PT Unimas, which produces raw materials for Hempel.

Hempel, which produces marine paints and protective paints, has been marketing its products in Indonesia since the mid-1970s, and began to produce its products in Indonesia in 1985. (gis)