4 minute read
Innovation techniques key to quality colour paints
AMACO Paints was established in 2003 as a paints manufacturing company in Rusizi District. The company strategically built its headquarters and the main factory in Kicukiro, City of Kigali as the central location to link with other regions of the country.
From its headquarters in Gahanga of Kicukiro the company has established three major outlets in Remera, Nyabugogo and Rusizi. In addition to the outlets its products are distributed in all provinces of the country plus some sold to the neighbouring DR Congo and Burundi.
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AMACO Paints manufactures a wide range of colour paints ranging from house paints, auto paints, wood paints, road paints and related products at its main plant in Gahanga. The company adds value and improves quality according to Customer needs.
VISIOn
To be the leading producer and supplier of innovative paints with colour technology in the great lakes region and to be respected and acknowledged as the best quality paints manufacturing company.
MISSIOn
To provide high quality products and provide premium quality automotive, industrial and special application paints coatings all at the reasonable and affordable price.
We seek to provide these services in timely manner with a comprehensive quality-control program and to build a reputation among local business focusing on customer satisfaction. Safety is something that we take very seriously.
“We are now capable of providing a whole range of paints made in Rwanda to customer’s requirement and to their satisfaction,” Gashema underscores. Adding that, their products match the needs of local market.
COre VALueS
• We focus more on customer satisfaction
• We grow through continuous improvement, invention and innovation
• We integrate honest, accountability and responsiveness into all aspects of our business functioning
Jean Pierre Gashema, the Sales & Marketing Officer of AMACO Paints observes that they started the company at a time when there was an only one company manufacturing paint in the whole country.
He further reveals that their production can easily provide customized products that suits client needs which can be obtained in a short period of time.
“We are able to do all this because of innovative techniques and use of technology at our factory,” Gashema Said. AMACO Paints is always trying to innovate, finding new products that can exceed client expectations.
The company distributes its products through established outlets with close to 700 distributors across the country.
LABOrAtOry And COLOur MIx
Before the emergence of companies like AMACO Paints, dealers would mix the paint by rudimentary means but AMACO Paints procured state of the art machines to produce colour paints that suit customer needs.
The production unit of the company is also equipped with a modern laboratory which helps in tests to ensure that standards are maintained and that any chemical that is used is not harmful to anyone who may come into contact.
“Safety is something that we take very seriously,” says Isaie Ndayishimiye, the Director of Finance and Administration at AMACO Paints. He emphasises that the laboratory to test chemicals which are used at the factory.
Ndayishimiye explains that they work closely with Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), to supervise law materials and ensure products are up to the standard.
ChALLenGeS
AMACO Paints is a local manufacturer with a strong market niche in Rwanda that has seen unprecedented growth. However, the company faces challenges that range from lack of infrastructure, access to finances and high rates of exchange.
Ndayishimiye observes that although the area where the factory is built is designated for industries they still have no water supply which raises the cost of production given that the factory requires a lot of water. Another challenge is the high cost of electricity and recurrent power cuts that affects the production line.
Most of the law materials used to produce paints is imported thus the company requires foreign exchange to purchase them but the rate of exchange is high and the cost of working capital is also high making the cost of production very expensive.
Ndayishimiye says that Rwanda’s manufacturing industry is taking off with quality products but the government has to improve the infrastructure to lower the high costs of production. He lists water, electricity and access to finance as the primary incentives required to mitigate the challenges to make the Made in Rwanda campaign a success.
