Adulteration of premium brands, challenge to us —PMA boss

THE Paints Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMA) has said one of the major challenges members of the association have been facing over the years remains problem of adulteration and faking of premium brands of their products, lamenting that such challenge  had negatively affected their volumes/profitability and by implication returns on investments.

Chairman of the association, Abimbolu Babatunde, stated this at a press conference which took place at Ogba, while speaking on the activities lined up for the sixth edition of PMA bi-annual Raw Materials, Equipment and Paints exhibition tagged “PMA Nigeria 2019 Coatings Show,” which is to hold from Monday October 28 to Tuesday, October 29, 2019.

“One of the major challenges members of the Association have been facing over the years is the problem of Adulteration and faking of premium brands of their products. This has negatively affected their volumes/profitability and by implication returns on investments, he said.

Babatunde, who argued that the industry had played big role in the country’s economy over the years, lamented, however, that the regulatory authorities in Nigeria had not really assisted much in rescuing the situation.

According to him, such poor attitude amounted to killing the industry gradually, but quickly said that PMA was into advocacy, adding: “It would interest you how far we have gone with this effort.”

“We are partnering with SON (Standard Association of Nigeria). In terms of monitoring, we are asking government to empower SON to make them recruit more staff. Also, we are asking more people to join the association,” he added further.

PMA was established in 1982 with a membership of 18 and the association now has more than 200 registered members, with estimated at least more than 500 unregistered members.

The industry has investment of over N50billion at current value and an installed capacity of 200million litres of assorted paints annually, ranging from heavy coatings, car finishes and Refinishes, Wood Lacquers, Industrial Coatings, Poly-urethanes, Acrylic, among others.

PMA chairman said the theme of the conference was, therefore, chosen based on the need to prepare paint manufacturers in the country “ahead of future developments in the manufacture and sale of paints, developments in raw materials for industry and a host of other issues- lead content in paints, improved quality of their products vis a vis the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Agreement, etc.”

According to him, the two-day event, which will hold at the Sheba Centre, 20 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, is intended to show-case the array of  raw materials, machinery, production and testing equipment as well as  packaging materials used in the production of paints, inks and allied products.

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Babatunde said made in Nigeria paint products would also be on display, noting that the conference would provide a platform for manufacturers/suppliers of paints raw materials/equipment and packaging materials as well as manufacturers of paints, inks and allied products in Nigeria to exchange ideas on current developments on raw materials, equipment and technology for paint manufacturing.

This was just as he disclosed that exhibitors for the show would come from different parts of the world, including the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, South Africa, India, Korea, Middle East, China, Turkey, Singapore and Nigeria, while intending investors in the industry were also expected to grace the occasion.

He disclosed that Guest Speaker will be Prof. Emeritus Babajide Alo, Director, Centre for Environmental and Human Resources Development, Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, who will deliver a paper on the theme of the event: “Future Trends in Coating Technology.”

“The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade  and Investment,  Mr. Sunday Edet Akpan, will be the Guest of Honour. He will flag off the Show. The Special Guests expected to grace the occasion include the Director General/Chief Executive of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Bar. Osita Anthony Aboloma, the Director General / Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr H.B. Ibrahim  and the  Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN),  Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir. The representatives of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Nigerian Institute of builders, Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria, Real Estate developers and a host of others will also attend the event. Goodwill messages will be delivered to the members of the Association by the Special Guests,” Babatunde stated.

“The show started in 2006, since then it has been growing in participation and attendance, getting better, bigger and more rewarding to both exhibitors and stakeholders in the paint industry in Nigeria.

“Themes for the show have been evolving over the years taking into consideration the global outlook of the industry during each edition. We, therefore, try as far as possible to be in tune with global trends and comply with quality, technology and safety requirements  for the benefit of the environment and stakeholders, while also serving as a platform for establishing  ways to penetrate other markets outside the country,” he further stated.