Jotun is a
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
multinational chemicals company dealing mainly in decorative
paints and performance
coating
A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. Pow ...
s (marine, protective and powder coatings). It is one of the world's largest manufacturers of paints and coating products. Jotun manufactures paints and varnishes for marine and industrial purposes, synthetic resins, floor coverings, polyurethane foam, heavy-duty coatings, binders, unsaturated polyesters, glass-fiber reinforced polyester pipes, tanks, and more.
Jotun merged with three other paint producers in 1971 and became not only Norway's largest paint producer but also one of the largest companies in Norway. As of January 2021, the company has a presence in more than 100 countries around the world, with more than 10,000 employees, 67 companies in 45 countries, and 40 production facilities in 21 countries.
As of 2021, Jotun had about 10,300 employees including one thousand employees within Norway. It operated 40 factories in 21 countries and is represented in 120 countries through distributors, offices, and agents.
History
Jotun began in the early 1920s as a paint and marine provisions merchant in Sandefjord,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
. Sandefjord was a popular
homeport for
whaling ships
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, J ...
, which used to get laid up in port every summer for repairs and maintenance. The company's founder, Odd Gleditsch had worked on whaling ships and felt there was a demand for such a provider in the whaling town. During those days, paint stores usually sold
pigments
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compoun ...
,
turpentine
Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a spec ...
and
linseed oil separately, leaving it to purchasers to buy and mix them. Gleditsch retired from the sea and opened a shop in Sandefjord to sell paints and provisions, but soon felt that a demand existed for ready-made paints. In 1926, he purchased an existing small chemical factory called Jotun. In the early 1930s, the company made its first popular ready-made paint called Arcanol, which was marketed to ship owners and
shipyards
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
, a strategy that Jotun continued to invest in. The 1920s and 1930s saw a boom in Norwegian shipping, especially in its dry cargo and tanker fleet, and Jotun took advantage of that.
To ensure an adequate stock existed in all principal ports for these Norwegian shipowners, Jotun began stocking paints in North Africa, Europe and the Americas. As the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries developed in the 1950s, Jotun began to market its products to ship suppliers there. The founder's son, Odd Gleditsch Jr., oversaw the company's expansion in the Middle East. Working with the Norwegian export council, he travelled to Libya where Jotun built its first overseas factory in 1962. In 1967, Jotun opened its second international factory in Thailand. which became the base for its operations in Southeast Asia.
In 1982, Jotun opened a trading office in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
. As
China began to open up, Jotun developed a joint venture in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
with the Chinese shipping giant
COSCO
China Ocean Shipping Company, Limited, formerly China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company, commonly known for its abbreviated name COSCO Group, or simply, COSCO, is a former Chinese Government owned shipping and logistics services supplier compan ...
to provide paints to its shipyards and ships. During that time, Jotun established a separate company called Jotun Coatings which focused on the manufacture of paints. In the 1970s, the company began to develop solvent-free
powder coating
Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry Powder (substance), powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then P ...
s.
Organization
The Jotun Group has four divisions, with its head office in
Sandefjord
Sandefjord () is a city and the most populous municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838. The municipality of Sandar was merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 1969. On 1 ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
.
Subsidiaries
Jotun became Norway's largest paint manufacturer in the 1960s and was headquartered in one of Norway's most modern industrial complexes in
Sandefjord, Norway
Sandefjord () is a city and the most populous municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838. The municipality of Sandar was merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 1969. On 1 ...
. In the 1960s, Jotun also began establishing factories abroad, including a factory in
Tripoli, Libya
Tripoli (; ar, طرابلس الغرب, translit= Ṭarābulus al-Gharb , translation=Western Tripoli) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Libya, with a population of about 1.1 million people in 2019. It is located in the northwe ...
. In 1968, Jotun established its first factory in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
near the capital of
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
. In 1969, Jotun's Spanish subsidiary Gardex S.A. opened its paint factory in
Valencia, Spain.
Subsidiary companies include Jotun Powder Coatings Pty Ltd. and Jotun Protective Coatings Pty Ltd. in
Australia, Jotun Thailand Ltd. in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, Jotun NOF in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, Sdn Bhd in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, Jotun Polisan Boya Tic AS in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, Jotun Hellas Ltd. in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
, Jotun Brignola SpA in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, Jotun SAE in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, Jotun Polymer France SA in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, Jotun Deutschland GmbH in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, Jotun Polymer BV in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, OY Jotun Scanpol AB in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, Jotun Danmark A/S in
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
, Jotun Polymer Inc. in the
U.A.E.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
, JOTUN CZECH a.s.in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, Vera Klippan AB in
Sweden, and Jotun-Henry Clark Ltd., Jotun Decorative Coatings Ltd., Jotun Polymber Ltd., and Corro Clark Coatings Ltd. in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
Jotun and famous landmarks
Jotun has been and is used on several landmarks.
These include:
*
TS Queen Mary[Karsten, Erich (2006). ''The Coatings Yearbook 2006''. Vincentz Network GmbH & Co KG. Page 87. .]
*
Taizhou Yangtze River Bridge in
Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
* The
Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC Twin Towers, ( Malay: ''Menara Berkembar Petronas'') are 88-storey supertall skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, standing at . From 1998 to 2003, they were officially desig ...
in
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, sub ...
, Malaysia
*
Burj Khalifa in
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
, U.A.E.
*
Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab ( ar, برج العرب, ''Arab Tower'') is a luxury hotel located in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Managed by Jumeirah hotel group, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total heigh ...
in Dubai, U.A.E.
*
Kingdom Center in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
, Saudi Arabia
*
West Tower in
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
, China
*
Canton Tower
The Canton Tower (), formally Guangzhou TV Astronomical and Sightseeing Tower (), is a -tall multipurpose observation tower in the Haizhu District of Guangzhou ( alternatively romanized as ''Canton''). The tower was topped out in 2009 and it ...
in Guangzhou, China
* Esentai Tower in
Almaty, Kazakhstan
*
Southern Cross railway station
Southern Cross railway station (until 2005 known as Spencer Street station) is a major railway station in Docklands, Melbourne. It is on Spencer Street, between Collins and La Trobe Streets, at the western edge of the Melbourne central bu ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia
*
Guangzhou TV Tower in Guangzhou, China
*
MS Oasis of the Seas
* Haj Terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
*
Marina Bay Sands in
Marina Bay, Singapore
Marina Bay is a bay located in the Central Area of Singapore, surrounded by the perimeter of four other planning areas, the Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South and Straits View. The area surrounding the bay itself, also called Marina Ba ...
*
Biomuseo in Panama City, Panama
*
New Clark City Athletics Stadium
The New Clark City Athletics Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines. It is the primary venue of the New Clark City Sports Hub, which is part of the National Government Administrative Cente ...
in
Capas
Capas, officially the Municipality of Capas ( pam, Balen ning Capas;
tgl, Bayan ng Capas), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Tarlac, Philippines, and one of the richest towns in the province. The town also consists of numerous su ...
, Philippines.
References
Related reading
The Paint Business
External links
Jotun, vår HistorieJotun Paints Pakistan
{{Authority control
Norwegian brands
Chemical companies of Norway
Sandefjord
Chemical companies established in 1926
Companies based in Sandefjord
Paint manufacturers
Norwegian companies established in 1926