The Jotun Group is a Norwegianchemicals company dealing mainly in decorative paints and performance coatings. As of December 2019, the company has a presence in more than 100 countries around the world, with more than 10,000 employees, 63 companies in 45 countries, and 37 production facilities in 21 countries.
History
Jotun began as a paints and marine provisions provider in Sandefjord, Norway in the early 1920s. Sandefjord was a popular homeport for whaling ships, 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 this whaling town. During those days, paint stores usually sold pigments, turpentine and linseed oil separately, leaving it to purchasers to buy and mix them. Odd stopped sailing and opened a shop in Sandefjord to sell paints and provisions, but soon felt that a demand existed for ready made paints. He purchased a small existing chemical manufacturing factory called Jotun in 1926. In the early 1930s, the company made its first popular ready paint called Arcanol which he marketed to ship owners and shipyards, a strategy that Jotun continued to invest in. The 1920s and 30s saw a boom in Norwegian shipping, especially in its drycargo and tanker fleet and Jotun was about to take advantage of this. 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 south east Asia. In 1982, Jotun opened a trading office in Hong Kong. As China began to open up, Jotun opened a joint venture in Shanghai with the Chinese shipping giant COSCO to provide paints to its shipyards and ships. During this time, Jotun established a separate company called "Jotun coatings" which focused on the manufacture of paints. In the 1970s, the company began to develop powder coatings which would be solvent free.
Organization
The Jotun Group has four divisions, with its head office in Sandefjord, Norway.
Jotun and famous landmarks
Jotun has been and is being used on several landmarks. These include:
