Kaleidoscope Paints makes entry into Jamaican market

Kaleidoscope Paints makes its re-entry into Jamaica this month.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based paint company brings more than four decades of invention and innovation into the Jamaican market, providing a wider range of high-quality decorative, industrial and marine paint products.

Founded in 1972 by Steven Parson, Kaleidoscope Paints was the first wholly locally owned paint manufacturing company in the twin-island republic. In 1992, the company diversified by embarking into the production of automotive car and truck refinishes.

Samba Brewing Company & Winery was established eight years later to create a niche for handcrafted high-quality products with a competitive advantage and private-label beverage products.

Then, in 2012, Kaleidoscope Paints went into the adhesives business with the acquisition of Hanco (St Lucia) and HADSL (Trinidad) - a product aligned to their main paint business. Including Jamaica, Kaleidoscope is currently in 15 markets in the Caribbean and South America.

Its products are also in Belize, St Maarten, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Lucia, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent, Puerto Rico, and Grenada. Outside Trinidad and Tobago, Kaleidoscope also manufactures its products St Lucia.

"Our mission is to be recognised as a world-class, family-owned company in the Caribbean and South America, well recognised for high-quality products and services while providing personalised business relationships, customer satisfaction, employee motivation, and shareholder value," said Mahindra Deyalsingh, the export director of KPL Group Ltd, of the company returning to Jamaica.

"Our core values emanate from our mission and are entwined in our business operations. We are family-oriented and seek to cultivate partnerships with our customers as opposed to mere business transactions."

Between 1989 and 1995, Kaleidoscope Paints had a strong presence in Jamaica, but a change in ownership resulted in the discontinuation of the brand in the island.

Now back, Kaleidoscope will be partnering with Matalon Distributors, which has a history with the Trinidadian company.

"When we used to own Facey Commodity, we carried the Kaleidoscope brand. We felt as though it was quite fitting that when presented with the opportunity to collaborate with them, we could not let it pass," said Andrew Matalon, CEO of Matalon Distributors.

"Kaleidoscope is a family-run company which aligns with many of the same values that we have. The relationship was an easy one, and that was noticed from our initial meetings. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with Dale [Parson] and the Kaleidoscope team."