PPG to Acquire Mexican Paint Company Comex for $2.3 Billion

laht.com

MEXICO CITY – Mexican paint company Comex said on Monday it was being acquired by U.S.-based PPG Industries for $2.3 billion.

Mexican regulators rejected an attempt last year by U.S.-based Sherwin-Williams to buy Consorcio Comex, S.A. de C.V. on the grounds that the deal would harm competition in the market.

The agreement with PPG Industries is subject to regulatory approval, Comex said.

“We are excited to proudly join the PPG team, a company with over 130 years of experience that admires and respects Comex’s achievements over more than 60 years. Being part of PPG gives us new opportunities and synergies that will allow us to continue to significantly grow in our markets,” Comex CEO Marcos Achar Levy said.

The deal will open the way for growth in the highly competitive global market, Achar Levy said.

“In these times of globalization and highly competitive markets, strategic alliances allow the development of companies and its individuals,” the Comex CEO said.

PPG Industries chairman and CEO Charles Bunch, for his part, said the acquisition of Comex would bolster his Pittsburgh-based company’s presence in Mexico and Latin America, “a region where we have negligible architectural coatings presence.”

“Comex is a high-quality, well-managed business with a long heritage of excellent customer service and leading, well-recognized regional brands,” Bunch said.

Comex, which was founded in 1952, is Mexico’s largest paint manufacturer.

The company has more than 3,000 paint stores across Mexico operated by franchisees, who sell paint for construction and industrial uses.

PPG Industries, which was founded in 1883, has operations in nearly 70 countries.

Gringo’s Guide to Using Mexican Paint (Part 3) What Color Choices Tell about You

Tara A. Spears
solmexiconews.com

Mexico is a country that loves things hot: food, women, and paint colors. Perhaps it is its sub tropic location or Mexico’s blend of indigenous ancient culture melding with European tastes, but the country’s design style is bold and energetic. The three top Mexican paint companies, Comex, Berel, and Pinturas Prisa, mirror the national love of color in their paint color options. Before we take a look at what your choice of home color tells about you, let’s learn what’s unique about Prisa Paint Company.

For more than sixty-five years since Prisa began it has produced paints and coatings of the highest quality with the aim to offer the public excellent, professional product. “Every day we strive to be at the forefront in research in order to put at your disposal the products suitable for the application you want,” said the CEO in an interview. “Customers purchase Prisa with the confidence that our materials and processes are backed by certificates of quality.” 

This company has a strong market within commercial manufacturing. Prisa has been a leader since the 1940s in the industry of the emulsions of polyvinyl acetate - which is a material that has high water resistance. Prisa was one of the pioneers in the use and marketing to both the domestic sphere (vinyl and enamels) and industrial sector (baked enamels and fast drying). In the 1960s Prisa acquired the company Solvex, today known as Sif-glo, a specialist in manufacturing lines of repainting automotive and wood finishes. Such was the demand for these specialized products that the company has had steady expansion. In 1979 Prisa created the Prometal Division, which specializes in marine coatings that are used in factory coatings requiring epoxy resins, polyurethanes, oilcloths, chlorinated vinyls, and inorganic zinc.

 What this means for the average homeowner is that their specialty products, such as waterproofing sealers, are outstanding. Prisa has a roof coat that contains bits of fibreglass to insulate in addition to a reflective property-excellent for cement or tile roof. Prisa’s Acrylic Roof Coating is a highly specialized material that reflects heat beyond that of typical white reflective coatings. The brilliant white pigments protect the substrate by reflecting in excess of 80% of the sun's solar heat from the roof surface.  It goes on blue but dries white.  I know that my electric bill is lower since I applied this sealer due to its reflective characteristics.    

  

 What’s Intensity Got to Do With It?  Ever wonder why the hotels in Mexico have eye popping color but it looks just right?   You would never find a Canadian Hilton decorated like this. As explained previously, paints made in Mexico have higher pigment concentrations to combat the climatic conditions.  The thick, rich paint looks fantastic in deep tones in coastal Mexico’s intense sunlight. Even considering the cultural predilection for vivid colors, the color you choose to use on your home says a lot about your personality.

While I have never had difficulty choosing a paint color, I have had friends that were absolutely paralyzed at the thought of having anything but white walls. One friend purchased a home that was all builder’s white. After months of discussion she finally had four color strips that we taped to the wall.  Seven years later, the house was still white and the paint swatches still taped to the wall. If you are from northern latitudes you probably are used to soft off-white or beige interiors as the norm. If you are uncomfortable about embracing the bold Mexican palate, consider this: “What’s more livable than the colors found right outside your door? Look to earthy, natural colors-blue, green, beige, taupe-if you want a goof-proof decor,” designer Sehra Han. Another safe tactic is to play with the color intensity in a monochromatic room for interest. Another consideration is to choose colors based on the use of the room: day use rooms can be brighter and night use rooms darker tones.

Give yourself permission to use color: you don’t have to use it everywhere, just a pillow, or painting might be enough. When rooms are open to each other, avoid radically different colors to avoid making it look choppy and small. For a cohesive look, flow two or three of the same colors in each room. When choosing interior wall color, find versions of your favorite color that are muted with gray. No matter what color is trendy, if you stick with a color you enjoy it will never be tiring or dated. Surround yourself with the colors you love by using them decoratively in your environment. Confidence is the real secret to making smart color decisions.

Personality Color: Most people have several colors that they are drawn to and select repeatedly throughout life. What most of us don’t bother to think about is that each color has characteristics that attract or repels us; colors reflect our personality, our cultural upbringing. The following color insights are taken from psychologists Lynn Champion and Judy Scott-Kemmis 2009 book.

     

Passion Red:   If your favorite color is red, you are action oriented with a deep need for physical fulfillment and to experience life through the five senses. Having red as your favorite color identifies you as being extroverted and optimistic, courageous and confident. 

Gregarious Orange: For those who find orange your favorite color, you have a need to be with people, to socialize with them, to be accepted and respected as part of a group. With orange as your favorite color, you are warm, optimistic, extroverted and often flamboyant. You are friendly, good-natured and a generally agreeable person.

Smiley Face Yellow: Yellow is one of those colors that instantly makes people happy. Accent it with bright blues for a palette that plays off the color wheel, or tone it down by pairing it with gray and neutral textiles.  Yellow is one of the trickiest paint colors to get right. A tip for picking a yellow from a paint fan deck: Select something that looks lighter than what you want the end result to be. Yellow is always much brighter on a wall than on a paint chip.

Yellow has always been a color full of contradictions. In Chinese culture, it is the color of nobility. The Greek gods are depicted with golden hair. Yet during the Spanish Inquisition, the accused were forced to wear yellow, and it was considered the color of outcasts.  Gold and yellow are also closely linked with wisdom and knowledge. Caps and gowns for university science and research students are typically yellow. The Aztec diet was based on corn, so the Aztecs used yellow to symbolize food. Yellow has a natural association with its close cousin, gold. Of the five Chinese Elements, the Earth element is represented by yellow.

         

Steady Blue: Bright and striking in some spaces, subdued and soothing in others, blue can completely transform a space.  Blue is calming and a logical choice for slumber-inducing relaxation. Lovers of blue generally enjoy inner peace and truth, living their life according to their ideals and beliefs without having to change their inflexible viewpoint of life to satisfy others. If this is your favorite color you are conservative, reliable and trustworthy.

Lovely Green: Bring the outdoors inside with nature's favorite color. Lively, refreshing and eye catching, the right tone of green can work in any home. Having a personality color green means you are kind, generous and nurturing. Fans of green are a practical, down-to-earth person with a love of nature.

Standout Purple: If purple or violet is your favorite color, you are creative and like to be individual in most of your endeavors, including your dress and home decoration - you love the unconventional. You also have a need to initiate and participate in humanitarian projects, helping others in need. Being a personality color purple, you have a peaceful and tranquil quality and a quiet dignity about you. 

  

Simple White: Sometimes sticking to the basics is your best bet. Don't dismiss white as boring — when used right, it can make an incredible statement. White is really one of the most asked-about colors. The perfect white is sought after for cabinets and trim. Undertones in white paint are important and can really shift a palette. If white is your personality color, you enjoy simplicity in your life and being neat and immaculate in your appearance and in presenting your home. You are far-sighted, with a positive and optimistic nature.

Rosy Pink: Not just for little girls! Pink can be very sophisticated in any room depending on the tone. If your personality color is pink you tend to lack aggression although the deeper pinks can be more assertive and confident. Pink inspires the possibility of a positive outcome. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exhibits.

Restful Beige: Although beige tends to get a bad rap, there's a reason this color is so popular: It's hard to get wrong. Use a lighter shade for more soothing spaces and venture into dark chocolate browns to mix things up. I love beige all through the house punctuated with bold color and other neutrals. Loved for its versatility, beige is also a great choice as a backdrop for an art collection. In a warm climate using beige rests the eye from all the natural vivid color.

     

Add a spice to your life by taking advantage of the deep tones of your fav colors. Mix up the color combinations around your home to mimic the tropical world. Any of the three leading Mexican paint companies-Comex, Berel, Prisa- are fun to work with and have excellent results for the climate.

Gringo’s Guide to Using Mexican Paint (Part 2) How to Fix Common Painting Problems

Tara A. Spears
solmexiconews.com

    

Like so many things in this vibrant country, the leaders of the Mexican paint companies are passionate about their product. Out of dozens of paint companies, three brands have dominated the country’s consumer market for the last twenty years. In the Jaltemba Bay area there is specialty store for each brand: Comex, Berel, and Prisa. (above photo) 

In the mid1930s, a group of businessmen headed by Ing. Bernardo Elosua, recognized that there was a demand for reliable paint that suited the weather conditions of Mexico. Within five years of start-up, the company name was changed to Berel S.A., a word formed from the first few letters of the name of its founder. The growth of Berel Paints has been steady and significant; with a steadily increased production capacity to meet demand.  The company goal “to provide the consumer with variety, service, high quality, and competitive prices” has established loyal customers who have confidence that they can rely on Berel performance. A Berel manager said, “Before Berel products are released to the market, each product is subjected to rigorous testing by trained, specialized teams. Until the paint is proven to exceed the climatic conditions to which the product will face, it is not available for sale.”

My favorite Berel product to use is their metal coating and metal primer. Although the can lists a dilution guide, to ensure the best coverage and rust prevention, use straight from the can. The dilution only applies if you are using a paint sprayer.

 

An operating strategy for Berel has been to provide services such as technical advice, training, and product support in the field and at the point of sale.  What this means for us, the consumers, is that each Berel employee is knowledgeable about the various products and eager to answer your questions. When I was researching this article, the local owner/ distributor Esdras Ayon and his staff were so helpful. They answered all my questions, gave me product pamphlets and a great hardbound book that summarizes each Berel product. Sales lady Yessenia speaks fluent English. She said, “We want to make certain that the Canadians and Americans get the correct product for what they want to do. The weather is so strong here that the international customer needs to understand that the listed life span is only half due to conditions.”  I know that when I first moved from a cooler, four season climate to the tropics it was very difficult for me to get used to a paint labelled seven year performance needing to be redone in  three years. The salt, sun, temperature, and humidity are just brutal on protective coatings.

How to avoid paint failure: Nothing is more aggravating than to spend considerable time, effort, and money to paint only to notice a problem afterward. The following guide touches on the most frequent painting failures for our climate. While the tips are based on personal experience and research; you should always consult a professional painter for serious situations.

Fungus/black mold or mildew: This yuky black stuff appears when there are moisture issues, such as at the end of the rainy season. The photo illustrates the worst way to deal with fungus- simply paint over it. Recommended Solution: First apply a solution of three parts water to one part chlorine bleach. Keep it on for 20 minutes before rinsing. Let dry thoroughly before using an anti-mold primer then painting with a water base acrylic paint.

Method of application: Brush, roller, spray applicator.

Surface salts: For many people living in Mexico this is the first time that they have lived in a concrete wall house. Concrete by nature is dry yet porous, so it can wick moisture. Efflorescence is a deposit of mineral salts on the surface of concrete that can occur in ground level walls or floors.

Recommended Solution: It is best to allow 24 hours between each step: 1. dissolve the salts with a solution of diluted muriatic acid; 2 wash the surface very well to get off the acid; 3. let the cleaned dry; 4. apply sealer; 5.Last, apply the paint.

Blistered paint: The most common cause of this wrinkly paint occurs when the paint is applied on very hot or wet surface.  I had one area on a west facing wall that was painted between the daily rains in late July in the direct sunlight.  Recommended Solution: Use a wire brush or electric sander to remove the damaged paint. Apply a sealer to a cool, dry surface before repainting. Avoid painting surfaces when it is very humid.

 Flaking paint: The unsightly look of peeling paint results from poor surface preparation, applying paint over previous paint in poor condition, using the wrong type of paint, or applying in excessive humidity. Recommended Solution: Sand the entire surface to remove the loose, flaking paint completely. Apply an acrylic sealant according to manufacturer’s direction to a clean, dry surface. Then apply the proper type of paint.

Runny texture: The most common cause of drippy paint is applying in excessive humidity, over-diluting, not letting paint dry between coats. Recommended Solution: Wait for the paint to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat. Follow the instructions properly especially regarding dilution and application of the paint. Apply thin coats. Do not apply at temperatures below 10 ºC or on rainy days.

Using Mexican paint products will have wonderful results if you consider the weather conditions, the type of surface, and follow the directions on the can. Don’t understand Spanish? Use a Spanish/English dictionary or take a bilingual friend to ensure that you purchase the correct type of product and prepare the surface properly.

       

Gringo’s Guide to Using Mexican Paint (Part 1)

Tara A. Spears

solmexiconews.com

When it comes to house painting, you either love to do it or hate even the thought of the task. While you may get out of doing the application yourself, there is still the challenge of selecting the perfect color paint for your room. There are a couple of factors that complicate the selection task even more for the foreigner using Mexican brand paints. One, for many people there is the language barrier: yes, the label thoroughly explains the use and proper installation of the product but you don’t comprehend Spanish. Many seasonal residents simply rely on their past painting knowledge from in their home country instead of translating the directions.  This is not a good method for success; it seems like the crap shoot of painting.

Secondly- and probably the biggest issue to consider- is the difference the climate makes. What attracts people from northern latitudes to coastal southern Mexico is the abundance of sunshine (a minimum of 355 sunny days per year;) long dry season (typically from October to June;) and humidity (averaging from 80 to 100%  eases osteoarthritis pain). What one must realize is that these same weather issues impact every aspect of the painting process. Ever notice that Caribbean and Mexican architecture features vivid colors? One of the reasons that indigenous people selected bright colors is to compliment the abundant natural light. Using strong color tones on the buildings have the same light intensity as the sunshine.  Being so close to the equator has much stronger sun rays than northern latitudes.  Look at the color strips pictured above.  Say that you absolutely love the second from top; it would be perfect in Canada but would look weak and dirty here in the tropical light. Simply move a couple of swatches deeper in tone.

The paint manufacturers are very aware of the regional climate differences and create appropriate blends that are best suited for the conditions. This applies NOTB: the same brand paint sold in Miami has a different composition than that sold in Wisconsin. The paint sold in southwestern Mexico is designed to stand up to extreme sunlight and humidity. Be sure to look for “Pintura resistente a la humedad o de hongos” (moisture resistant) on the label. The salt air along the coast is brutal, significantly shortening the expected lifetime of paint, whether on masonry, wood, or metal. A good rule of thumb is that for protected areas, such as inside a home or exterior under roof, you can rely on a good quality paint to last for the expected lifetime. However, the same quality paint exposed to direct sun and rain will need replacing in about three years (of a ten year expectancy). No criticism of the paint manufacturer, it’s simply the harsh weather conditions break down the properties of the paint.

      

As a dedicated DIYer who has been painting rooms since I was twelve, I’ve learned a lot about paint the hard way. Absolute rule number one: buy the best quality paint that you can afford for the lasting results. Getting the best quality on sale is a useful strategy. The same goes for purchasing brushes: have a couple of professional grade trim brushes. It makes a HUGE difference in your enjoyment level and the appearance of the painting. That being said, I do use cheap brushes for oil based applications when painting the wrought iron- I hate spending the time to try to clean up the brush only to find that the next day the brush is stiff and doesn’t perform well. Therefore, I just use a brush one day for oil painting and throw it out. 

 Another absolute rule is that you must prepare the surface.  I know, I know, it is just no fun to sand and clean a wall; and it’s especially tedious to sand the ornamental wrought iron. The lasting quality of a paint job is in the preparation. Using the proper primer makes all the difference in lasting quality too. But in the long run that prep time helps ensure the longevity of the paint adherence. Besides, since the invention of the blue painters tape, I feel like I have really upped my painting skill level.

Meet the Big Three Mexican Paint Brands:  I LOVE Mexican paints! I find that Comex, Berel, and Prisa have outstanding performance for the climate conditions. Once I mastered the art of selecting the desired-just-perfect color by going with a deeper tone of the color that I envisioned, I have been thrilled with the results.

 Although there are dozens of smaller paint companies that sell their brand at hardware stores, most gringos will probably go to one of the big three brand stores for their purchase. Today, Comex Group is the world’s largest exclusive paint retail network with more than 3,700 stores, but 50 years ago the company was just a hardware store in the center of Mexico City. According to Coatingsworld.com, “All Comex products are designed and tested for durability in the hot, humid climate of the Southeast region of the United States and all of Mexico where paint failure due to mildew and fading are major concerns.” 

“What sets Comex paint apart is the fact that it is designed according to the client’s needs,” Cohen notes. Each regional company produces paint formulations that have been rigorously tested to perform in specific climate conditions. In addition, the company has a strict quality system for the materials it buys, the processing of its products and its delivery. “That has made our products very well received by our consumers and that’s why we sell so well,” company CEO Cohen says.   

                                    

With all the technology and innovation behind Comex’s paint and coatings, their performance is guaranteed. The company has a corporate goal to not only be ahead of its competitors in quality, but in choices, as well. This is my favourite paint to work with as it is practically drip-free besides providing excellent coverage over concrete.