Egypt’s audacious New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the desert includes plans for the tallest building, the largest mosque and the biggest cathedral in Africa, and a capital shimmering with new office space and housing. It’s a huge opportunity for the construction industry and businesses like Delemar, the region’s largest supplier of aluminum facades, windows, doors and other architectural products. It has acquired a reputation not only for the quality of its products, and their finish, but also their long-term durability.  

Supporting Delemar in maintaining this reputation is the range of Interpon D superdurable and hyperdurable powder coatings from AkzoNobel. It is these products, along with the specific skills provided by Interpon’s Technical Services team, that are helping Delemar to seize the opportunity that the NAC presents. 

Delemar began its partnership with Interpon in 2017, specifying its products for its original horizontal powder coating line. Since then, and the opening of a new vertical line in 2022, it has significantly ramped up production, and the volume and range of Interpon products it uses. 

Working on various ‘mega’ projects in the desert and on the coast requires powder coatings with the performance to match. Egypt has many extremes of temperature, with high salinity in the air and frequent sandstorms. To that end, Delemar has access to the full range of Interpon D architectural powder coatings, including those from its Futura and Structura ranges that are tested against the leading industry specifications such as Qualicoat Class 2 and Class 3, GSB Master and Premium and AAMA 2604 and 2605.  

AbdulRahman Obaid, in charge of powder coatings at Delemar explains: “The consultants and engineers we work with need a guarantee and the certificate to prove that the powder coatings will protect their buildings over the long term,” he says.  

“For the superdurable D2000 range, that means up to 25 years, and up to 30 years for the hyperdurable D3000 range. It means not only protecting against corrosion, but also maintaining the integrity and stability of the color from the damaging effects of harsh sunlight.” 

Delemar benefits from AkzoNobel’s ability to deliver bonded metallic powder coatings to local customers with the opening in 2022 of a new manufacturing facility in Egypt. With AkzoNobel’s special bonding techniques, it can significantly improve the luster and finish of its premium special effect metallic powder coatings to deliver a uniform metallic finish with even greater color consistency and performance. 

“This has helped transform the products we create for our customers,” AbdulRahman Obaid says, “and having a partner with a global capability that is able to deliver locally is very important to us.” 

Proximity not just of manufacture and supply but also technical support is essential: “We work closely with Interpon’s Research and Development (R&D) and Technical Services Teams in helping us to determine the right specification and product for a particular application, and making the most out of our coating line,” he continues.  

“AkzoNobel specialists are also effectively the intermediaries between our business and the market, because their opinion is trusted.” 

Sustainability has also been a key benefit in working with Interpon. Being a powder coating, Interpon is free from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), meaning it is less harmful to the environment. It also creates little or no waste in application. “Sustainability is very important to us as a business, not only protecting the environment and our people but also reducing the consumption of natural resources,” AbdulRahman Obaid adds.  

The building of the new, as yet un-named City is likely to keep Delemar’s production lines running for some years to come, and it is also working on major projects across the rest of North Africa – including Algeria and Morocco – as well as further field.  

AbdulRahman Obaid says its partnership with Interpon will only get stronger: “I have known and worked with Interpon for many years,” he concludes, “and AkzoNobel has the best products, great people and excellent R&D that gives me confidence we will be working with them well into the future.”