Dubai, UAE – 06 August 2008
Caparol, the developers and producers of high quality exterior and interior paints, enamels, glazes and structural coatings, has revealed the extent of research and technology that was input into the painting of the majestic Beijing Olympic Stadium.
The brilliant red that resonates from behind the mesh architecture, which gives the stadium an affectionate nickname - ‘the bird’s nest’ – is already a signature element and helping to turn the stadium into a landmark for the Chinese capital.
With the Olympic Games set to begin on August 8th, the stadium underwent a multi-phased programme designed and managed by Caparol that went far beyond a mere lick of paint.
The extent of the Caparol’s involvement in Beijing’s Olympic Stadium came about as a result of a partnership with Swiss architects, Herzog & de Meuron who worked with Caparol on Munich’s Allianz Arena.
“We have already had a close and successful association with Herzog & de Meuron and our work with them in the past led to their recommendation on this prestigious project,” says Reinhard Franz, Manager of the Planning and Property Service, Caparol.
Caparol is the market leader for building paints in Germany, Austria and Turkey and with approximately €1 billion turnover is the largest private paint manufacturer in Europe in the decorative paint market. However, Caparol’s operations span from Europe to the Middle East (Headquartered in Dubai) and all the way to markets in the Far East, such as China.
“Our business is expanding globally, and in particular in the GCC and places such as the Far East. The Olympic Stadium in Beijing is a magnificent project to be involved with and our work there is a demonstration of a technological and management capabilities,” says Gary Seabrook, General Manager of Caparol LLC based in Dubai.
The brilliant red that emanates from the nest like structure was a combined effort from Caparol’s team in Ober-Ramstadt in Germany and Caparol in Shanghai. Once the project was clearly understood it was obvious that there needed to be a highly sophisticated coating in order to deal with the climatic and environmental conditions prevalent in Beijing and the high wear and tear expected in a stadium environment where crowds gather constantly and keeping things clean is important.
As a result, Caparol developed a special coating which has along with the obligatory optimum physical properties of durability, low soiling and high mechanical stress-resistance, also very high light-fastness.
“Without this light-fastness the durability of the generally problematical shade of ‘red’ cannot be guaranteed,” reports the Manager of the RMI, Dr. Engin Bagda.
The special paint for the stadium in Beijing is particularly characterised in terms of durability, resistance to weathering, non-fade shade stability and cleanliness. It will now be offered internationally under the designation of “Amphibolin”.
“The work in Beijing was a genuine team effort and reflects the character of Caparol that, when faced with a practical challenge in a local project, the group will bring all the international resources of the Caparol group to bear and provide a technical solution of the highest order. So it is a globally recognized project that required our genuine global strength,” adds Gary Seabrook.
