Company Introduction

Company Name: China Paint Manufacturing Company

Year of Founding: 1932

Mainstream Products: paints product

Brief History:

China Paint Manufacturing Company is among the few paint companies that were founded before World War II that are still selling its products. The company was registered in 1932 by Chinese American Mr Lam Kun. The first plant, which had 3 floors, was located at Arran Steet in Kowloon. Production of paints and storage of chemicals were located downstairs, while Lam and his family lived upstairs. The company's initial products included enamel paints, blending paints and clear varnishes for metal and wood, automobile lacquer and military paints. Under its trademark Flower brand, the company's products were sold in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. According to an industrial survey in 1934, the company's then production was so mechanical that the plant only had 30 workers.

In 1946, Lam re-registered the company as China Paint Manufacturing Company (1946) Limited, with its number of products expanded as compared to before the war. Automotive standard paints, tung oil primer, lacquer and luminous paints were products developed after the war, and are still being sold under the trademarks Flower brand and Giraffe brand.

In the late 1950s, the company acquired land in Kwun Tong to build a new factory. The new plant was safer than before, with production separated from the storage of the flammable solvents, which were stored in underground tanks underneath the building. The solvents were only pumped up above ground during production. Apart from the Hong Kong market, the company also exported enamel and spray paints to Thailand and Singapore through its agents.

Thailand and Singapore imposed import restriction on paints in the 1960s, which prompted the company to re-adjust its marketing strategy. Production of paints for construction and industrial use had increased, with local construction, home decoration and industrial use as the major targets. Among its products, latex paints for construction and interior decoration were most popular, followed by paints for metalware and plastic toys.

In 1972, the company signed a 10-year technical co-operation agreement with a major US paint manufacturer, the Sherwin-Williams Company. Under the agreement, the company brought in advanced technology to improve the quality of its paints. In 1983, under its trademark Toy brand, the company produced industrial paints which were suitable for spraying toys, electronics and electrical appliances.

During the 1980s, the company set up plants in mainland China for paints and coatings processing, for the production of pyroxylin lacquer for wooden products. In 1988, a plant occupying 20,000 square meters was built in Sai Kung and production commenced. From 1 July, 1993 onwards, the company moved all its production lines to mainland China, and the plants in Hong Kong ceased production.

During the 1970s, the second generation of the Lam family started taking care of the family business. In 1991, the company became a major subsidiary of China Paint International Holdings Limited (now known as CNT Group Limited). The group was officially listed in Hong Kong in May 1991. Since then, the company has been running as a modern enterprise, with its production base in mainland China, and the mainland and Hong Kong as its major markets. In 2007, the company re-registered as China Paint Manufacturing Company (1932) Limited.