Tag: Chemstar

Chemstar Paints Industry Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Finecoat and Shield Paints, has stressed the need for a healthy workforce and quality environment for enhanced productivity.

Giving this charge was the Deputy Managing Director (DMD), Mr. Adedayo Paseda. He spoke at this year’s edition of the annual week-long Health and Safety Week, organised by the company.

“The need for the programme cannot be overemphasised since the awareness about health and safety issues around us has been on the increase due to rapid industrialisation and the challenges posed in the lives of the workers and the operations of the company,” Paseda said.

Echoing similar sentiment, the Head of Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Toyin Robert, said the essence of the programme was to reduce health-related hazards and for the workers to cultivate the spirit of safety and health.

To ensure safe fire environment in line with the recommendations of the trainer from Lagos State Fire Service, Mrs. Esther Johnson, a Fire Superintendent I, the company expressed its readiness to identify some workers, who will be constituted and trained as the company’s Fire Marshalls.

The Assistant General Manager Operations, and Chairman of the Health and Safety Committee, Mr. Cyprian Ukpai, said that the issue of safety and environment should not be seen as the workers as management issue, but rather as the concern and responsibility of all and sundry in order to live a healthy life.

Tagged: ‘Healthy Lifestyle: Key to Personal Productivity,’ the four-day programme had in attendance over 1,000 workers who were taken through daily health routine and environment safety at workplace and at home.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Chemstar Paints Industry Nigeria Limited, manufacturer of Finecoat and Shield Paints, Dr. Emmanuel Aderemi Awode, has described the first half of this year as difficult and not very good for the manufacturing sector in the country.

He blamed the poor performance of the firm and others on declining value of the naira, Boko Haram insurgence and other challenges facing the business environment, lamenting that all these have taken a toll on sales volume.

He spoke during the firm’s half year Sales Conference, a forum where the company took stock of its operations and activities in the last six months. The event took place at the weekend at Bezer Hotel, Sango, Ogun State.

According to him, the company was able to record a marginal increase during the period over that of last year in its sales profile and turnover.

He said the forum is designed to review the firm’s activities and business operations, with a view to planning effectively for the remaining six months of the year.

He said: “But, despite the harsh economic environment, the company was still able to post a marginal increase over what it made in 2014.

 “We have very marginal increase for 2015 over 2014 and that is expected considering the fact that 2015 has not been a very good year for manufacturers. This half year sales conference is critical to our operations considering the economic situation in the country and the need for us, as a company to plan and re-strategise for the remaining part of the year in order to have a successful financial year in 2015.”

He said Boko Haram, recent fuel crisis and the general elections greatly affected the manufacturing sector. He expressed optimism that with the new government that is determined and passionate about moving the sector forward by creating a friendly business environment, the company would be able to post better results for the remaining part of the year.

He said management has however mapped out strategies to combat the harsh business environment.

He appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the provision of infrastructure to spur economic development, saying the resources that should have been ploughed back to the business and create more jobs were being spent by manufacturers on running the factories, providing electricity, taking care of access roads to their factories and purchasing fuel.

He lamented that the firm’s half year expenditure rose astronomically due to infrastructural decay such as bad roads, high import duties and the general rise in production cost, which in turn affected the profit margin.

He said: “If the government could come to our assistance by fixing the infrastructural challenges, we will be able to use the money spent on these facilities to improve our manufacturing and employ more workers, thereby reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country.”

Electrifying was the word recently as Chemstar Paint Industry, manufacturers of Finecoat and Shield Paints held its annual GMD/CEO Annual Merit Awards (GAMA) at its premises in Alagbado, Lagos.

Guests and staff warmly clad in rich blue Ankara fabrics displayed deep camaraderie and threw banters, while rich music permeated the air from the background.

In his opening remarks, the GMD/CEO of the organisation, Remi Awode lauded the entire staff for their commitment, hardwork and dedication. He noted that they remain the key factor behind the success the company has recorded in the past years, and therefore deserved to be celebrated.

Awode pointed out that Chemstar 2015 GAMA award is a special one, as it coincided with the organisation’s 20 years of bringing colours to life. He said that all the members of staff of the company did well in the 2014 financial year, but there are some who performed exceedingly well.

“I have passion for the industry. I studied Industrial Chemistry and I worked with a paints company for about two years, where I developed interest in paints production. I love what I’m doing here. The company is also blessed with well-qualified and motivated staff. So we work as one big family.”

The height of the day’s event was the presentation of awards and gifts to deserving staff.  The awards came in categories: Category One for members of staff who have meritoriously served the company in various capacities for a period of ten years. A total of 15 staff smiled home with a meritorious award certificate each, an LED TV set, chest-sized refrigerator and cash prizes.

Category Two has two members of staff who have also contributed immensely to the growth of the company in their departments for a period of 15 years. They went home with a meritorious award certificate, a DVD home-theatre system, an LED TV set, a refrigerator and cash prizes.

Amid joy, the awardees attested to the mentorship and fatherly role of the company’s GMD/CEO, Remi Awode. One of the Category One recipients and Head of Admin and Account, Lateef Olawale appreciated the GMD for recognising their hard work in the company in the last ten years, adding that such kind gesture is not common amongst business organisations anymore.

In his own remarks, the company general manager, sales and marketing, Fola Laguda who is another Category One award recipient described the GMD as a great man and mentor. He attributed the success he has recorded as the company’s sales manager to the challenges of the job. “For us to be where we are today, it’s been awesome and it’s about being target-driven. In a multi-products company like ours, we’ve been able to surmount all challenges.”