Taking the pain out of paint

Way back in April 1977, Alan Cooper and his son, Paul, set up a paint distribution company selling its own range of paints and coatings. It was a humble beginning, but the past 42 years have seen some impressive growth at New Guard Coatings Inc. - now anything but small. If you haven't heard of them, read on.

The Cooper family is now in its third generation of leadership, with grandson Ben at the helm of this multimillion-dollar, multinational group of companies. With hubs in the U.S. (Houston and Delaware), the U.K. and Ireland, New Guard Coatings is raising the bar in the paints and coatings industry. Currently operating globally from nine offices, its team is where you need them, when you need them -- a detail Managing Director Ben Cooper is keen to develop.

"Our mission has always been to make the purchasing of industrial paint and coatings as simple and pain-free as possible," he said. "Being easy to contact, having great industry knowledge and then slowly building commercial relationships is what New Guard Coatings is all about. We are seen by our clients as a service provider, not just a paint supplier."

New Guard Coatings has an impressive portfolio of clients in multiple sectors: oil and gas, petrochemical, wastewater, energy and infrastructure. As the company has grown, so have its product offerings, now including many major brands like PPG, Jotun, Rust-Oleum and of course its own Guard range of products.

Whether it's protective and marine, general industrial, maintenance or antislip coatings, New Guard Coatings knows the way to exceed clients' expectations is by having a solution to every paint and coating issue they face. The company's own innovative range of Guard antislip coatings are engineered to meet the requirements of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and OSHA guidelines and are recognized for preventing slips and falls in the workplace.

"We know the product range we offer at New Guard Coatings is impressive. Our focus is to 'take the pain out of paint' by ensuring we offer remedies to all coating problems," Cooper added.

As with any successful company, the Cooper family realizes one secret to their success is in their recruitment of knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. Recently joining the New Guard Coatings team in Houston as president of the Americas is Steve Feldman, an industry veteran of more than 35 years. With an impressive career history, his resume reads like a "who's who" in the coatings industry: vice president of sales for ITW -- American Safety, Philadelphia Resins; director of Protective Coatings Sales for Ameron International; and director of sales, Protective & Marine Coatings, USA/Canada for PPG Industries.

What is next for New Guard Coatings Inc.? With more hubs planned to open across the U.S., it is the company's intention to be the go-to industrial paint and coatings distribution company and "take the pain out of paint."

For more information, visit www.newguardcoatings.com. For a free slip and fall traction enhancement safety survey, call New Guard Coatings at (832) 243-6680.