Kolor Expressions, a win-win

IT was described as a win-win for all involved, when Kaleidoscope and Bhagwansingh’s launched the Kolor Expressions Kiosks at Bhagwansingh’s Hardware in Sea Lots, Port of Spain, on December 12.

The Kolor Expressions Kiosks is a collaboration between Kaleidoscope and Bhagwansingh's, where kiosks have been set up in all branches of Bhagwansingh’s to help customers use different colour paints to get the colour they want.

Kaleidoscope Paints Ltd CEO Dale Parson said, “It is a win-win for the consumer, it is a win-win for the Bhagwansingh’s, it is a win-win for Kaleidoscope.”

Describing how the partnership between Kaleidoscope and Bhagwansingh’s benefits all involved, Parson said, “This arrangement that we made is unique because traditionally you have to buy mixed paint outside in an independent colour shop like Sherwin Williams. What we are doing, we are partnering with the hardwares, rather than competing with them and opening independent stores. By doing that we are adding value to the consumer so they could come in here and rather than just get mixed paints of the shelves such as Apple White, you could choose any colour you want and match…in two minutes you get any colour you want (at the kiosks).”

Parson reminded consumers of the quality of Kaleidoscope paint. He said, “The quality (of the paint) is foreign quality, but it is half the price.”

Balliram John, group marketing manager at Bhagwansingh’s, said customers now have thousands of different colours to choose from.

“In the past you had a limited number of colours – let’s say 20 or 30 colours – now you have 3000. In addition to which, the technology that they have launched is one which they could take a copy of the pen you have in your hand and get a colour identical to it. The technology has advanced a lot.”

Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon, who attended the launch, was happy to see the collaboration.

She said, “We are in support of the collaboration. It is a win-win for everyone. At the end of the day the customer benefits. We are happy to support our manufacturers. The government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, continues to provide services and products for manufacturers and we are in strong support of not only the manufacturer Kaleidoscope, but also the collaboration between Kaleidoscope and Bhagwansingh’s.”

Gopee-Scoon said Government will continue to support local manufacturers who want to export and become more competitive internationally. “We want to assist businesses in becoming more and more competitive so that they could face the international markets beyond the Caricom region. The Caricom region is very important, but it is almost saturated hence our focus into the Latin American region in particular. We continue to assist our exporters and we understand that this particular product is already in several islands in the region,” she said.