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Johannesburg, South Africa – As Africa’s coatings industry continues its rapid expansion driven by rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, and increasing demand for sustainable construction materials, Coatings for Africa 2026 successfully concluded on June 26, 2026, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. SidleyChem, a global supplier of high-performance coating additives and construction chemicals, actively participated in the exhibition at Booth C58, showcasing its comprehensive portfolio of cellulose ethers, redispersible polymer powders, and functional additives. Through targeted product presentations and in-depth technical exchanges with industry professionals from across Africa and beyond, SidleyChem achieved outstanding results, solidifying its commitment to the rapidly growing African coatings market.

Coatings for Africa is the continent’s largest and most influential event dedicated to the coatings industry, serving as a vital hub for raw material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and technical specialists. Organized by dmg events in association with the South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA), the biennial exhibition has consistently delivered value to industry participants.

The 2026 edition brought together more than 150 exhibiting brands from over 15 countries, with Chinese companies accounting for approximately 30 percent of exhibitors — a clear indication of the growing importance of Chinese suppliers in providing competitive raw materials and inputs to Africa’s coatings sector. The exhibition attracted thousands of industry professionals, with over 2,000 attendees from more than 37 countries. Running alongside the exhibition, ChemTalks offered exhibitors a platform to showcase new products, technical innovations, and formulation expertise through focused presentations and interactive discussions, while more than 16 expert speakers addressed topics ranging from global market outlooks to paint regulations and compliance.

At Booth C58, SidleyChem presented a focused and comprehensive product portfolio specifically developed to address the formulation challenges and performance requirements of coatings manufacturers across Africa. The showcased solutions covered a wide spectrum of application areas, from architectural paints to industrial coatings, adhesives, and construction chemicals.

The featured product range included:

• Cellulose Ethers (HPMC, HEC, CMC): Delivering excellent water retention, thickening efficiency, and sag resistance for water-based paints, texture coatings, putties, and tile adhesives, ensuring consistent performance even under Africa’s diverse climatic conditions.

• Redispersible Polymer Powders (RDP): Enhancing adhesion, flexibility, and weather resistance in exterior insulation finishing systems, waterproofing membranes, and repair mortars for long-term durability.

• Functional Additives: A complete range of silicone hydrophobic powders for water repellency, defoamers for foam control, air-entraining agents, and set-accelerating or retarding agents for precise formulation adjustments.

• Anti-Cracking and Reinforcement Materials: Polypropylene fibers and powdered cellulose to improve crack resistance and structural integrity in coating and mortar systems.

All products are manufactured to high quality standards and benchmarked against leading international brands, enabling formulators to achieve reliable performance and cost-effective solutions while meeting evolving sustainability and regulatory requirements.

The successful participation at Coatings for Africa 2026 marks a significant milestone in SidleyChem’s African market expansion strategy. Looking ahead, the company plans to further strengthen its presence on the continent by enhancing supply chain resilience, expanding its technical service network, and improving customer response times. SidleyChem remains committed to increasing R&D investment in sustainable, low-VOC, and high-efficiency additive solutions tailored to evolving African market demands, empowering the continent’s coatings and construction industries with professional chemical expertise.