Varossieau Suriname

Varossieau Suriname NV is a Surinamese paint and coatings manufacturer founded in 1959 and headquartered in Paramaribo. It began as a local production venture of the Dutch paint firm Varossieau & Cie of Alphen aan den Rijn, created to manufacture the Histor brand in Suriname and supply the Caribbean. Over the decades it passed through a series of larger corporate owners — International Coating Materials, Sigma Coatings, SigmaKalon — and since 2008 has been a subsidiary of the American coatings giant PPG Industries. The Varossieau Suriname name has been retained throughout, and the company's shares are listed on the Suriname Stock Exchange. The company operates a network of Varossieau Decorating Centers in Suriname, including its main store on Mastanaweg in Paramaribo and shops in Noord, Zuid and Nickerie. It distributes and produces decorative paints, protective and marine coatings, and epoxy floor coatings, and it markets well-known international paint brands such as Histor and PPG alongside its own retail presence. Its product range covers interior and exterior wall paints, roof paints, and industrial coatings for offshore, oil and gas, infrastructure and marine projects. Varossieau Suriname positions itself as a full-service paint supplier for both consumers and professionals, combining retail promotions and decorating centers with technical coatings expertise. Its website highlights seasonal campaigns, color-of-the-year features, and brochures for protective and marine coatings, reflecting a dual focus on the do-it-yourself market and large industrial projects. As a PPG subsidiary, it benefits from the global group's technology and brand portfolio while maintaining a distinctly Surinamese identity and local manufacturing heritage.

Varossieau Suriname NV traces its origins to the Dutch paint company Varossieau & Cie of Alphen aan den Rijn. During his fourth visit to Suriname in March 1959, director Albert van Wersch decided to build a paint factory there. His aim was to produce the Histor brand in Suriname and from that base serve the Caribbean market. Quality assurance was organized in cooperation with the laboratory in the Netherlands. To finance the venture, 125,000 Surinamese guilders in shares were issued in Suriname. A factory was built and equipment including a can-making machine was imported from the Netherlands. The company started operations on 17 September 1959 and was officially opened on 1 October 1959 by Minister of Economic Affairs Paul van Philips. In 1960 a further share issue raised almost the entire required amount of 100,000 guilders, nearly doubling the outstanding share capital. The majority of the shares remained in the hands of Varossieau in the Netherlands. In 1966 a new factory was opened in the presence of Minister Harry Radhakishun and Governor Henry Lucien de Vries. In 1979, a few years after Surinamese independence, a fully Surinamese management took office for the first time. Varossieau & Cie, and with it Varossieau Suriname, passed through several larger corporate structures over the years. In 1970 a merger with Vettewinkel created International Coating Materials (ICM). A year later ICM was acquired by the Belgian oil company Petrofina, which renamed it Sigma Coatings. Petrofina was acquired by France's Total in 1999, and the merger with Total's paint producer Kalon created SigmaKalon. In 2003 SigmaKalon was spun off, and in 2008 it was acquired by the American PPG Industries. The name Varossieau Suriname NV has survived throughout all these changes. The company is listed on the Suriname Stock Exchange. In the present day, Varossieau Suriname operates as a PPG subsidiary with a network of Varossieau Decorating Centers in Suriname, including its main store on Mastanaweg in Paramaribo and shops in Noord, Zuid and Nickerie. It produces and distributes decorative paints, roof paints, protective and marine coatings, and epoxy floor coatings, and it markets brands such as Histor and PPG. Its website promotes seasonal discounts, color-of-the-year features, and technical brochures for protective and marine coatings, reflecting its dual role as a consumer retailer and an industrial coatings supplier.

• 2008

  SigmaKalon acquired by PPG Industries; Varossieau Suriname becomes a PPG subsidiary.

• 2003

  SigmaKalon spun off as an independent company.

• 1999

  Petrofina acquired by France's Total; merger with Kalon creates SigmaKalon.

• 1979

  First fully Surinamese management takes office.

• 1971

  ICM acquired by Belgian oil company Petrofina and renamed Sigma Coatings.

• 1970

  Varossieau & Cie merges with Vettewinkel to form International Coating Materials (ICM).

• 1966

  New factory opened in the presence of Minister Harry Radhakishun and Governor Henry Lucien de Vries.

• 1960

  Additional share issue raises nearly 100,000 guilders, almost doubling share capital.

• 1959

  Varossieau Suriname founded; factory starts operations on 17 September and officially opens on 1 October.

Full-service paint manufacturer and retailer serving Suriname and the Caribbean, combining local production heritage with PPG's global coatings technology.

• Histor brand paints

  Decorative paints produced under the Histor brand, originally the reason for the factory's establishment.

• HISTOREX Aqua-Guard Roof Paint

  Water-based roof paint available in selected RAL colors.

• PPG Protective & Marine Coatings

  Coatings for offshore, oil & gas, infrastructure, marine and industrial projects.

• PPG Epoxy Floorcoatings

  Waterproof, scratch-resistant, heavy-duty epoxy floor coatings for garages, workspaces and living areas.

1. 1Home - Varossieauvarossieau-paints.com
2. 2Varossieau Suriname - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Varossieau Suriname - Wikipedia (NL)nl.wikipedia.org