INSTEAD of shelving expansion plans in the face of the recession, paint manufacturer Haruna Singapore is brushing up its marketing plans to take advantage of the recovery.

The firm has navigated its way through the downturn and is ready to gear up again.

'The market has been quiet over these two years, and not many companies have been marketing their products due to the downturn,' said marketing director Doris Tan. 'Now that the market is starting to recover, it is the best time to work on branding and marketing our products.'

The company, which specialises in eco-friendly paints and finishings, will unveil aggressive marketing and branding campaigns in the upcoming months targeted at its markets in Singapore and South-east Asia.

Haruna will raise its profile among potential customers by participating in industry exhibitions and seminars as well as advertising in trade magazines.

'People will be able to hear us, more loudly than ever, now that the market is quiet,' said Ms Tan.

A stumbling block is its limited funds, which the company admits will restrict the scale of its projects.

Haruna is looking to fund managers, angel investors or companies in the building and construction industry, which could be interested in ploughing in investment dollars.

'If more money comes in, we can speed up our branding exercises and launch them on a bigger scale. Based on our internal resources, we'll have to carry out our plans more slowly, which may cause us to miss some good opportunities to expand in the markets,' said finance director Henry Chuang.

Mr Chuang said the business insight and equity from investors will also help Haruna set up a representative office in China so it can make inroads to that huge market.

Haruna will also use the external funding to finance a listing on the Catalist board of the Singapore Exchange. Mr Chuang estimates that it will cost between $1.2 million to $1.8 million.

Launched in 2004, Haruna has grown from a fragile start-up with 10 employees and zero revenue into a flourishing business with more than 40 workers and an annual turnover of about $10 million.

Market estimates put the annual turnover of the decorative paints industry to be around $400 million to $500 million.

The company's eco-friendly paints - it has more than 10 Green Label products in its catalogue - have been well-received at a time of growing awareness on environmental issues.

Last November, Haruna inked an agreement with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) to mass produce a special coating for outdoor paints that removes mildew and fungus.

After months of site trials and minor modifications to the product, the coating was launched in the second quarter of this year to 'good response from the market', said Ms Tan.

Insurance company Tokio Marine's office at McCallum Street and Pacific Plaza on Scotts Road are just two buildings that employ the self-cleaning coating, which Ms Tan says will lead to long-term cost savings as companies eliminate the need to clean exteriors.

Haruna also has high hopes for other products, including a paint that will insulate buildings against heat and an odourless paint for internal surfaces that reduces the smell from paint fumes by up to 99 per cent. Mr Robert Wee, director of Robert Painting Specialists, says that Haruna's odourless paint has been especially well-received by his customers.

'My clients are quite happy with the product, and it causes less health problems among children and elderly people,' said Mr Wee.

With such feedback, Haruna believes it has the products and now just needs the cash to drive it forward.

'When the money comes in, we can do our business expansion immediately,' said Mr Chuang.

'We have already targeted the markets, and have already done our feasibility studies. Everything is ready, we just need the missing element, which is the correct investor,' he added.