Caribbean Manufacturer Introduces World’s First Single-Base Dry Tinting System
By St. Pauls News Team
June 14 2026 | Business
Harris Paints has become the first paint company in the world to offer decorative paint tinted with advanced dry pigment pearls using a single-base colour system, marking a major breakthrough in the global paint industry.
The new technology was unveiled at a launch event this week at Harris Paints’ Corporate Headquarters in Barbados, further strengthening the company’s impact on the global paint industry since the introduction of its Quantum i12 colour system four years ago.
The Quantum i12 system, which is used at retailers across Antigua, was a first in Caribbean innovation, allowing a single base to be used to make cleaner, clearer colours that are more accurate and consistent. The technology has since expanded through The Quantum Corporation, a subsidiary focused on continuous innovation. The company has developed a proprietary AI-driven colour matching engine and now licenses the technology to paint companies around the world.
As a result, paints developed through innovation originating in the Caribbean are now being sold in markets as far away as Italy and Bangladesh, with additional countries continuing to come on board.
The latest extension of the Quantum i12 technology platform is the new Quantum Dry system, which uses innovative solid pigment pearls from advanced materials and colour solutions specialists Vibrantz Technologies to colour single-base paint.
Unlike traditional architectural paints that are tinted-to-order using liquid colourants, the Quantum Dry system further enhances accuracy, repeatability, and sustainability throughout the tinting process.
“The beauty of dry tinting is its simplicity,” explained Angelo Vincenzi, co-CEO of The Quantum Corporation.
“There are actually many technical factors required to control liquid colourants precisely to ensure they perform as expected. Vibrantz Technologies has developed a specialized process that encapsulates pure pigment—without water—into a dry pearl. This makes the Quantum Dry tint system cleaner, simpler, and very robust. We see it as having significant future potential.”
Dry pigment tinting using pearls has been gaining traction globally in recent years, particularly in Europe, where environmental regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. However, until now, dry pearl technology had not entered the Caribbean market and was only available in traditional multi-base systems.
“Dry tinting is an important direction for the industry,” added Antonio Vasconcellos, co-CEO of The Quantum Corporation.
“Quantum Dry is a more sustainable approach to tinting. By reducing additives, introducing more easily recyclable packaging, and limiting the carbon footprint, the system significantly reduces environmental impact without sacrificing performance.”
In fact, the pearls allow for even more accurate and repeatable colours due to their specialized dispensing process, building on the already unique Quantum i12 single-base approach.
Colour Delivery Manager for the Harris Paints Group, Don Gooding, also highlighted the benefits of the innovation.
“The Quantum i12 system has been a game changer, allowing us to offer paint retailers around the region substantial operational advantages and improved efficiency, including reduced inventory and storage demands, simplified stock management, and exceptional colour performance standards.
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“It has simplified and streamlined the colour production process and is delivering better results than ever in colour consistency and colour matching. We are thrilled to be the first paint supplier in the world to partner with Quantum and Vibrantz to access this new dry technology for single-base tint systems and look forward to seeing how it will best fit into our infrastructure and footprint going forward.”
Harris Paints will debut dry pigment tinting in its most environmentally friendly paint line, Ultima Pure Zero VOC Interior Flat Emulsion, which will be the first product available tinted with the Quantum Dry system.
The system will initially be available only at the company’s Wildey retail location in Barbados.
“We see this as a historic first step and we will be working on a phased rollout to support continued long-term performance, consistency, and scalability. Within the next year, we expect to expand our offering to include more paint lines while strategically introducing Quantum Dry across our markets,” said Luke Ticknor, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Harris Paints.
“This technology is yet another first-to-market innovation for Harris and exemplifies the growing global reach of Harris through Quantum innovation. With Quantum Dry, we are not simply launching a new colour system; we are helping to shape the future of sustainable paint technology.”