Multi-million dollar investment

As part of its aim to become the region´s leading architectural glass supplier, new tempering and cutting lines will be introduced at the company´s Dubai-based factory in Q4 2005. A new glass coating line will closely follow in Q1 2006.

Mr. Rashid Al Abbar, chairman of the Al Abbar Group and Mr. Jean-Luc Batkin, Glaverbel´s vice president, processed glass proudly conclude the agreement stating the transfer of the unique Glaverbel Stopray coating technology.

Commenting on the investment, Rashid Al Abbar, chairman of the Al Abbar Group said: ´A vibrant economy, population growth, and an increased focus on tourism have all fuelled the need for a constantly expanding infrastructure; accelerating the growth of the construction industry, and providing an increased demand for architectural glass - not just in the UAE, but also across the region.´

´Our new offering, combined with the increasingly global nature of the glass industry, will allow Al Abbar Architectural Glass to not only increase production capacity and product lines, but also expand its geographical operations; to serve customers outside the Middle East,´ added Al Abbar.

The introduction of Glaverbel´s Stopray technology will allow Al Abbar Architectural Glass to start producing sophisticated solar and energy control coatings which have, to date, been unavailable in the region. This will help to meet the stringent local building regulations and increasingly demanding specifications. Marketed by Al Abbar Architectural Glass under the trade names COOLRAY, COOLPANE & e-COOL, the coated glass will be offered in the highest selective range of low emissivity (low-e) coating types and a diverse but selective solar control range, designed and developed to offer the optimum choice of aesthetics and performance.

Al Abbar added:

´I am really proud to be able to make the unique Glaverbel Stopray coatings available in our region and to give the customers a top quality solar control coating together with fast delivery times. We look forward to offer this highly sophisticated coated glass range to existing and new customers, thus complementing our existing comprehensive heat-treated, laminated, curved, insulating, and screen printed product range - all with the efficient service our customers have come to expect from Al Abbar Architectural Glass.´

A crucial element is the commitment of Glaverbel, a world-leader in coating technology, to support Al Abbar Architectural Glass in the advanced transfer of the Stopray coating technology. Commenting on the agreement, Mr. Jean-Luc Batkin, Glaverbel´s vice president processed glass said: ´We are happy to conclude this agreement with a long time partner and I am fully confident of Al Abbar´s ability to brightly establish the Glaverbel Stopray technology in the Middle East´.

In addition to the coating line, the Tamglass ProE MAGNUM - produced by Glaston Technologies, the leading supplier of glass processing machinery - will be capable of tempering glass up to 7.2 x 3.3 metres in size, enabling the company to respond not only to the frequent demand for larger glass openings, but also ensure increased and optimized output. A new automatic glass cutting machine from Lisec will be incorporated into the line to support the tempering machinery - the world´s largest Low-E tempering line.

Alistair Kellock, managing director, Al Abbar Architectural Glass added: ´These increased offerings, combined with the assurance of quality; use of state-of-the-art technology; and track record for delivering projects on time all help Al Abbar Architectural Glass in its quest to become the region´s top glass company. Partnering with companies such as Glaverbel, Lisec and Tamglass - industry leading suppliers of technology and equipment - demonstrates our drive for excellence in everything that we do.´