Dubai-based Danube Building Materials, a leader in the construction, building materials and shop fitting industry, has announced plans to invest AED 50 million in aluminium and glass manufacturing by …
Dubai-based Danube Building Materials, a leader in the construction, building materials and shop fitting industry, has announced plans to invest AED 50 million in aluminium and glass manufacturing by 2009. The move is in line with the extensive growth witnessed in the aluminium market, with recent studies predicting that aluminium production in the UAE will exceed 2.5 million metric tons by 2010. In addition, the investment aims to capitalize on the steadily rising price of aluminium, which rose by 23% in the 1Q 2008 in Dubai compared to the same period 2007. Danube is a distributor of leading international brands of aluminium composite panels, profiles and sheets including Alubond, Balesco, Arabian Extrusions, Emirates Extrusions, Jindal and Al Jabbar Extrusions. The company also supplies a wide range of architectural glass products, including Saint-Gobain, Guardian and Glaverbel. In line with its growth strategy for the region, the manufacturer is continuously investing in its glass processing units, including tempering, double glazing, edge-processing, sand-blasting, drilling and notching, and decorative glass processing in a bid to raise the quality standards of its glass products. “Since we started our aluminium and glass division in April 2007, we have supplied high quality building materials to large and premium projects in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar”, said Rizwan Sajan, chairman, Danube Building Materials. “In our analysis of the present situation, we are confident that our investment in this market will result in more business prospects for us, which will further strengthen our position in the regional market”. Recent studies have shown that the Middle East contributes 5% to the global volume of aluminium production; however this figure is expected to increase based on the 42% growth in regional aluminium production between 2002 and 2007. “The booming construction and real estate industry continues to fuel our high expectations for the regional building materials market”. “We are directing our focus to address the massive demand in the market by providing a steady supply of high grade glass and aluminium products from Belgium, France, Germany, USA, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, China and Bahrain. Through this strategy, we aim to establish Danube as a prominent and trusted partner for developers and contractors across the region”, concluded Mr. Sajan. Danube is one of the largest building suppliers in the UAE and the region with an extensive portfolio of 10,000 products ranging from MDF, plywood, timber, laminates, veneers to sanitary fittings, hardware, ironmongery, aluminium and glass amongst others. In 2004, the company began its operations in Jebel Ali with a 19,000-square metre warehouse and office, which serves as its regional hub and serves markets in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and India.
