Danube Group launches new panel to improve fire safety

Alucopanel, a UAE home-grown Aluminum Composite Panel (ACP) brand, has announced the launch of the region’s first government approved A1 non-combustible grade ACP, particularly recommended for building projects where very high level of fire protection is prescribed.

In case of fire incidents in buildings such as high-rise towers or schools, hospitals and shopping malls, Alucopanel A1 will never contribute to fire at all, thanks to the new A1 core technology. This makes Alucopanel the first civil defence-certified A1 grade ACP in the world.

An industrial unit of Dubai-based diversified business conglomerate Danube Group, Alucopanel Middle East started its journey in 2012, and soon captured a significant share in the Middle East’s ACP market, due to its superior technology and products.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of Danube Group, shared how the product targets a core need in the industry. “Developers earlier did not have the option of a full non-combustible Aluminium Composite Panel for cladding. There was a need, and today we are fulfilling that need by offering the highest non-combustible A1 ACP. Now, the developers have a choice to install the best product and make residents’ lives safer. Alucopanel is a completely UAE home-grown product brand.”

He added that the Dubai Civil Defence’s approval will now help the group manufacture the product on an industrial scale and export it to other countries to replicate the higher safety standard. “This way, a UAE product will not only ensure the safety of UAE residents, but also make the lives of others in different countries much safer. “

“I urge the authorities to make this mandatory for installation in high-rise towers,” he added. “Dubai is host to one of the largest collections of skyscrapers and many of them are covered with ACPs. In addition, the UAE is home to 20 per cent of the world’s tallest 100 towers. We need Alucopanel A1 ACPs. We are proud to launch the product, after getting the Civil Defence’s approval.”

Based on the performance, ACPs are classified as A1, A2, B, C, D, E, and F; with A1 being the highest rating signifying non-combustible materials. The A1 rating is the strictest fire rating standard in the world that validates a product’s non-combustible nature. This makes it an ideal choice in the development of high- rise buildings.

Fires are the biggest cause of accidents in high-rise buildings in the world and in the UAE, which has the third highest number of skyscrapers in the world after China and the USA. The UAE also hosts 18 of the world’s tallest 100 towers including the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world. Fire incidents on an average killed 43,200 people per year in 23 years, from 1993 to 2016, according to a report by the Centre of Fire Statistics. Experts say that unless old buildings are retrofitted with non-combustible core cladding, the danger of fire incidents remains high, causing material damage to the building structures as well as lives.

The global ACP market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of (CAGR) of 6.9 per cent to $6.3 billion in 2017 to $8.8 billion by 2022, according to Markets and Markets, a market intelligence provider. Increasing the application scope of lightweight aluminum composite panels in the construction industry for insulation is projected to drive the market over the forecast period. These composite panels provide features, such as lower thickness, high insulation, and superior sealing, which are crucial for building structures. The aluminum composite panels market is witnessing high growth, owing to factors such as increase in industrial and commercial activities, growth in demand from end-use industries, and increase in popularity of anti-toxic and antibacterial panels.

According to the Global Construction Report 2030 by Oxford Economics, the global construction industry is expected to reach $8 trillion by 2030. Construction of factories, manufacturing plants, stadiums, and offices has increased. This would directly influence the need for sustainable decorative building construction solutions in these structures due to which an increase in the demand for aluminium composite panels is observed.

rohma@khaleejtimes.com

Rohma Sadaqat

I am a reporter and sub-editor on the Business desk at Khaleej Times. I mainly cover and write articles on the UAE's retail, hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.Originally from Lahore, I have been living in the UAE for more than 20 years. I graduated with a BA in Mass Communication, with a concentration in Journalism, and a double minor in History and International Studies from the American University of Sharjah.If you see me out and about on assignment in Dubai, feel free to stop me, say hello, and we can chat about the latest kitten videos on YouTube.