MAPEI sees 40% growth in 2012

DUBAI - MAPEI, the leading global manufacturer of adhesives, sealants and chemical products for buildings, expects to achieve around 40 per cent growth next year on its new product line-up.

By Abdul Basit

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Published: Fri 25 Nov 2011, 11:05 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 5:20 AM

The Italian company, which recorded a double-digit in 2011, look for expansion in Gulf region on rising demand for its products.“We have plans to expand into Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, among others, over the next few years,” Stefano Iannacone, managing director of IBS-MAPEI told Khaleej Times in an interview at The Big exhibition.

Mapei’s UAE subsidiary is Innovative Building Solutions LLC (IBS-Mapei). The company unveiled its innovative Ultralite S1 cementitious adhesive at the event which concludes on Thursday. “The Big 5 show is the Middle East and North Africa region’s premier building and construction event and is an important platform for us to assert our leadership in adhesives, sealants and chemical products for buildings,” he said.

“We have actively participated in Big 5 for the past several years as we believe this exhibition presents the perfect setting for us to showcase our wide range of products,” he added. Excerpts from the interview:

What are the products the company is launching at The Big5?

At this year’s Big 5, MAPEI’s product showcase was headlined by ULTRALITE S1, a cementitious adhesive specially formulated by MAPEI to complement the growing practice of sustainability under challenging construction situations, something MAPEI excels in. The material’s formulation provides both ease of installation while also safeguarding the health of the workers.

Another unique feature is the ‘Ultralite Technology’, giving Ultralite S1 an extremely low density, thus making a bag of the product 10kg lighter compared to a bag of conventional cementitious adhesive.

It also enables a 60 per cent higher yield compared to conventional MAPEI cementitious adhesives. Ultralite S1 particularly reflects our full commitment to products that deliver optimal sustainability and efficiency. It also shows our focus on novel chemistry coupled with the latest in manufacturing techniques to develop pioneering products that suit prevailing market needs.

How many products you produce locally in the UAE?

MAPEI has a 40,000 m2 manufacturing facility at Dubai Investment Park. We manufacture around 75 per cent of our products here locally and we import the rest from our headquarters in Italy.

Do you meet the local demand?

Yes, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Dubai Investment Park ensures that our scale of production is sufficient to adequately meet the demand of the local market.

We are now fully equipped to manufacture specially developed adhesives and related products that match the specific requirements of our customers in the UAE and across the region. Going forward we will continue to aggressively invest in new technology and knowledge to maintain our competitive edge as a global leader in the production of adhesives, sealants and chemical products.

Do you also export products out of your manufacturing facility in the UAE?

Yes, so far in 2011, we have exported products that were manufactured in the UAE to markets such as Qatar, Bahrain, among others.

Do you have any expansion plan for the Gulf region?

MAPEI sees huge potential for its product offerings in the Gulf region, and accordingly we have plans to expand into Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, among others, over the next few years.

There are a lot of brands in this line of business, especially Chinese products. How do you see the competition?

Undoubtedly this is a very competitive industry.

However, we are confident that an increasing number of people are recognising our commitment to ensuring consistently high quality of products, which has significantly helped us face competition.

Importantly, we have a major advantage over Chinese products as we are based in the UAE and therefore know the pulse of the market better.

Our strong commitment to the region is underlined by the development of products that are specially designed for the climatic conditions in the UAE and the region.

More and more people are recognising the benefits of investing in quality products that can successfully withstand the test of time. In other words, people are choosing long term benefits over small term financial savings.

What’s your annual sales from the UAE and GCC markets in 2011?

We have consistently achieved excellent performance in the regional markets in recent years. In 2011 we are on course to achieve double digit growth, driven by the growing demand for our innovative products across the region.

How do you see next year in terms of your sales?

We are confident of achieving between 30-40 per cent sales growth in 2012, especially given the response to our latest product offerings and with the launch of products like the Ultralite S1 cementitious adhesive that has been specially formulated to complement the growing practice of sustainable construction.

You produce one of the important products of construction sector. What’s your opinion about the current state of industry and next year forecast?

In 2012, MAPEI is celebrating its 75th anniversary globally and 5 years in the UAE. We are optimistic about the next year and are aiming at more growth by increasing market share.

—abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com


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