Industrial powerhouse

If it were not for the interview for this story, Bassam Nazzal would have come in dressed casually for his regular day at work. The good-natured CEO of BETA says this is because he is the type of leader that is easily approachable by his team. "We are a family here, and we look after the company as if it's our own," he said with a sense of pride in his eyes.

Perhaps this corporate philosophy is one of the major reasons why BETA has become such a big success. From a small contracting firm and trading company dealing in the supply of a limited range of electrical supplies, the company has become a leading provider of electrical, LV products and solutions; cable trays trunking and cable management systems; as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning products in the Gulf region.

BETA now represents global brands in the HVAC industry such as Vortice, Rosenberg, EMAK and AFS, proving it is the preferred distribution partner of choice for some of the world's leading companies. In the LV segment, it represents Beghelli, Prazisa, Schneider, Kingston, Rexton, Belimo, Honeywell and 2M Kablo.

More impressively, BETA now has a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, where it specialises in the manufacturing of UL listed fire door and IT server cabinets; in addition to its factories in the UAE that produce a wide range of products, including grilles and registers, dampers, sound attenuators, duct heaters, and variable air volumes (VAV), to name just a few.

Recently, it has also begun manufacturing fire-related security and safety products, a diversification strategy that, according to Nazzal, is a milestone for the company since it shows continuing growth, and because it requires a certain degree of manufacturing and engineering proficiency to be able to produce such products.

Another feather in the cap of Beta Industrial is that it has risen to become one of the Gulf region's biggest manufacturers of fans, products which fall under the ventilation category of the industry where the company operates.

Of all the milestones that BETA is most proud of, it is the longevity of the staff's stay with the company. "Some of our staff have been with us for over 30 years. The youngest, if you can call them that, have been with us for six years. This is a milestone for me because it means that our employees are happy to be with us," Nazzal added.

"All our products have international certifications from internationally accredited laboratories, such as UL, AMCA, BSRIA, IMQ, ETL and AHRI, which means they have met the highest quality standards and are proven safe to use," explained Nazzal. Their operations and facilities have also obtained ISO and OSHAS certifications and have been approved by regulatory authorities, a testament to the company's unwavering commitment to operational and management efficiency and excellence.

Despite the current challenges being experienced by many in the business sector these days, Nazzal is thankful that BETA Industrial is, in his words, "in a very good place". As a case in point, BETA did not lay off any staff during the pandemic, nor did it reduce or hold the salaries of its employees. "We even managed to give a bonus to our employees," Nazzal pointed out.

What is next for BETA? It is looking into developing sustainable materials or products that it can introduce to the market; as well as how it can sustain its growth momentum into the future.