Gulf Construction Online - $27m line boosts EGL’s global drive

Glass & Aluminium

An EGL project at Dubai International Financial Centre.

$27m line boosts EGL’s global drive

01 October 2009

EMIRATES Glass (EGL), which launched its new Dh100-million ($27.24 million) Terra G coating line last month, has set its eye on positioning itself as a global glass processor by strengthening its foothold on foreign markets.

A subsidiary of Glass, which is wholly-owned by Dubai Investments (DI), EGL is one of the leading processors of architectural flat glass in the Middle East.
“We will be leveraging the completion of our Dh175-million ($47.64 million) expansion programme and the launch of our new multimillion-dollar glass coating machinery to broaden the markets and to be a more significant player and integrated component in the European market,” says EGL general manager Ziad Yazbeck.
The Terra G coating line is set to boost EGL’s manufacturing capacity threefold up to 3.5 million sq m of flat glass products per year. This production facility upgrade has been sourced from Germany and is part of EGL’s overall expansion programme as the company relocates its entire operations to the Dubai Investments Park.
“Growth in operations and a broadened clientele have necessitated that we undertake the expansion of our manufacturing line to support our ambitions of being in the forefront of the global glass processing industry. Our expertise has also enabled us to cement our position as a leading local supplier of semi-finished glass products to contractors,” comments Yazbeck.
“Through our international engagements to promote Dubai and the UAE as a glass hub in the region, we have been able to fortify our presence in foreign and emerging markets, particularly Europe. In line with this, we have started production on our first orders which will be exported to customers in South Africa and India,” he says.
With a bed width of 3.3 m and a sputtering section 68 m long containing 20 cathode-positions (15 installed initially, including 10 rotatable C-Mag type, and five Planar magnetron), the equipment is the largest and most sophisticated armada of machinery in the Middle East, according to Yazbeck.
It can manufacture, according to the strictest standards in the glass production and processing industry, a wide range of high-performance, energy-efficient glass types with high selectivity ratios, now being favoured among architects and developers throughout the region.
Furthermore, EGL is developing green products aimed at reducing air-conditioning requirements and will be launching a new product shortly.
EGL has undertaken prestigious projects such as the Doha Gate, Emirates Towers and Dubai Airport Concourse 2 and the company is currently busy with projects worth Dh40 million ($10.89 million), including the Zayed University in Al Ain.
The company currently exports 60 per cent of its production to Africa, East Europe and Asia and for next year EGL will be looking at boosting sales by at least 20 per cent. “We are currently focusing on North Africa and are also in the process of setting up an office in Riyadh to look after the Saudi market,” he says. “Like others, we have been affected by the current economic crisis but our focus on exports has helped us.”
Yazbeck adds that product dumping from China has posed a major threat to the Gulf market which would otherwise be “good enough for everyone to survive”.
Meanwhile, EGL sponsored yet another edition of the Emirates Glass-Leading European Architects Forum (LEAF) Awards this year, a prestigious global award encompassing the architectural, design and build industries.
Held last month in Berlin, Germany, the Emirates Glass-LEAF 2009 awards received more than 150 entries and brought together hundreds of practising professionals in the industry. For three consecutive years, Emirates Glass has been the title sponsor of the renowned worldwide event, which allows entries from all companies, technologies and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world of architecture and strived to set higher benchmarks for the buildings of tomorrow.
This year’s winners included EAA-Emre Arolat Architects, David Chipperfield Architects, Woods Bagot, and Atelier Bruckner. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of The Emirates Glass-LEAF Award to Woods Bagot for its project, Qatar Science and Technology Park.
Commenting on EGL’s involvement in the event, Yazbeck says: “It reflects our genuine interest in breaking through international markets and positioning ourselves as a global glass processor of the highest calibre and in turn cementing Dubai’s position as a leading glass hub in the Middle East region. We will continue with the sponsorship of this event for years to come.”