Gulf Construction Online - Mimco offers European solutions

gulfBID Review

Mimco offers European solutions

01 June 2010

EUROPEAN companies participating in gulfBID 2010 last month through Bahrain-based Mimco Group’s Euro Arabian Business Centre were delighted with the interest they generated among business visitors at the fair.

The Czech Republic’s K&H Kinetic Group fielded enquiries about its products and services in the areas of wastewater treatment, drinking water purification, sludge treatment, biogas power plants, industrial control systems and plant upgrading and modernisation.
Business director Jiri Rosicky highlighted that the group could offer Gulf authorities turnkey services right from consultations to procurement of equipment, installation, commissioning and operations. The company offers wastewater treatment plants and drinking water facilities for small communities and moderately large populations. The portfolio includes supplies of switchboards; piping systems; steel structures and programmable control systems, not only for water management plant but also for industrial processes such as furnaces, drying plant and manufacturing lines. Over the past 20 years, the group has been actively involved with the development and modernisation of wastewater treatment plant in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

From Portugal came Moveis Lusiadas, a manufacturer of finished wooden furniture for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms.
The company’s home market accounts for 30 per cent of sales, with Spain making up 50 per cent and the UK 15 per cent.
From its factory in Leiria, Moveis Lusiadas currently makes 75 furniture ranges weekly. Sales executive Luis Cipriano said the figure had substantially plunged because of the economic downslide. “With demand still low in Europe, we’re seeking penetration in the Middle East, mainly the Gulf. There have been a lot of enquiries at gulfBID, especially for our children’s range Fazde Conta.”
The company’s fastest-selling product is Glamour accounting for 35 per cent of sales, which is closely followed by Vintage at 30 per cent. As well as manufacturing under its own name, the company produces a small amount of furniture under contract for non-company brands.
Zoltan Magh, manager of Slovakia-based LC Wood, producer of goods ranging from building materials to completed high-gloss free-standing furniture, reported he would be busy in the weeks following gulfBID. The company is following up on several enquiries made by interested Middle East parties, mainly for building timber.
“We’re aware this region has not been affected by the crisis and we feel this is a good market for our products,” Magh said.

The company offers building timber as beams, boards and planks; building products such as windows, interior and exterior doors, and staircases; and semi-finished and finished products including furniture and furniture parts.
“Our most important products are customised doors and windows. We use German hardwood which has good insulation properties, is sound-proof and has UV (ultraviolet) protection,” said Magh. “Next in importance is building timber. We use Slovakian spruce wood which has a good reputation as it is sturdy wood and as good in quality as any from Austria or Germany. In fact, we supply to Austria.”
At gulfBID, officials of Graf-Holztechnik encouraged business visitors to try wooden structures for residences, malls, sheds and factories.
Michael Bauer, managing director of the Austria-based company, reminded them that wood was a fascinating building material combining special aesthetic properties with a multitude of physical and biological advantages.
“Graf-Holztechnik uses state-of-the-art computer technology in all stages – from static design and engineering to production – ensuring maximum safety and economy while leaving room for the designer’s creativity,” said Bauer.
“We use 95 per cent spruce and five per cent larch for the exterior on bridges and observation towers. They afford good resistance in harsh climates and are water-resistant.”
Wood components are connected by thin (5-mm) steel sheets and clusters of tempered steel pins. Bauer said the company’s stall received around 50 visitors representing hotels, power houses and shopping malls. “We’d like to prove we can make a contribution to some of the big projects planned in the region,” he added. Bauer calculated his firm could assemble and complete a shopping mall structure with a 20,000-sq-m roof in just 20 days.
Czech company Albo showcased its repertoire of doors and windows at gulfBID. The windows are available in wood or aluminium plus a combination of wood and aluminium.
The company’s representative Pavol Kurilla, noting that aluminium was popular in the Gulf, said: “One of our options is aluminium-clad windows. This arrangement presents a modern weatherproof façade to your home while maintaining the same warm ambiance in the interior.”
He added that aluminium cladding on windows extended their lifetime with maintenance typically lower than in the case of timber exteriors.
Aluminium-clad wooden windows come in pine, spruce, oak, larch and meranti.
The company’s range includes wooden windows, wooden Euro windows, aluminium-clad windows, eco windows, folding sliding doors, sliding glass walls, doors, decking tiles, glazing and special products such as conservatories and sectional garage doors.
The wooden Euro windows are made in profiles of 68, 78 and 92 mm and the company offers more than 150 types of wooden entrance doors.