Gulf Construction Online - Emirates Glass opens new line

UAE Focus

The new coating line ... will raise production capacity.

Emirates Glass opens new line

01 April 2012

AS PART of major expansion plans, Emirates Glass has launched a state-of-the-art coating line that will raise production capacity to more than 3.5 million sq m.

A leading processor of architectural flat glass in the Middle East and a subsidiary of Glass and wholly owned by Dubai Investments, Emirates Glass has installed the Dh160-million ($43 million) post-temperable coating line at the Dubai Investments Park.

Partly operational since 2011, the 8,640-sq-m coating line was inaugurated by the UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori.

Khalid bin Kalban, managing director and chief executive officer, Dubai Investments, said: “The new coating line will enable the company to capitalise more effectively on the burgeoning demand for energy-efficient architectural glass. With the system going online, we will easily meet the stringent technical specifications required for the state-of-the-art iconic projects of today.”

Dubai Investments has invested Dh1.5 billion ($408.3 million) in four glass factories and plans to invest an additional Dh800 million ($217 million) in 2013-2014. The expansion will include upgrading of the Mussafah manufacturing unit of the Emirates Float Glass (EFG) factory in Abu Dhabi, which was officially inaugurated last month.

In line with this, the company is negotiating to fund the second phase of EFG’s Mussafah facility.

Bin Kalban said his company is also exploring a sukuk to fund the expansion.

Built at a cost of over Dh700 million ($190 million) and covering 320,000 sq m, the factory has been partly operational since 2009.

With the completion of Phase One, it has the capacity to produce 600 tonnes of clear molten glass per day and over 190,000 tonnes of glass products per annum. In addition to clear glass, EFG also produces a wide variety of tinted (bronze, grey and green) and reflective coated glass.

Bin Kalban said: “We are currently in negotiations with various regional investors including banks and institutions that have indicated interest in financing the project for a loan of nearly $200 million (Dh734 million).

“The second phase of the facility, poised to be the largest in the UAE, will add another 600 tonnes a day of capacity, including ultra-clear low iron glass, bringing the total to 1,200 tonnes per day,” he said.