Desso, a leading European carpet and sport pitches company, has announced that it has won contracts worth in excess of $1.3 million in the Middle East this year.

The company will be upgrading and replacing carpets in educational institutions across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region throughout the summer, a statement said.

“Demand for new private school facilities across the GCC, spurred by population growth, rising numbers of inbound expatriates and the increased importance being placed on high quality education, has resulted in an active pipeline of around 355 educational projects, the majority of which (92 per cent) are being developed in Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE,” the statement elaborated.

“We are concentrating on opportunities in (the educational) sector as the combination of Desso’s reputation for creative and functional flooring solutions, such as Desso AirMaster and Desso SoundMaster, meet the stringent requirements of local authorities and deliver a superb scholastic environment,” said Andre Dulka, Desso’s regional director for Middle East, Africa and India.

The summer has prompted an increased demand from both local campuses and businesses for onsite refurbishments since these establishments empty out due to the holidays, according to Dulka.

According to the company statement, some of Desso’s high-profile wins include The Cranleigh School in Abu Dhabi which selected Desso to install 5,600 sq m of its carpet tiles, and the capital’s Khalifa University commissioning a 14,500-sq-m new carpet installation.

Other projects include the Gems Schools regional rollout with a total of 20,200 sq m of carpeted space, and a number of ADEC Schools projects in Abu Dhabi, totaling 9,000 sq m.

This year, Desso will deliver its award-winning patented flooring solutions to more than 25 schools and universities covering a total area of more than 80,000 sq m, the statement concluded. -TradeArabia News Service