Eco-friendly rubber products are playing a major role in the rapid growth in the Emirates, as developers across the country heed to calls for sustainability and ‘green’ building codes, said an expert.

“We are the only producer of rubber insulation in the Middle East region that offers a versatile range of rubber insulation products to meet the requirements in the oil and gas fields, construction, shipping and automobile industries not only in terms of quality and functionality but also as far as sustainability credentials are concerned,” said Muzammil Shaikhani, managing director, Rubber World Industries (RWI), the manufacturer of closed-cell rubber insulation Gulf-O-flex, and part of Shaikhani Group of Companies.

“Our products are also designed with a high capacity to retard heat loss for hot water plumbing, liquid heating and dual temperature piping, having a flame spread rating of less than 25 and a smoke spread rating of less than 50.”

“Given the huge regional market for eco-friendly rubber insulation and HVAC products, we are confident that we will be able to reach our target revenues for this year,” he added.

In line with the projected growth of the UAE construction sector to reach $64 billion this year, RWI has outlined plans to reach its target of Dh40 million ($10.9 million) in total revenues by end of 2010.

The manufacturer’s flagship product ‘Gulf-O-flex’ - which include tubes, sheet rolls, sheets, coils, glue and tapes - are non-toxic, lightweight, top quality and can be easily installed, making it the top choice for high profile projects such as Al Raha Beach development, Saadiyat Island project and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, a company statement said.

RWI’s products are manufactured without the use of harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs), and are formaldehyde-free, have low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in addition to being dust free, fibre free and mold and mildew resistant, it added.

In addition to delivering rubber insulation products that can deal with the soaring temperatures and humidity, predominant in the Middle East, RWI is also focusing on keeping its products’ current prices stable by implementing its plan to increase production by 25 per cent this year, Shaikhani said.

The company’s strides to increase its production capacity and continuous efforts to work with partners and stockists, which are aimed at achieving greater economies of scale and thus enable it to offer its products at their current prices, he added.

“Our commitment to the regional market is demonstrated by our dedicated efforts to sufficiently address the demand while maintaining our current prices,” Shaikhani said.

“We are also focusing on incorporating further enhancements to the design of our products, which will allow our customers to benefit more from Gulf-O-Flex, thereby making us their trusted partner for all rubber insulation requirements,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service