UAE- Mapei eyes 40% sales growth 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Mapei, the leading global manufacturer of adhesives, sealants and chemical products for buildings, expects a 40 per cent growth in sales this year and also sees very positive next year, according to Stefano Iannacone, managing director of its UAE subsidiary.

The group has 65 subsidiaries with 62 production facilities in operation in 30 countries. The company ships more than 20,000 tonnes of products each day to more than 55,000 customers worldwide. The UAE subsidiary Innovative Building Solutions (IBS-Mapei) commenced production in February 2009, at its 40,000 sq.m2 facility at Dubai Investments Park.

"For us this year is very good as we are increasing our sales considerably. We plan to close 2012 between 35 and 40 per cent above last year despite the contraction of construction industry in terms of projects," Iannacone told Khaleej Times in an interview at The Big 5 show in Dubai.

This year is Mapei's eighth consecutive year of participation in the exhibition and major highlight is that the company is celebrating its 75th founding anniversary and the fifth year since opening its UAE office.

"It's a right platform for strengthening relationship with existing customers and to make new customers. We believe its worth to be here. The Big 5 remains a very important networking platform that reinforces our marketing strategy in the Middle East region. It provides a dedicated avenue to create greater awareness and offers practical demonstrations of the strategic advantages of Mapei's extensive range of solutions. Moreover, the event brings us closer to our customers, cultivating a healthy interaction and helping strengthen our strategic alliances in the region," Iannacone said.

He mentioned that the region is very important for the company that's why Mapei invested more than 60 million over last five years in the region.

"For us its very good market, not only the UAE the whole Gulf is very promising. We have a very positive outlook for 2013 and looking at strong in the UAE and GCC," he added.

Talking about the market trend, he said there is more focus on increasing quality of construction. Adopting standards, which using the certain specified material and these strategies is advantage for companies like Mapei, he added. "We supply all those materials to make sure the compliance of standards," he said.

The market is shrinking in terms of numbers, but there is an increase in demand for quality and that's the area of business where Mapei is strong, he claimed. He mentioned that construction sector is picking up because of big infrastructure projects in the region such as airports, bridges, ports etc. but less residential.

A majority of the company's production goes into the UAE market while it also exports to Gulf countries, East Africa, Iraq and Pakistan. "Our sales are strong in the UAE. Eighty per cent of sales come from local production while 20 per cent we get from other manufacturing facilities outside the UAE," he said.

Next year, the company expects 40 per cent of products would go outside the country and 60 per cent as local sales. "We expect more exports in coming years to GCC countries mainly Saudi Arabia, Africa and Iraq.

Mapei has lined up an exciting array of products at the event, along with exclusive marketing campaigns that are designed to enhance consumer and industry appreciation for the quality and versatility of the company's solutions.

Mapei has launched its new Mapefix product line, the newest range of chemical fasteners for all construction-related anchoring needs, at The Big 5. The products officially unveiled in the Middle East during the exhibition are Mapefix EP, a chemical anchor for structural loads; Mapefix PE SF, a chemical anchor for light loads; and Mapefix VE SF, chemical anchor for heavy loads.