With the push for sustainability gaining traction in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, 3M, a leading provider of fire prevention products, expects its environmentally-friendly lineup of fire prevention systems to drive its sales in the coming year. 

“As the UAE and Qatar progress towards becoming sustainable countries, we are confident that more developers, contractors and various industry stakeholders will adopt our sustainable solutions lineup of fire prevention and suppression systems as soon as next year,” says Bilal Jaber, general sales and marketing manager – Gulf Region, Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division at 3M Gulf. 

Witnessing double digit growth year-on-year, 3M Gulf’s turnover for the year 2015 – according to Jaber – has improved due to the region’s push for sustainable solutions. “Many industry stakeholders are quickly realising the benefits offered by 3M’s innovative and environmentally friendly products, which have received a stamp of approval by local and international regulators,” he adds.

PRODUCT INNOVATION

For more than 25 years, 3M has created innovative, easy-to-install fire protection products. The company is committed to innovation and continues to dedicate 5.8 per cent of its revenue to research and development (R&D) around the world. It has also rapidly expanded its R&D operations globally and now operates laboratories in 36 countries. 

To drive further global growth of the company, a specific Invest in Innovation (I3) programme was put in place in 2012 to focus on organic growth through prioritised investments in new-to-the-world platform development areas aimed at new markets for 3M. 
 

Jaber: 3M is dedicated to stringent testing and code developments

The increased R&D spending began in 2013 and is projected to stabilise at six per cent to sales by 2017.

The additional funding is aimed at injecting additional fuel to take 3M’s organic growth rate to new levels and launch new product platforms to advance its commitment to improving its business.

As an industry leader in fire stopping solutions, 3M says its dedication to stringent testing and code developments help make buildings safer today than they were even 10 years ago. 

“The construction industry is progressively moving toward easy-to-use firestop solutions, which is why 3M provides cutting-edge and fully integrated systems. These systems are designed to help efficiently build safer buildings that protect lives and property,” Jaber says. 

The majority of 3M’s fire stopping innovations are tested on-site in the company’s own UL, ULC, FM and Intertek certified fire-test centre. “By testing these systems in job-specific conditions, we help create high-quality, effective fire stopping solutions,” he adds.

GCC FOCUS

With regard to the GCC market, the company offers several solutions. However, one of the more notable solutions is the 3M Interam Endothermic Mat used for emergency circuitry protection. The 3M Interam Endothermic Mat is a flexible mat with endothermic technology that, when exposed to high temperatures or flame, releases chemically bound water to slow heat transfer and help protect critical electrical and structural components from fire.

In terms of 3M’s fire prevention product sales in 2015, the two Gulf states that took majority share were the UAE and Qatar, while the industries that saw the most interest were commercial and residential construction as well as oil and gas.

The company also takes pride in the fact that it provides integrated sustainable fire prevention and suppression solutions. “The products that we finally supply to our clients are based on their individual needs, a complete system solution for all types of firestop applications complying with Global Firestop standards,” says Jaber.

Commenting on the company’s performance for the first half of 2016, he says it is too early to determine the sales performance of this business. “However, the first half of 2016 has shown promise as clients in the region continue to be curious to learn and try our innovative and sustainable products,” he responds. 

Towards this, the company is all geared up to spread the word about its product line. “Our main objective is to increase awareness on passive fire stopping solutions to all stakeholders across the GCC. We want to educate regulators and key decision makers in every industry to use innovative and sustainable solutions that are significantly better than traditional fire prevention systems,” concludes Jaber.