UAE-based Meaptashi Corporation, which markets central air conditioning equipment and ancillaries in the Middle East through its head office in the UAE and branch office in the US, has joined hands with the Bahrain firm of Mohammed Fakhroo & Brothers to push sales on the island.
The two companies hosted a seminar in Bahrain to update existing customers on the Meaptashi range of products. Meaptashi vice president Ashish Tripathi, who led the presentation team, spelled out his company's objectives saying it was interested in developing franchise divisions for air conditioning equipment and ancillaries required by contracting firms and would like to work with consultants for the approval of its products while also assisting in developing technical project specifications.
Established in the UAE in 1980, Meaptashi represents some 21 mainly US and European quality manufacturers including Defensor, Switzerland (humidifiers), Novair, Italy (air handling units) and Indeeco, US (duct heaters).
Turnover from Meaptashi's operations amounted to Dh18 million ($4.9 million) in 2000 against Dh14 million in the previous year, said company president and founder Vijay Tripathi. The UAE accounted for Dh 4.5 million of the turnover in 2000, with Qatar and Lebanon next in importance with Dh2 million each.
Meaptashi is a limited liability company, privately held by the Tripathi family. The family also acquired in 1997 full ownership of Vibration Management Corporation (VIMCO), a US-based manufacturer of noise- and vibration-control products (vibration isolators, acoustical floating floors) piping supports and HVAC ducting and piping accessories. Meaptashi, UAE, is the master distributor for VIMC products in the region
Vijay Tripathi said vibration isolators and floating floors along with Novair air-handling units were the company's top-selling products in the Middle East. "VIMCO has revolutionised the vibration control industry, by implementing modular concepts in their modified product designs to allow easy reliable assembly by their worldwide master distributors," said Vijay Tripathi.
"This allows distributors to maintain inventory in component form, controlling inventory costs and providing ex-stock delivery periods. This has been the force behind VIMCO's strong export growth vis a vis other similar US-based manufacturers."
At the assembly unit in Sharjah, Meaptashi makes rubber cork pads that are required for absorbing vibrations below the machines.
The pads are mainly used in central air conditioning but have applications in other industries as well. Some 100,000 pieces are produced annually in each of five different sizes. Tripathi said Meaptashi exported those products to all regions except South America, Europe and the Far East, where VIMCO markets these products directly.
Meaptashi's product line also includes equipment from Bryan Boilers, Kewanee
Boiler Manufacturing Company, Ideal (VS) Ltd, Cain Manufacturing,
Meaptron, Leading Edge and Dwyer Instruments (all from the US); Axair, Switzerland; Manrose, UK; FMV, France, and Multimetals, India.
