Having registered a 30 per cent increase in net sales last year, Rubber World Industries (RWI), the leading manufacturer of closed-cell rubber insulation ‘Gulf-O-Flex’ in the Gulf and Southeast Asia, is looking at expanding  production capacity by adding a new facility and new machinery.

“The new plant will be dedicated to producing a full line of insulation sheets and pipes and will be large enough to meet expected growth in business,” said Rizwan Shaikhani, managing director, RWI.

“We are also looking at diversifying product lines through modification and innovation. It is our practice to rely on continuous study and research for introducing new products. We are also increasing sales to existing customers and entering new markets and channels for sales distribution.”

The company attributes growth to increasing demand for rubber-based building materials across international construction. It has also witnessed a 30 per cent increase in global distribution operations.

“RWI’s geographic presence is expected to grow by 50 per cent this year via the production capacity of 60 containers per month, creation of more business and development of more Gulf-O-Flex insulation products across territories with the highest relative performance,” said Shaikhani.

“Gulf-O-Flex Insulation is globally competitive and maintaining the trend with respect to major geographies, which include North and South America, Europe, and Asia,” said the official.

Shaikhani further said: “RWI has been in the business for over two decades now and one of the reasons for our success is our ability to stay ahead of the competition and stay focused on areas of opportunity.”

The company produces products for the oil and gas, construction, shipping and automobile industries. A major share of the company’s business covers the construction building materials segment.

Gulf-O-Flex Insulation has passed the requirements of Dubai Municipality for green products (Dubai Green Building Regulations and Specifications Clause 502.11) and is highly recommended by MEP consultants and contractors.

Shaikhani: advancing to new heights

RWI products are also certified to ISO 9001:2008, ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials) and BSI (British Standard Institute).

One reason why the company has gained good market acceptance is its attention to developing energy-saving and eco-friendly products. The requirement for reduction in greenhouse emissions and the need to comply with set green building standards has driven demand for RWI’s rubber insulation across commercial and residential buildings.

Newly released products, such as Gulf-O-Flex XPE Foam Insulation and Gulf-O-Glue Low VOC, have been well received. RWI’s competitive edge also lies in its product pricing and extensive distribution network.

WORLDWIDE SUPPLIES

The company has supplied to leading property developers in the UAE and exported rubber insulation systems to more than 90 countries, including the US, Germany, Russia, Canada and Singapore.

Projects that have used its material include the Akoya Trump International Golf community and Akoya Oxygen Dubai for Damac Properties, Jumeirah Park villas, Al Barari villas and the Arabian Ranches expansion project, all in Dubai.

Supplies are ongoing to projects in Oman including Crown Plaza Hotel and the Saraya Bandar Jissah Resort development project (Phase 1).

In other comments, Shaikhani said: “In 2013, the UAE’s thermal insulation segment grew at a rate of 20 per cent because of government implementation of key building efficiency standards. Introduction by the UAE of newer building codes and new green testing and certification processes has helped drive more growth for the rubber insulation market. RWI says it supplies 15 per cent of the UAE’s insulation market out of 20 per cent of demand.

“Based on production reports from our facilities in Ajman, we have around 80 containers in stock.

 “We are committed to creating world-class efficient and durable products. We are aggressively pursuing policies to strengthen our competitive advantage and compete in an increasingly integrated, competitive global economy.”