Age Intrade, a leading supplier of structural steel, has seen its turnover increase 400 per cent over the past five years.

“The market is going through a boom, helping companies like us to grow in volume, size and profitability,” says Asim Siddiqui, its managing director.
The company is in the process of acquiring land in the Al Aweer Free Zone (formerly known as the Building Materials Zone), which will double its capacity. “Additional storage capacity will make us one of the largest stockists of structural steel in the UAE,” he says. The company also plans to open offices in Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar.
Age Intrade was set up in Al Aweer, Dubai, in 1979. It expanded in 2003 with the setting up of Age Steel Limited in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. “We set up the Jebel Ali facility to supplement operations of our Dubai office and it has helped us grow at an even more rapid pace,” says Siddiqui.
The company basically deals in structural steel and is importing items of various grades produced from a number of steel mills around the world. It supplies most of the imports to the local market, mainly Dubai, with the balance going to neighbouring states.
“The market here is booming with so many ongoing projects. Our products are used mostly in projects such as the airport expansion, bridges, oil and gas industry structures including rigs, shipbuilding, warehousing and steel buildings,” says Siddiqui.
He says demand for Age Intrade’s products is high, but with prices also being high, the company is prospering.
“Currently we’re looking at expanding beyond the UAE.  Qatar has many gas projects going on and a lot of infrastructure upgrading. Saudi Arabia too has many resources for spending on upgrading infrastructure.  Iran is also a good market.”
The official acknowledges that having a base in central Dubai had given the company many logistical advantages.