The Jamal Al Ghurair Group says preparations are under way for the commissioning of its new Porcellan plant in Abu Dhabi shortly.
Following commissioning and trials, the company will start commercial production and expects the brand to be in the market before the end of this year, according to Nagi Beshara, deputy general manager, Porcellan.
A new venture from the Jamal Al Ghurair Group, which owns and operates Al Khaleej Sugar, one of the world’s largest sugar refineries, Porcellan will produce a wide range of glazed, polished, unpolished and technical porcelain tiles in sizes ranging from 40 by 40 cm to 120 by 120 cm.
The plant’s annual production capacity will be 18 million sq m of porcelain tiles per year, or 50,000 sq m per day, which will be doubled within two to three years after the commissioning.
The company says its value proposition will be a combination of three factors: design with style, guaranteed technical quality and a premium service. “We are trying to create an environment for the design community where we want to offer them fresh concepts that will enrich their ideas,” says Beshara.  
“We plan to sell premium products for the high-end segment of the market. However, we will offer products for the middle segment as well without compromising on quality,” he says.
The Jamal Al Ghurair group is also constructing another plant, Gypsemna, for the production of gypsum plaster boards, next to the Porcellan plant. Gypsemna will have an annual production capacity of 50 million sq m or 150,000 sq m of gypsum plaster boards,
Commenting on the group’s aim behind the setting up of the two plants, Beshara says: “Our strategy is to focus on those industries which are strategically important to the development of this region. Today, the Middle East imports more building materials than any other region in the world, with Dubai itself having imported materials worth roughly $60 billion last year. While the demand for building materials is increasing, the region is also facing hurdles due to price differences and delays in delivery time. We want to help the region to make it less dependent on imports.”
The group chose porcelain tiles as it believes that they would continue to be a major floor-covering product in the future. The region’s wall and floor covering market is now more fashion-oriented and the trend is mainly for glazed and technical porcelain tiles.
“We firmly believe that the timing of our project is perfect as the region’s flooring and wall industry demands something unique in terms of surface finish, colour or design. Porcelain tiles can meet these requirements in terms of their aesthetics, colour and surface finish, among other aspects. And their superior technical features can help satisfy the high-tech demands of today’s architectural designs. Another advantage is that porcelain tiles have the option to be made in large sizes,” Beshara says.
As well as the GCC region, Porcellan will also be targeting markets including the UK, Germany, France, Greece, the CIS, Australia and the US. The company’s long-term strategy is to make Porcellan a global porcelain brand.
Commenting on the initial response that the launch of its plant has had, Beshara says: “The regional industry is considering this as one of the most ambitious projects. It’s not only  the large volume of production and the latest machineries that are being installed at our plant, but also our investment in building a team of excellent technicians and management professionals that constitute our competitive strengths. Our plant’s technical general manager is one of the most experienced in the industry and was involved with the commissioning of many ceramic plants in the world.”
Most of the plant equipment is Italian, including Sacmi, Croma from LB, and Cimes. Porcellan also has machines from Cretaprint of Spain and Keda of China.
The Porcellan plant is equipped with four Croma machines, which will help the company produce tiles with a variety of aesthetic possibilities as well as high production output.
The plant complex has been designed in such a way that it can accommodate two plants. The company plans to double capacity in two to three years.
The factory incorporates space frame technology which gives more area to the plant as there are no columns in between, also making movement of goods very easy.
Commenting on the choice of Abu Dhabi as the location for Porcellan’s factory, Beshara says: “The government of the UAE has been supporting the private sector with integrated infrastructure through its various special economic zones. Our plant is located in the Industrial City (ICAD II) of Abu Dhabi and we have land of over 1 million sq m. Availability of space and unique infrastructure facilities including energy are the major reasons for selecting Abu Dhabi.”