Alyusuf Thermo Glass (ATG), which recently introduced glass with self-cleaning effect, says it plans to open a Saudi plant to help meet demand from large-scale development projects expected to be initiated in the next few years.

The capacity of the proposed plant has not been determined yet but it is likely it will be double that of the Bahrain one, said  Hamza Qarooni, director, Alyusuf Holding’s Operations Support Division. The official said the facility would most probably be located in Riyadh.

“The projects we have in hand will keep us in full production till mid-2011 and we expect many more to be added by then to keep us busy until the end of the year and beyond,” said Qarooni. “We’re fully optimistic of the Saudi market in 2011 and we should start seeing the Qatar projects picking up by late 2011 and beyond.”

Alyusuf Thermo Glass produces daily 1,200 sq m per day of double glazed glass, 1,600 sq m of tempered glass and 250 sheets of cutting glass.

Saudi Arabia accounts for 20 per cent of sales with Bahrain accounting for the remainder. The company plans to penetrate all GCC states and will particularly focus on Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Commenting on markets that ATG is eyeing, Qarooni said demand for high-quality products exceeded supply. “With the forecasted huge infrastructure Qatar will undertake to build for the soccer World Cup in 2022, companies with proven quality products and services are guaranteed a share in the development,” he said.

In Bahrain ATG is currently supplying its products to Diplomat Offices Towers, Regency Hotel, Reef Island Lot 10, Juffair Views, Burj Hala, Seef 6, MPQ Factory and Zigzag Tower, among other projects.

ATG is also in the process of supplying to Business Gate and Al Nahdha Project, both in Riyadh.

Over the past two years the company has supplied  to projects such as City Center, Seef Mall extension, Diplomat Hotel, Fortune Tower, Regent Tower, Gulf and Country Club, Riffa Views; Shaikh Isa Library (all in Bahrain) and to Jassim Alma Tower in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Self-cleaning glass
About the self-cleaning glass, Qarooni said it was introduced for the double glazing unit. The externally applied product has thickness of only a few nanometers. In a photocatalytic process, it works with the sun’s ultraviolet rays to break down organic dirt and salt, loosening them from the external glass surface. Exposed to rain, the water will sheet because the hydrophilic effect spreads water evenly over the glass. The combination of hydrophilic surface and water results in a self-cleaning effect. The ultra-thin coating does not show any visual degradation even under constant long UV or infrared exposure.

“This is new technology in the region and we are in the process of introducing it in the market so it can be specified for some of the upcoming new projects in Bahrain and the GCC,” said Hamza.

Alyusuf Holding has contracting, trading and industry divisions plus an operations support division.

Companies within the contracting division are Alyusuf Décor, Alyusuf Glass & Mirrors, Alyusuf Aluminium and Globar. The trading division comprises Alyusuf Building Materials and Global Technical Supplies. Included in the Industry Division are Alyusuf Thermo Glass and Alyusuf Italconcept. The Operations Support Division houses the HR, QHSE, marketing and PR, finance, business support and technical support units.

All the companies within the group started from scratch except Alyusuf Italconcept, an Italian woodwork firm based in the UAE and which was acquired in 2010.

Sayed Mohamed Alyusuf is chairman of the holding company and managing director of the contracting division. Sayed Basim Alyusuf is the vice chairman and managing director of the trading and industry divisions.