Equipment at the Anchor Allied factory
Sharjah-based Anchor Allied, a subsidiary of Masharie, the private equity arm of Dubai Investments, is focusing on consolidating its position as the largest manufacturer of adhesives and sealants in the Middle East, says the company. Within that context, Anchor Allied is in the process of expanding its manufacturing facility and is looking at new markets to make up for a downslide in business in other places because of political unrest, says managing director Ahmedali Husain Nalwala. Nalwala also said the company was reaffirming its commitment to increasing its presence across categories enjoying high demand. 'Our fast-selling items have been our silicone G2100 and weather sealant 2670,' said Nalwala. Going through the recent past, the official said 2010 was a good year for Anchor Allied notwithstanding the economic crisis in the UAE. 'Since our products are export-oriented, we are not relying entirely on UAE markets. As much as 60 per cent of our offerings go overseas,' he added. But Q1, 2011, proved challenging with political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, traditionally good markets for the company. He described the first quarter as 'very tough' and said: 'Unless normality returns, we do not expect 2011 to get better.' To remedy the shortfall in business in the affected areas, Anchor Allied is looking at opportunities in South Africa, Central America and the former Soviet states. The company recognises the potential of those markets and has identified an increase in demand. Anchor Allied’s parent company Masharie is the private equity arm of Dubai Investments. Nalwala: pursuing a growth strategy Two-phase expansion Earlier this year Anchor Allied launched a two-phase expansion plan that will give the plant additional capacity to produce new products within the speciality aerosols, adhesives and sealants sector. 'The two phases of expansion are adhesive and aerosol. The entire project will be completed in the second quarter of 2012. We will be including polyurethane in our range,' commented Nalwala. 'Once the expansion is complete, we will have the capacity to produce over 18 million additional cans of aerosols per year from our Sharjah factory and cater to new markets.' Established in 1995, Anchor Allied has been at the forefront in its field through introducing innovative products and solutions, which include a range of weather sealants – Asmaco 2670 – that was launched in October. 'We have consistently adhered to high industry standards, obtaining certification from recognised international regulators for our product range. Our high quality durable silicone-based products offer versatile solutions across various industry sectors and a structured approach to growth,' said Nalwala.
