Dubai-based Hira Industries’ Adhesive Tapes Division (Hira ATD) says business this year continues to be good as many of its UAE-based customers including fabricators and manufacturers in the aluminium and glass industries are active in some Gulf markets including Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The company is heartened there is demand for its products in certain quarters despite the slowdown in its own home market of Dubai. Ever since its inception in 1996, Hira ATD has been a prominent player in the making of speciality tapes. "We have constantly upgraded our state-of-the-art facility to produce high-quality products to meet customers’ requirements and specifications," says a company spokesman. As well as its Diamond brand products, the company represents international manufacturers in the Gulf region such as Scapa Tapes UK and Norton-Thermal Bond from Saint Gobain, US. One of the leading products from the Thermal Bond series is the Norton-Thermal Bond V2200 structural glazing tape. Describing the product, a spokesman for Hira ATD says "It is most commonly used as spacer for two- and four-sided structural glazing and designed to hold glass and other cladding material at a set distance from the substrate to create proper joint design. The product is available in a number of sizes and configurations and used in conjunction with structural sealants." Applications Its applications include structural silicone glazing; thermal break on storm windows and doors; curtain walling. The product offers thermal resistance. "The Thermal Bond is a cellular foam that contributes to the tape’s low thermal conductivity. The foam acts as a thermal break to help and reduce heat loss/gain through the curtain wall system, and can assist in reducing condensation at framing. Thermal interruption is an important consideration when using insulated glass units, which commonly use a metal spacing material that can act as a thermal bridge, potentially exposing the curtain wall framing to exterior temperatures," the spokesman explains. "Another important feature is its compatibility Thermal Bond spacers have been tested by many structural sealant manufacturers and have not been found to have any compatibility issues. The products have been used with many of the construction materials frequently used for structural glazing and cladding." The product has also been designed to function under a variety of climatic conditions. Its open cell structure allows airborne moisture to reach the silicone for optimal curing, says the spokesman. The company has been supplying this product to manufacturers of aluminum composite panels and profiles for cladding and glazing applications. On high-rise buildings these tapes are used as spacers along with structural silicone sealants, the spokesman adds.
