UAE recognised as a booming market and regional hub for the global glass industry

Over 140 exhibiting brands from 27 countries arrived in Dubai to participate at Gulf Glass, the largest flat & container glass event in the region, which opened yesterday and will run until September 27 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. 

With more than 10,000 construction projects currently active in the GCC, the demand for glass and glass related products is booming, making Dubai the regional hub for global manufacturers to meet and do business.

German exhibitor Jan Ziesak, Sales Director of CERION Laser, confirms: “Just look outside: it’s full of facades and glass everywhere, which we can process and decorate; there are immense opportunities here.” The company has sold its first glass processing machinery in Saudi Arabia four months ago, and predicts the UAE market to soon become a major one for the international glass business.

Bringing the latest in laser technology to process glass with both surface marks and subsurface engraving, CERION Laser promises low production costs and unprecedented opportunities for decorative glass that the outdated sandblasting techniques cannot provide. “Glass is the new artwork for interior design and building materials,” states Mr Ziesak.

Indeed, today a wide range of glass solutions are used by architects and interior designers in the region: “From shower products with decorative or satin glass, to anti-slip floor products, to the latest satin mirrors,” Turkish exhibitor Yourglas is exporting its entire range of glass solutions to the UAE, according to Alkim Tatli, Sales & Marketing Manager of the company. “We export in 55 countries, from Canada to New Zealand, but the Gulf region is a special market for us, where we have many ongoing projects and clients,” adds Mr Tatli.

Chinese exhibitor, SGU Glass Technologies Co, agrees: “The UAE and GCC markets are doing great, and we believe there’s a lot of potential in the region; that’s why we brought our machines to Gulf Glass, which actually attracted big crowds to our stand,” says company representative Jennifer Xun. The 2.5m wide and 3.6 m long glass grinding machine on display is one of the many products SGU Glass Technologies is exporting to UAE based glass processing companies, which then supply glass to the contractors in the construction sector.

More than just a decorative solution for the building and interior design industries, however, glass is a major packaging material that is also 100% recyclable. At Gulf Glass, Technical Supplies and Services Co. LLC (TSSC) is presenting its new range of PEL Bottle Crushers and the first national closed-loop glass bottle recycling programme.

When empty bottles are returned to the bar or service area, they can be easily inserted into the bottle crusher instead of being thrown into waste bins to be managed at a later stage. “Empty glass bottle waste should be recognised as a valuable recyclable commodity,” states Brand Manager, Erickson Daiz.  

Gulf Glass 2017 is co-located with FM EXPO, The Big 5 Outdoor Design & Build Show and Windows, Doors & Facades Event, where educational sessions and free to attend CPD-certified workshops by acclaimed experts offer valuable insights to attending industry professionals.

Talking about how the innovation enables highly functioning glass construction and assembly, Markus Plettau, Regional Market Leader EMEA Dow Performance Silicones, will deliver a presentation on the last day of the show, September 27, assessing the latest trends in modern architectural designs with invisible bonding.

Gulf Glass is sponsored by Mountain Glass, Tecpro and Forel as Gold Sponsors, in addition to Glass Source as the Exclusive Glass Solutions Sponsor. Organised every two years by dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, the event is an unmissable one stop shop for all things glass: it hosts suppliers of finished products, glass production technology and machinery, glass processing & finishing solutions, measurement, testing & control technology, tools, replacements and spare parts, as well as auxiliary equipment and fitting.

Gulf Glass, FM EXPO, The Big 5 Outdoor Design & Build Show and Windows, Doors & Facades Event run from 25 to 27 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre.  

To know more, visit www.gulf.glass