FOLLOWING a comprehensive restructuring and expansion that has seen the company inject new blood and develop its own branded products, Al Muqarram Insulation Materials Industry (AMI) is optimistic about boosting its presence both in the regional and international markets.

“We have optimised our services as a complete package for 2014: we have developed new markets, hired new people and launched new product lines, introducing items such as green technology products,” said Safdar Badami, managing director of the Sharjah-based AMI, one of the leading manufacturers of industrial silicone sealants in the region.

“Over the past couple of years, we have felt the pinch in our industry but we have used this time to restructure the company and are now in a position to serve our customers in the most professional way,” added Badami, whose family has been involved in industry since the 1980s.

AMI has been actively involved in the UAE’s industrial sector but has also manufactured products for partners across the world. “We are active in Qatar, the CIS countries and the African market with approximately 30 per cent of our product exported outside the Gulf region,” said Badami. “Now we are planning to increase the export ratio to 50 of total production through expansion.”

AMI’s products, which also include pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, aerosol products and glues, are well known within the industry. In the past, the company has been supplying OEM (original equipment manufacturer) products to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Today, the company is aiming to concentrate on developing its own branded products which will, in turn, help build relationships with a network of distributors and end-users.

To increase awareness of its product range, AMI participated in The Big 5 show in Dubai last month (November 25 to 28) where it showcased a number of new products and other green technology products, including hybrid sealants, which are now common in the US and Europe and are gradually replacing toxic sealants.

The company has recently launched several new products including Fire Stop, a fire-rated sealant; Gulf 105, a high-performance acetoxy silicon sealant; Neutraseal SG-530 Alkoxy silicone sealant; and a surface protection tape suitable for aluminium composite panels.

Fire Stop, a four-hour fire-rated silicone sealant with F-rating (flame), T-rating (thermal) and L-rating (smoke), can resist fire up to 750 deg C. This high-performance sealant has a low volatile organic compounds (VOC) content and low methyl ethyl ketoxime (meko) odour. It has been formulated to seal through penetrations, ducting and openings to ensure fire-resistant construction.

It meets all the requirements of the European standards EN1366, EN13501 and 1366-4; British Standards-476 part B; and American Standards ASTM E 814.

Ahmed Barakat, sales manager for the Middle East and GCC, said: “The fire-rated sealant will drive our company into totally different markets competing with well-known international brands. The advantage we have is that we are active in different sectors such as HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), aluminium and glass, ducting, cladding, marble and paints and for each sector we have specific product lines to suit different requirements.”

Meanwhile, Gulf 105 acetoxy silicone sealant is a fast-curing, environment-friendly product with low VOC content. Formulated specially for fixing aluminium and glass, it can be used in a diverse range of temperatures for glass, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wooden and aluminium windows and doors and building interiors. The sealant boasts high flexibility, crack resistance, low shrinkage (less than five per cent), and retains its colour after application.

Another new sealant, Neutraseal SG-530 is a low VOC, high-performance structural glazing product, meeting the requirements of Mas (Materials Analytical Services) Green certification and ASTM standards (C920 and C 719). It is suitable for application as interiors and external weather seals, for curtain-walling, building facades and pre-fabricated concrete elements. The sealant is non-corrosive, odourless, offers ultra-violet (UV) protection and has high tensile strength.

Badami attributes the company’s success in launching innovative products to its commitment to research and development. Also through its association with Kaneka, a Belgium-based manufacturer of high-performance polymers, AMI has developed new and modified formulations which will be the first of their kind in the whole of Asia.

“With all the changes we have made over the past year, I believe that 2014 could see an uplift of between 25 per cent and 30 per cent (in sales) based on the growth of the regional market and the development of our product line,” said Badami.

With the ground work already completed, AMI can look forward to the future with the confidence of having both the products and services in place to serve its growing client base throughout the region and beyond.