Officials from BECT and Conserv tour Reynaers’ Belgium headquarters.

Reynaers Middle East recently organised a number of client visits to its parent company’s revamped headquarters in Duffel, Belgium, which houses innovative technologies for architectural building solutions and a virtual reality experience.

Various fabricators, contractors and consultants from Lebanon, the UAE and Egypt have been taken on a tour of Reynaers’ state-of-the-art facility since early this year – in February, August and recently in October. These include officials from CCS Sarl Guinee and Alucon from Lebanon, Zebian Industries and ACG Engineering from the UAE, and BECT and Conserv from Egypt.

Since its inception in 1965, Reynaers Aluminium has played a trendsetting role in the construction industry, said Ali Khalaf, managing director of Reynaers Middle East. “The company is an authority in designing innovative window, door and façade systems.Today, it excels in the development of high-tech tools to inspire, support and visualise designs for architects and decision-makers in the building process. Know-how, technology and experience are all combined in the new Reynaers Campus.”

Khalaf said the Reynaers Campus pools the know-how and experience of architects, window manufacturers, building contractors and the Reynaers Aluminium workforce. It is an international communication forum and a source of inspiration for anyone involved in the building process.

Part of the campus is the Reynaers Experience Centre, designed to bring people together and inspire them with innovative technologies for architectural building solutions.

“The Experience Room goes far beyond the classic showroom concept. There, you can see and feel the window, door and façade elements, but there are a large number of inspiring digital applications that complete the experience,” Khalaf said.

“Profile sections are projected as a hologram, selected products are visualised in buildings on the LED wall and much more. When you arrive home, you will immediately find all the information in your mailbox. This Experience Centre is the place to share know-how, exchange views, take decisions and strengthen partnerships,” he explained.

For an exclusive, enthralling experience, building professionals can visit Avalon, where they can explore future buildings in virtual reality (VR).

Khalaf said: “Avalon is a virtual reality room specially configured for architectural applications. Any project that has been designed with commonly-used 3D software can be uploaded in Avalon and projected. Changes can be made to the model in real-time. Several people can be in one virtual reality situation and discuss the project together down to the minute detail.”

The Reynaers Technology Centre is the largest private innovation and test centre in Europe. All Reynaers systems are subjected to stringent testing for air-, wind- and water-tightness, thermal and acoustic insulation, and safety, to ensure that they meet international standards.

One of the test centre’s showpieces is a state-of-the-art 15-m-high test wall for conducting air, wind and water tests on façades that are on upper floors. The Technology Centre is also home to the Research Centre, with the R-cube and the R-lab. The R-cube is a rotatable research and test set-up developed to analyse thermal performance, while the R-lab is a special lab to test solutions at an early stage by means of rapid prototyping and 3D printing.

Furthermore, Reynaers offers manufacturers a comprehensive range for automating their processes.

“Each part of the production process can be automated by a judicious combination of the right know-how, a carefully chosen set of machines, the latest production technologies and an optimised link with the Reynapro software.

“In addition, Reyna-Flow was developed as an intelligent system for managing the workflow. It optimises the production processes via ‘smart manufacturing’ and improves quality and production time,” explained Khalaf.

Reynaers attaches great importance to high-quality production and installation to ensure the durability of its aluminium systems. The company organises a large number of training sessions to teach customers the necessary skills and know-how so that, in turn, they can offer their own customers high-quality service.

Belgium-based Reynaers Aluminium manufactures and markets innovative and sustainable aluminium solutions for windows, doors, curtain-walls, sliding systems, sun-screening and conservatories.

Besides standard solutions, Reynaers also develops tailor-made solutions for all market sectors – from residential to commercial and industrial projects. Its high-quality systems meet stringent demands in terms of comfort, security, architectural design, and energy-efficiency. The company acts a valuable partner for architects, fabricators, solar installers, project developers, investors and end-users.

Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Duffel, Reynaers currently employs over 1,770 workers in 40 countries worldwide and exports to more than 70 countries on five continents.

Bahrain-based Reynaers Middle East, the regional office of the Belgian aluminium solutions provider, has executed some striking projects in the region, including the Essence of Dilmunia in Bahrain; Sparkle Tower and the Ministry of National Defence building in the UAE; and King Abdul Aziz University buildings in Saudi Arabia, among others.