HUME Cemboard Industries (HCI), a leading Malaysian manufacturer of the Primaboard range of cellulose fibre-reinforced cement boards, has been promoting its products in the region as a durable alternative to natural timber.

Marketed under the Prima brand in the Gulf, HCI products have demonstrated their durability and aesthetic appeal in some of the most prominent projects in the region. HCI says its products are doing well in the Gulf region.

“Through the decades, HCI has continuously shaped the architectural landscape in building designs with Primaboard, a range of fibre cement products widely accepted amongst architects and designers worldwide,” says a company spokesperson.

HCI has been involved in several landmark projects across the Middle East.

Its major Saudi projects include the King Abdul Aziz University main campus in Jeddah, King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, the Tanajib plant expansion in Tanajib, the Jabal Omar development in Makkah, and The University of Dammam.

In Qatar, the company has been involved with Qatar Airways headquarters and in the UAE, it has supplied to Rose Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Danet in Abu Dhabi, New York University and Central Market projects in Abu Dhabi, Sahara Towers in Sharjah and an Adnoc (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company)housing project in Ruwais.

With state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for fibre cement, HCI is the first in Asia to have its very own research and product development laboratory accreditation MS ISO/IEC 17025 by the Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM), an accreditation that is internationally recognised as the DSM has a mutual agreement with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), the spokesman says.

“Sustainability serves as a basis of HCI’s commitment in its modest efforts to protect and enhance our environment for our future generations,” the spokesman says. “Our manufacturing outfits have attained ISO 14001:2004 EMS as we continue to uphold standards.”

Also, HCI, working with Global Eco Labelling Network (GEN), was the first company Malaysia to be awarded the Singapore Green Label and Sirim Eco-Label in 2009-10 and 2010-11, testament to its green credentials.

Primaboard can be used effectively for thermal insulation, addressing effective ways in improving energy efficiency of buildings amidst contrasting weather conditions. This can be achieved by incorporating ceiling, roof, wall and floor systems that provide better thermal insulation to form a building envelope, helping to minimise heat loss during winter or the night and reducing heat transmitted into the building during the summer or day, improving comfort and saving energy.

Primaflex, Primaboard’s best seller product, is made from the finest raw materials consisting of premium cement, finely ground sand, natural cellulose fibres and water, combined and cured through autoclaving process, giving it the advantage of durability as the choice of cladding material.

The product comes in thicknesses of 3.2, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, 12 and 16 mm catering for a variety of applications from ceilings to walls and flooring.

Another key product is Primaplank, a product that offers the warmth of natural wood design and comes in a variety of textures that of smooth, wood grain, pinewood and cedar. An alternative to wood or timber, Primaplank has passed a 50-year durability test. And accordingly to independent coating manufacture tests, the dimensional stability of Primaplank’s or wood-based products allows of better paint adhesion, providing one of the lowest maintenance of wood look alike cladding options available.