Thomas Bennett Gulf, established in 1977, is one of the oldest aluminium contracting companies in the Gulf and today enjoys an unrivalled reputation as an aluminium window and curtain-walling specialist in the UAE.

One of the prestigious projects that Thomas Bennett Gulf carried out recently is the United Arab Shipping Headquarters (UASC) in Dubai.

"The entire envelope of the building, including the curved aluminium metal cladding, was contracted to Thomas Bennett Gulf and was successfully completed earlier this year," says a company spokesman.

He continues: "One of the most gratifying aspects of this particular project was that Thomas Bennett Gulf managed to achieve, on curved solid aluminium panels, a consistency of colour not seen before. Our QA (quality assurance) procedures and methodology and attention to detail generally reaped dividends in terms of the quality of finishes and ensured a successful completion."

Thomas Bennett Gulf has been a prominent curtain-walling firm in the region and has successfully executed a multitude of projects in the UAE and abroad using the latest system design techniques and state-of-the-art manufacturing technology.

Its profile of projects includes institutions, commercial and residential buildings, airports, seaports and hospitals. The company is currently executing aluminium and glazing works on several buildings, such as the Bin Masood project in Deira, Dubai TD 55, TD 196 at the Dubai International Airport, Skywalk Towers for Union Properties, and the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies in Abu Dhabi.

Thomas Bennett Gulf was the first curtain-walling company in the UAE to be accredited with ISO 9001 quality assurance certificate and also the first to set up its own in-house comprehensive curtain-wall and cladding testing facility, the spokesman says. ''Rigorous testing was carried out to international standards and were witnessed and reported on by Taywood Engineering. The tests were a huge success and Thomas Bennett Gulf continues its tradition of maximising the quality of its products through design and testing,'' the spokesman says.

He continues: "Our approach towards our clients is dynamic. We try and understand the requirements of our customers and offer professional service and quality products to match their project requirements," he says. "Also, we try and develop new products and systems for our clients and encourage creativity within our offices to offer the best cost effective solution possible. Thomas Bennett has emphasised on quality since its inception. The development of its quality standards is attributed to the continual quest for providing improved service and newer products.

''Furthermore, compliance with the requirements of the ISO 9000 quality assurance system has brought us on par with international companies with respect to the quality standards utilised.

"The testing facility is yet another example of the company's commitment towards quality. We are capable of testing curtain-walls or window mock-ups for air filtration and ex filtration, water penetration under static and dynamic pressure conditions, slab deflection, thermal performance and wind resistance and serviceability. These performance tests can be carried out in accordance with any of the international testing standards such as the ASTM, CWCT, BS, etc."

With the growing popularity of curtain-walls in the Middle East, Thomas Bennett envisaged the requirement of a dedicated curtain-wall system and therefore in 1994 collaborated with W Hartmann & Co, one of the largest and most prominent German designers, to introduce a sophisticated curtain walling system to the region. The collaboration brought about the Hartmann Systherm range of aluminium profiled systems of which Systherm 60 has been popularly adapted to suit the Gulf requirements.

Thomas Bennett now has on offer fully capped curtain wall systems, two and four-sided structurally glazed unitised and conventional systems and a distinct four-sided structurally glazed modular system. Along with the Systherm range of curtain walling system, Thomas Bennett also offers thermally and non-thermally broken doors and windows and sliding windows. It also carries the popular Alking and Gemini range of aluminium profile systems for doors and windows that stem from the Alcan family's Viking range.

Thomas Bennett Gulf is the licensee for the Wright-Style fire rated doors and windows systems. The company has recently completed a project at the Sharjah International Airport utilising the profiles. It also offers high-quality honeycombed aluminium panels and is the country stockists for various other accessories and products. The company is also accredited by Pilkington, Lisus Eng, and Hunter Douglas to manufacture and install its range of products.

The company is also happy to guide clients to choose the right manufacturer and inform them about performance of curtain walls and quality requirements. ''Exterior perimeter cladding can cost up to 20 per cent of the project cost and can cause up to 80 per cent of the problems on a building, if not constructed and installed properly,'' the spokesman says.

''Very often, buildings are found to leak through curtain walls, which however, is visually unnoticeable. But curtain walls are seldom cited as the reasons for uncomfortable and inhabitable conditions inside a building, caused primarily by excess humid air infiltration. It is believed that rectification of curtain walls can cost anywhere between 20 to 100 per cent of the curtain wall. It is imperative for the building owner to choose the right team to work with to ensure comfort of the occupants, least maintenance, and a longer building life, thereby better returns on investment.''

The combination of Thomas Bennett Gulf's experienced project management, its extensive knowledge of aluminium and glass systems, and its flexibility in design and engineering make fthe company a reliable source for all projects, he adds.