MIDDLE East Insulation (MEI), part of Middle East Industries Group, says ‘Superseam’, its standing seam metal roof, was chosen by the project consultants to achieve a 100-per cent leak-proof roof for the Fujairah City Centre.

To ensure a leak-proof installation, the company has used single sheets without joints for the entire roof, with the longest sheet of 73 m covering the Carrefour area, according to Kefah Ali, general manager of MEI.

‘Superseam’ meets the need for durable, puncture-resistant protection against the weather, offering long-term trouble-free performance with little or no maintenance time or expense, says the Dubai-based company.

“The panel fastening system is uniquely designed to handle the potentially damaging effects of thermal movement. Precisely-formed, mechanically profiled metal panels are locked in place by clips inside a raised seam standing 65 mm above the roof surface.

“The clips have a movable feature allowing the panel to expand and contract with temperature changes. The concealed clip system means there is no need for roof fasteners, eliminating the chances of leaks,” he says.

The Fujairah City Centre was a fast-track project, with MEI’s scope on the project covering 37,000 sq m of roofing as well as around 5,000 sq m of wall cladding area. The company started work in early August and completed it in December using environment-friendly products such as aluminium and rockwool as far as possible. In addition to its original contract, MEI was also assigned to carry out the cinema complex extension, which has a roof area of 3,500 sq m.

Ali says the workforce deployed at the site by the company is well experienced and 60 per cent of them have been working with the company for the past 12 years. “In the past, they have executed projects like the Mirdiff City Centre, Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates and Sharjah City Centre, to name a few. For this project alone we achieved 100,000 accident-free hours,” he says.

Some of the challenges faced while executing the fast-track project included coordinating with the various trades and incorporating their requirements. “Rolling had to be carried out at site and materials had to be stacked over the liner sheets. The site is located between mountains and Fujairah experiences rain and high winds, which meant that work had to be stopped sometimes due to the winds. To achieve the lost work-hours due to these conditions, we had to increase the manpower,” he says.

Commenting on the Fujairah City Centre project, Ali says: “We are proud to be part of this project. The client, consultant and the contractors are all very professional and realistic in their approach. Dealing with them has been a great experience for us and we are looking forward to working with them again.”

In addition to the Fujairah City Centre, other projects the company has been associated with in the UAE include three 80-m-high domes for Al Khaleej Sugar and Abu Dhabi Financial Centre.

Ali sees positivity returning to the UAE market with an upsurge in construction activity compared to 2011. “Business prospects are improving as new projects are being launched and many projects on hold are now being released,” he says.

Last year, the company registered a remarkable 30 per cent increase in the value of confirmed and completed projects compared with previous years. “This year also we expect a compounded growth of 20 to 30 per cent,” says Ali.

Established in 1993, MEI is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of quality cladding systems, BAAB sectional overhead industrial garage doors, and Rolltech fire-rated and standard rolling shutters.

The company also manufactures, supplies and installs fire-rated steel doors certified by BRE UK through sister concern Bin Ghurair Trading, as well as fire-rated phenolic foams distributed by its affiliate Resolco Insulation. These phenolic foams are used in the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) industry, insulation as pipe sections for chilled/hot/cold applications, pipe support and panel applications.

MEI offers a wide range of services that include technical and engineering, manufacturing, installation and maintenance, local and export service.

“From a simple warehouse to sophisticated industrial complexes requiring a high degree of thermal insulation, MEI offers complete design and supply services to meet all the roofing and wall cladding requirements for any size and type of projects,” Ali says.

Last year, the firm expanded its facilities and added many high-definition machines for quicker production and installation process. “In addition, we have set up and developed new businesses both locally and internationally. We are not limiting our market to the GCC but spreading our wings to other countries by participating in local as well as international exhibitions,” he says.

An ISO 9001:2008-certified company, MEI is part of A&H investment group owned by Al Ghurair, a leading business group in the UAE. Employing 336 people, the company has three facilities in the UAE – a 120,000-sq-ft facility in Dubai, a 220,000-sq-ft facility in Abu Dhabi and an office in Sharjah.

Its team consisting of professional engineers of various disciplines provides top technical and installation services according to ISO quality and international standards.

In line with its growth strategy, MEI has recently constructed a new factory in Abu Dhabi to manufacture new products such as cladding, insulation, fire-rated steel doors, overhead doors and aluminium composite panels to meet the market requirements.