SmartGlass International, a long-established global supplier dedicated exclusively to electronic glass technology, has recently launched an aggressive expansion drive in the Middle East with a strong focus on the UAE’s luxury five-star hotels and blue-chip company office refurbishment and fit-outs.

The company specialises in innovative and stylish solutions to privacy design problems through its SmartGlass product line, which is currently being exported to more than 50 countries worldwide.

SmartGlass is widely used by leading architecture firms, interior designers, property developers, luxury hoteliers, and blue-chip companies around the world. It combines the functionality of an opaque wall with the style and lighting of clear glass, optimising the use of space, light and glass.

“We offer one of the lowest lead times in the market and are the only manufacturer with a certified Ingress Protection rating of X7 (the SmartGlass has been tested one metre underwater with no defects),” says John O’Gorman, sales manager and representative in the Middle East for SmartGlass International.

The company’s corporate offices are located in London, UK, and Dubai, UAE.

Explaining the technology behind the product, he says: “SmartGlass panels are created by laminating a liquid-crystal film between two panels of glass. When the electrical supply is switched on, the liquid crystal molecules align, allowing incident light to pass through and the SmartGlass panel instantly clears, becoming transparent. When the power is switched off, the liquid crystal molecules are randomly oriented, scattering light and thus SmartGlass becomes opaque (private).”

SmartGlass creates an efficient, easy-to-clean partitioning system that facilitates both privacy and the highest standards of health, quality and safety. It can be manufactured as per customer specifications, including different shapes, sizes, colours and glass type. The maximum size is up to 1,405 by 3,200 mm and thickness can vary from 9.5 mm to multi-layer laminates. Various colour tints are also available including clear, blue, grey, green, bronze, while the glass types available are clear float, low-iron, curved, X-ray, ballistic and tempered. SmartGlass can be controlled remotely or through a wall switch and can also be activated with motion sensors, timers and door locks.

SmartGlass ... creating efficient partitioning.

The product is widely used within the hospitality, commercial and healthcare sectors as it creates a sense of spaciousness and multi-functional spaces that adapt and respond to the needs of users at the flick of a switch.

Many hotels use SmartGlass such as the Kempinski Grand and Ixir Hotel in Manama, Bahrain – the company’s largest job to date. The product was used in all 460 guestrooms of this luxurious five-star hotel, located beside Bahrain City Centre mall, to separate the bathroom and bedroom without compromising privacy or light.

“An electronic curtain system had originally been specified and partially installed. However, the client insisted on removing this option due to the anticipated cost and effort associated with the continuous maintenance and upkeep of this system. Due to the relative lack of maintenance and upkeep associated with SmartGlass, it was selected and installed instead,” O’Gorman explains.

SmartGlass can also be used for external windows, conference centre windows, and bar and restaurant privacy screens. Commercial establishments use the product as office and boardroom partition screens to create open-plan spaces, allowing natural light to filter through the office. It has been used in hospitals as a clean and innovative replacement to privacy curtains. The product offers a sheer and easily-cleaned surface, which is vital in preventing the spread of harmful bacteria in hospitals.

The company has been operating in the Middle East since 2006 on high-end office refurbishments and five-star hospitality projects.

O’Gorman indicates that the market response to SmartGlass in the Middle East has been extremely positive, citing that the region’s drive for premium products along with a desire for first-class services (both at the design stage and on site) as one of the main reasons for the excellent market response.

“Numerous high-profile projects in the Middle East, such as the recently announced mega real estate project Mohammed Bin Rashid City in Dubai, are also driving demand for our sophisticated switchable glass solutions. We are spending a lot of time working with large interior design and architect firms, helping them create innovative and bright solutions for their projects in the region.

“As we guarantee one of the lowest lead times in the market, this offers a huge incentive for clients that are pressed for time. In addition, we offer superior customer service with a five-year warranty and value-added on-site support, making the entire installation process seamless and trouble-free for our clients.”

“We also provide professional advice to clients to develop custom-built solutions to address various design challenges in their respective work environments. For us, design challenges are chances to adapt, innovate and create environments that surprise and inspire, both functionally and aesthetically,” O’Gorman says.

Each panel of SmartGlass is bespoke, so whatever the design and specification the company can manufacture to order, providing the right design solution for each project.

“By consistently expanding our knowledge and experience, we’ve honed a critical ability to integrate information from research and development during the design and implementation phases of projects. We actively seek out new opportunities to test our products and the scope of their application. We don’t shy away from challenges; we embrace them, confident of delivering design solutions that exceed expectations,” he concludes.