WITH over five decades of experience in the local market, Bahrain-based Al Bait is a well-known name among specifiers and consultants. However, its participation at gulfBID last year presented the lighting solutions provider with an opportunity to interact with end-users, according to Rajendra Venkatesh Kamath, sales and administration manager.

The company is experienced in interior and VIP fit-outs, lighting control, switch accessories, dimming systems, general shop-fitting, commercial building lighting, facade lighting, landscape design and decorative streetlighting schemes. It represents many European and US lighting products, lightning protection systems, dimming and lighting control systems, and central battery emergency systems.

According to Kamath, some of the firm’s products have found favour on the market because of their durability and sustainability, while LED lighting is becoming more popular due to the energy saving it offers and its durability.

The company is returning to this year’s gulfBID enthused by the exposure it received to new clientele, according to Kamath. “Our sales staff gets motivated seeing a large number of visitors and it gives us a proud feeling of being a part of Bahrain and its economy,” he adds.

Commenting on its participation at last year’s event, he says: “The response was better than expected. About 300 people visited our stand during the three-day event. We usually sell our products through specifiers, consultants and contractors, but through this event we got to interact with many end-users.”

He adds that the company received many sales enquiries from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain after the show.

Furthermore, last year, its Italian principal Iguzzini participated with Al Bait. This year another of its suppliers, Havells Sylvania-Concord, a UK-based specialist in top-quality indoor and outdoor light fittings, will be participating alongside the company.

This year in line with the market trend, Al Bait will focus on energy-efficient LED light fittings and other products.

Kamath says business has not been good in the country for the last two years because of the lack of new projects. “The government is, however, encouraging business communities through several schemes such as Tamkeen,” he indicates.

He expects business to be tough this year and says that diversification and the introduction of innovative products have helped the company cope with the economic downturn. These include a variety of products that are complementary to its line of business, such as its recent venture into lightning protection systems where it represents Furse, the premium product in this segment. It has also introduced cable trays and cable ladders from Thomas and Betts, Saudi Arabia.

Despite the downturn in business, Al Bait has successfully carried out a number of projects in the kingdom and also has plans in the pipeline for growth and expansion. The company is planning to build new storage facilities at Bahrain Investment Wharf (BIW), a project which is in the concept stage. “We are planning to complete the project by early 2014. Once completed, we will take up manufacturing of a few electrical products that can complement with our existing business,” Kamath reveals.

Al Bait has recently completed a project at Moda Mall, where it installed a central battery emergency system for metal halide lamps, the first of its kind in Bahrain.

Kamath says the consultant, Mohammed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Bureau, chose its product Beghelli for this project. “This project required special technical expertise to execute, right from co-ordination with the installer, designing, commissioning and testing. We also successfully completed the Bahrain National Theatre project in 2012.”

Other key projects include the Arcapita Bank headquarters, Police Fort, The Ritz-Carlton, Holiday Inn Express, the InterContinental Regency hotel’s refurbishment and the Diplomat Radisson Blu.

Set up in 1958 as a soft furnishing importer, Al Bait strategically repositioned itself in the lighting business in 1985, in a bid establish a market niche in the field of technical commercial lighting and dimming. Since then, it has secured representation of over 35 manufacturers in the field of commercial, professional, custom-manufactured and specialised lighting.

Al Bait will be exhibiting at Stand 1E31 at gulfBID.