WITH the ever-increasing popularity of standing seam roofing systems in the GCC region, German fastener manufacturer EJOT says it is well-placed to provide first-class fastener solutions to both system manufacturers and installers alike.

“Building designers worldwide recognise the practical, sustainable and aesthetic qualities provided by leading aluminium standing seam cladding systems,” says Dirk Homrighausen, managing director of the UAE-based EJOT Middle East. “With their lightweight, flexible and sleek characteristics, these systems first appeared in the late 1970s and each decade has seen new challenges met by developers and new horizons attained by architects.”

“Parallel to this, EJOT has been able to make a quality connection with its ability to create high-quality fastening solutions that have helped bring to fruition the aspirations of these designers,” he adds.

At the heart of its standing seam connection is the Super-Saphir fastener, which is engineered from Grade 304 stainless steel.

The Super-Saphir was developed to meet the specific challenges created with the emergence of aluminium standing seam halter systems, says Homrighausen.

Its welded carbon drill bit is acknowledged for its strength and reliability, but the X2 adaptation of the fastener was engineered specifically to meet the design criteria set by aluminium standing seam halter systems.

“A significantly altered shank angle, combined with drill tip quality, creates a masterpiece of German engineering that provides peace of mind. Specifiers and contractors know that installer error is virtually eliminated and the fastener is endorsed by a 25-year warranty,” he emphasises.

The Super-Saphir has been used on a number of projects, including airports, in the region. The latest such project to utilise the product is the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) expansion project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Homrighausen stresses the need to ensure that the right fastenings of high quality are specified for projects.

“The demands on construction products in the GCC and the utilisation of lighter leaner structural components with increasing diversity in modern methods of construction, all make it vital to have quality connections.”

This means reassurance of performance through pre- and after-sales support, technical back-up from performance data and specific application testing (in laboratory and on site) – a total service package.

“At times like this when all eyes are set on one of the world’s biggest construction sites – the GCC region – the importance of using the ‘right materials’ weighs in even more,” says Homrighausen.

“EJOT’s Middle East subsidiary is pleased to be making a major contribution with its German-engineered fastener products and technical expertise, to a market region that will greatly benefit from making the quality connection,” he adds.

The company’s products are high in quality, always conforming to current technical standards. This requires the firm to respond quickly and stay abreast of the natural evolution of the market to maintain this quality and to meet UK and European standards, before they are even issued.

Towards this end, EJOT has set up its unique Applitec centre – one of the most comprehensive fastener testing facilities in Europe – where it undertakes testing for all aspects of fastener technology, from simple dimensional and three-dimensional analysis to testing the mechanical, structural and material dynamics of both the product and within its application.

Today, EJOT produces a full range of fixings designed to meet various project criteria including halters to various substrates; liners and decks; and flashing, closures, drip angles and fixed points.

Based in Sharjah, EJOT Middle East’s comprehensive fastener range can be found in airports all over the world, and notably in this region at the KAIA in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, both in Saudi Arabia; Concourse Three and Four at Dubai International Airport, in Dubai, UAE; Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar; as well as Muscat and Salalah airports in Oman.

Link for the Super-Saphir-Features: