R Hira of the UAE is to launch new range of locally-produced ventilation products at the Big 5 Show later this year.

The Diamond range includes a variety of fans such as duct inline, axial, centrifugal and mixed flow fans.

The launch of the Diamond range comes alongside a Dh5 million ($1.36 million) expansion of the warehousing and production facilities at its Al Quoz plant in Dubai.

The Big 5 construction and contracting exhibition, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre this October.

"With the Big 5 attracting over 20,000 visitors from over 60 countries, we stand to gain huge international exposure," says R Hira chairman Ramesh Hira. "The Diamond brand is being manufactured to European and US standards so it will have worldwide appeal."

R Hira deals in products for the HVAC industry, such as pipes, sealants, ducting, domestic and industrial ventilation as well as industrial tapes.

The ventilation division offers both domestic and industrial ventilation.

R Hira Traders represents Domus of the UK and Elicent from Italy for domestic ventilation and Casals from Spain for industrial ventilation.

The entire range of both domestic and industrial ventilation is covered: axial, centrifugal, in-line duct fans, exhaust and roof-mounted fans, and many more.

The company is the exclusive distributor for many of the leading products related to the air-conditioning industry from around the world. It represents Durodyne from the US, a leader in ducting accessories, Rhodia from the UK, which provides various types of refrigerants, Insulflex, the high-quality rubber insulation and MetTube copper pipes, both from Malaysia, and Isofix pipe support systems from Spain.

"Our expansion is in two phases," explains Hira. "We have invested Dh2 million in a new 25,000 sq ft warehouse and production facility and another Dh3 million will be spent on machinery over the next two years.''

The 'Diamond' brand is one of numerous product launches being planned for the Big 5, which will run from October 27 to 31.

The show, the largest-ever in the series covering all seven DWTC halls, is expected to take up 17,000 sq m with more than 1,000 exhibitors from 33 countries and 17 national pavilions already committed to the show.

"This year UAE companies are out in force," explains Bernard Walsh, managing director, dmg Index Exhibitions, organiser of the Big 5.

"To date, 95 companies from the Emirates have registered - which is already a 10 per cent increase on last year. This increased local participation reflects continued confidence in the regional construction sector and an increasing commercial desire to penetrate markets beyond their immediate sphere of influence," he says.

dmg Index Exhibitions is part of dmg World Media, one of the world's leading trade show companies with over 400 events worldwide annually.

Its portfolio includes Index, the Middle East's furniture and interiors exhibition and The Hotel Show, the trade event for suppliers to the hospitality industry.