Emirates Ceramic Factory (ECF) of the UAE uses unique, hard clay-like shale found in the mountains of Fujairah to produce wall tiles and matching floor tiles in various sizes.

The Fujairah government-owned firm, which has been operating for nearly two decades, says that shale constitutes one of the main advantages over normal tiles produced from common clay.

"ECF tiles are superior on account of their mechanical strength and resistance to physio-chemical agents," says marketing and sales manager KC Cheriyan. "The tiles are manufactured to European standards with a high-quality finish in several designs and decorative series suitable for a variety of applications." Annual production capacity is three million sq m. The product range includes the recently-introduced Gold and Diamond series.

Technology for the manufacture comes from the Italian company SITI. The production lines are equipped with high-capacity (1,700 tonnes) microprocessor-controlled Magnum presses and the latest fast-firing roller kilns from Italy and Germany.

Marketed under the 'Fujairah Ceramics' brand, the tiles sell in more than 35 countries worldwide, the major markets being the US, Germany, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Africa and Asia. A network of 300 dealers serves the company. A greater focus on expanding the Asian markets is projected for 2001 and beyond.

The factory's location has proved ideal from the standpoints of transportation and shipping logistics as it is surrounded by important UAE seaports such as Fujairah, Khor Fakkan, Sharjah, Port Rashid and Jebel Ali. With the Dubai ports of Port Rashid and Jebel Ali being well served by shipping lines, freight to destinations on the Indian subcontinent is much lower than transportation within the UAE, notes Cheriyan.

Another benefit ECF enjoys is that sales within the GCC are exempted from custom duties.

The company, whose chairman is Shaikh Saleh bin Mohamed Al Sharqi, has its own laboratories for glaze development, design, serigraphy, photography, microscopy and mineralogy.

"ECF has been the pioneer in the UAE's ceramic tiles industry and offers the guarantee of quality, reliability, continuity, availability and services," says Cheriyan. Incorporated in 1981, ECF is said to be the brainchild of the member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, HH Shaikh Hamad bin Mohamed Al Sharqi.

The company maintains that strict quality control measures, backed by modern procedures, are applied during all phases of production, as a result of which the quality characteristics surpass the requirements of the European standards (including BS 6431) for tiles. ECF's quality management system is certified to ISO 9001. The products also comply with the requirements of the EN and Saso (Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation) standards and bear the Saso quality mark.

"We supply our products to important architectural projects around the world, where our beautiful tiles are being used to create unique floors and walls ... The tiles are a unique blend of good quality and equally good aesthetic designs. This, along with the very good service back-up by our team, has helped us to stay a step ahead of the competition," says Cheriyan.

"Our tiles were tested in the British Ceramic Research Laboratory in the UK and certified that they fully satisfy the requirements of the British Standard. Other independent laboratories also certified our products," says Cheriyan. "Fujairah Ceramics has an excellent brand image ... Our brand got accepted purely on the strength of its technical and quality features."

ECF tiles will be on display at this year's SaudiBuild at Stand 223.