Aluminium cladding specialist Rigidal International will be aiming to increase market awareness of its range of products at the Big 5 show this month.

"Having already developed a market presence in Dubai, Rigidal sees the Big 5 exhibition as an ideal platform to create greater product awareness and generate further business in the Middle East, eastern Mediterranean and Far East markets," says marketing manager Kay Hall.

Rigidal is taking part in the construction and contracting industries showcase in Dubai, supported by Trade Partners UK. This will be Rigidal's second exhibition supported by Trade Partners and follows on the success of Project Lebanon 2002 which resulted in an order for the international airport extension in Kuwait.

Hall says that due to the location of Dubai and its role as activity 'hub' where 'East meets West', a large number of influential visitors from many nations should be attracted to the Big 5.

The company, which offers a cladding solution for literally every roof and wall application, will be showcasing its extensive product range at the show.

The range, which is also available in steel, includes insulated composite panels standing seam systems and profiled cladding - all of which have been specified widely on prestigious projects throughout the world.

Rigidal International is a recently-formed division of Rigidal, established to generate further global export opportunities based on previous success.

With a manufacturing plant in Dubai that boasts the only continuous composite panel production facility in the Middle East, the company is ideally positioned to serve the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and Far Eastern markets, says Hall.

Earlier this year, Rigidal's export achievements were recognised when it won an International Trade Award in the UK.

Considered to have made the most significant contribution towards the local economy, any further growth can only have a more positive effect, Hall says.

Large export projects secured by Rigidal in the last 12 months include the international airport extension in Kuwait; British American Tobacco projects in Turkey and Nigeria; two Libyan oil industry projects and the Qatar Fertiliser Company's Qafco4 fertiliser plant in Qatar for Krupp Utidi.

Some of the products the company will highlight at the show include:

Profiled cladding: The Rigidal range of trapezoidal and sinusoidal profiles together with secret fix lining system provide the specifier with an unbeatable choice of cost-effective cladding solutions to meet the most challenging of performance specifications, says the company.

"Creative building design often requires a softness of line and detail of feature that can't always be achieved with traditional profiled sheeting and flashing design," it says.

"To meet this requirement, Rigidal is able to offer both smooth and crimp curved options together with profiled closure pieces, flashings and mitred units. Offering the ultimate in design flexibility, Rigidal profiled cladding is available in a wide range of colours and finishes."

Standing seam systems: Renowned for their outstanding aesthetic properties and performance characteristics, standing seam roofing systems offer the specifier and contractor a cost-effective construction solution with numerous benefits, says the company.

Rigidal Ziplok creates a continuous weathertight roof as the side laps are 'zipped up' in conjunction with a unique halter system that is fixed directly to the supporting structure without penetrating the external weather sheet.

Sheets can be manufactured on-site at ground or eaves level, eliminating the need for side laps and considerably increasing the speed of construction. Offering design flexibility, Rigidal Ziplok can be smooth, crimped or concave curved; tapered or wave formed.

Over 21,000 sq m of Rigidal Ziplok in lengths of up to 85 m are currently being installed on the Dubai Convention Centre to create a standing seam roof construction.

"Due to the nature of the building, a roofing system that could meet a stringent acoustic performance of 42 dB weighted sound reduction was required," Hall explains. "Following tests at Salford University in the UK, Rigidal Ziplok exceeded these requirements and was duly selected."

The new centre is expected to host an estimated 20,000 delegates during the 2003 IMF and World Bank summit.

Insulated composite panels: Rigidal offers a wide range of insulated composite panels, which provide a cost-effective and fast-track construction solution for both newbuild and refurbishment projects.

Available in aluminium or steel and a variety of finishes, the high-performance polyurethane insulation core provides thermal reliability for the lifetime of the building. Panels are also available with a high-performance Versacor corrosion-resistant coating which is particularly suited to heavy industrial applications and coastal environments.