Surface coatings manufacturer Conren International has teamed up with a UAE firm to produce its modified polyurethane, liquid waterproofing membrane Rooftex in the emirates.

Part of the worldwide Vinci group of companies, Conren's venture with Polybit Industries will manufacture Rooftex at its plant in Umm Al Quwain.

The arrangement will enable Conren, and its network of distributors throughout the Middle East, to have greater access to the market with bulk supplies of Rooftex being readily on hand, rather than coping with the delays and vagaries of shipping from the UK, says Bernard Dennis, Conren International's UK-based export sales director.

He says the deal with Polybit follows extensive technical discussions over the last two years between the two companies to ensure continuity of the excellent reputation of both the product (Rooftex) and the companies involved.

"This arrangement is likely to be the first of its kind in the Gulf for this particular formulation of product," says Dennis. "Therefore, the quality of raw materials used, the process of production and the consistent quality of the finished product is of prime importance to ensure that Rooftex continues to hold a dominant position on the market."

Conren says a special plant for the production of Rooftex has been constructed at Polybit's factory in Umm Al Quwain. New laboratory testing equipment has been installed for the highly qualified and experienced technical staff to check the raw materials used, and also to assess the quality of the finished product before it leaves the factory for application on site.

As both Conren and Polybit are ISO quality assured firms, the emphasis on maintaining tight controls on every aspect of manufacture is critical to the success of the collaborative venture, says the company.

In July this year, Conren also acquired the assets and goodwill of the construction and resin products division of PMC Holdings, Derbyshire, UK. This division and its range of products has been integrated into the Conren organisation and a significant marketing campaign is under way to promote these surface coating products, which are generally used on roads, bridges, car-park decks, airport aprons, runways and taxiways.

One of the products, Truegrip, has a British Board of Agrement (BBA) and Highway Authorities Product Approval Scheme (HAPAS) certificate for use on roads and bridges, Dennis points out. Truegrip together with Truegrip TCD - a decorative, traffic calming surface protection material - are considered to have a large potential market throughout the Gulf.

Other products in the Conren/PMC range include Highseal/Britguard 355, a cold-applied, protective coating for airport runways, hardstands and taxiways, and Highseal F1, an elastomeric, fuel-resistant joint sealant for airport aprons, runways, taxiways, cargo handling areas, pedestrian areas, fillings stations and service roads.

Conren and Polybit's products will be promoted at Stand G-210 in Hall 5.