Dubai-based Kati Interiors, a division of Katilink Furniture Manufacturing and Decor of the Bin Zayed Group, took on the challenge of providing unique and exquisite door finishes for the elevators at the Grand Hyatt - a task, it says, it has completed successfully.

To undertake this special decorative metal cladding for elevator doors and transom panels, the company drew upon the expertise of its principal, Surface Design and Technology (SD&T Marketing), a US-based company specialising in architectural metal products.

Kati Interiors provided 235 door sets from SD&T. Of these, 175 doors have a standard design while the remaining 60 have been exclusively designed for special areas, says P R Sajeed, sales manager with Kati Interiors.

"Our company has produced this type of doors for the first time for this project - in fact, the Grand Hyatt is perhaps the first project in the region where this product variation has been used," Sajeed points out.

He continues: "The Grand Hyatt was a challenging project featuring a special design with a new concept. It placed great demands on our capabilities, as the client wanted something new and unique while conforming to the basic design element."

"All the doors were custom-designed and have gold titanium sheets of very high quality as the base material. Titanium is durable and resistant to wear and tear.

"The special doors installed at the Grand Hyatt feature a double-layer skin, comprising a layer of laser-cut and decorated aluminium on top of a gold titanium sheet. The 6-mm-thick aluminium sheet with directional brushing was attached to the titanium base with a top-quality adhesive tape. The doors have a V-groove bending, which gives a sharper edge and less clearance at the leading edge, where the door panels meet to form the full design door.

"Eleven of these special doors have transom panels above them.

"Highly skilled workers from the US fabricated and assembled the doors of the elevators like a jig-saw puzzle because of the complex design."

Dubai-based Kati Interiors, which specialises in architectural metal doors, elevator doors, entrance doors, column covers, wall-covering and custom-furniture fronts, is also the representative of a similar company Tsukiboshi Art Company, Japan as well as Wilsonart International, based in Texas, US which manufactures acrylic solid surfaces, laminated flooring, decorative metal and metal laminates.

Kati Interiors has been associated with several prestigious projects in the UAE such as the Burj Al Arab, Sheikh Khalifa villa at Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, Dubai Civil Aviation, Sheikha Mariam Twin Towers in Dubai, Dubai International Exhibition Centre, in Dubai and the Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Its parent Katilink Furniture Manufacturing and Decor started operations in 1998 at its 3,000 sq m purpose-built furniture and joinery factory that is fully equipped with advanced machinery and employs a highly experienced and professional workforce.

The company carries out custom-made and contract furniture/interior fit-out for projects, not only in the UAE and the Gulf, but also further afield.

"Katilink - which is in the process of getting ISO 2000-9001 certification - is committed to meeting the needs of architects, interior designers, contractors and end-users in their quest for quality and competitive price, " says a company spokesman. "Our management team, staff and workforce draw on their vast experience to ensure not only the best quality control procedures, but formulate a comprehensive programme to meet delivery schedules and project completion time.

"From design concept, material selection and testing, to procurement, manufacture, delivery and installation up to the maintenance period, Katilink provides services to mass-produce the following: