Mehrtash Trading Enterprises (MTE), in association with Ulster Carpets Mills (UCM) of the UK, executed the production and installation of carpets in all public areas of the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

For the Grand Hyatt, the company supplied and installed 6,500 sq m of wool nylon Axminster carpet for the entertainment centre located on levels 1 and 2, the meeting rooms and pre-function areas, lobby lounge and lobby bar, while more than 3,000 sq m of carpet was supplied and installed at the Junior and Grand ballrooms alone.

The company's scope of work included installation of carpets in all guestrooms, suites and corridors, some 36,500 sq m in all.

"We were awarded this prestigious project due to our vast experience in this market, backed up by our specialist carpet-fitters, which ensured the entire work was carried out without a snag," says MTE managing director Majid Mehrtash. "Our installation teams are rated among the best in the industry and are the same teams we had for the Burj Al Arab project."

"The specification for this project was very high and required very special skills as the design was geometrical and very complicated involving 12 colours. But we were more than qualified to handle the project," says MTE general manager Dave Williams. "Carpets used on this project have soft tones and have been tastefully designed."

He continues: "We did not face any major difficulties while executing this project, nothing different or unusual from any other similar project. The size of the project was impressive, meeting the deadline and satisfying the client in quality standards was a major challenge. The project involved inevitably long hours to finish the work on time. We worked during the summer months amidst high temperature and related fatigue and were lucky there were no accidents.

"We achieved a first-class working relationship with the main contractor and there was excellent cooperation from both the sides. The project stands as a testimony to our expertise and is yet another feather in MTE's cap. It was indeed a proud achievement for us."

MTE says it has been involved with most major contracts in the UAE. Some of its prestigious projects include the Burj Al Arab, Dusit Dubai, Hilton Jumeirah, Hilton Dubai Creek, Holiday Inn Bur Dubai, Skywalk Towers, Sheraton Dubai Hotel and Towers, Sheraton Jumeirah, JW Marriott, Metropolitan Palace Hotel (all in Dubai) and the Millennium Hotel (Sharjah and Abu Dhabi) and the Sheraton Hotel and Towers (Abu Dhabi) as well as the largest theatre in the UAE, the Al Raha, to mention a few.

MTE deals with an extensive range of floor-coverings from premium manufacturers mainly in Europe. The company strives to broad-base its sources with a view to providing customers with a wider choice of quality goods.

"We have the trust and confidence of the clients which has put us where we are today. We can offer a 72-hour turnaround time on designs. Our design portfolio includes around 2,500 samples as a base. Clients can select, pick and choose a variety of designs and corner pieces to create their own special designs. This design is then sent to our principals who prepare the blueprint and send a 45 by 45 cm sample to give the client an actual idea of colour and design of the carpet," says Mehrtash.

An ISO 9002-certified company, and recipient of the Gold Category Business Initiative Directions award presented at its 2002 Quality Summit held in New York last July, MTE attributes its success to its principles of business.

"We have a professional approach. We are committed to quality and services and that is what stands us apart from others. Our strong points are the way we run business, our people and material we use. Even the adhesives we use are environment-friendly," Mehrtash says.

The company has professionals at every level of its operation - from sales to installation - and its entire team of sales executives are trained in-house thoroughly in all aspects of product knowledge and marketing techniques.

"Our installation team is one of the best in the UAE, with all installers having been trained over a period of many years in each and every product handled by the company," he says.

As a policy, the top management visits their principals' factories and attends prestigious international exhibitions in Europe and the US every year for product updates and to keep close links with manufacturers.

"It costs money to get quality. Quality is what drives us - we do not make any compromise on quality, as we intend staying in the market for a long time," says Mehrtash.