The sign of a successful company is often its ability to evolve with the times to meet changing specifications.

That's what Al Abbar did just over two years ago when Al Abbar Architectural Glass  (AAG) was created to cater to the increasing needs of processed glass in the construction industry.
Prior to this, Al Abbar's glass products fell under the umbrella of the aluminium division, but it was a situation which eventually became unsustainable.

'The local availability of high-performance, post-temperable solar control and low emissivity glass can be considered revolutionary and helpful to the curtain wall industry. But AAG's  latest investment to process  laminated and curved tempered glass, being  increasingly specified in construction projects, clearly does not fall into the curtain wall glazing category and so did not naturally fall within the aluminium division's scope,' says Jean Lelievre, product and technical manager for AAG.

Indeed, facade design in high-rise buildings such as those being built in Dubai and throughout the region presents architects and engineers with a large choice of highly developed glass types and advanced glass wall systems.
AAG provides professional support and innovative solutions for customer requirements, allowing the designer a free hand in terms of architectural creativity. To meet this commitment, the initial plant has, since its establishment in 1991, stayed ahead of change in the industry by investing in some of the most sophisticated equipment for tempered and heat-strengthened glass, insulated glass units, silkscreened glass, curved annealed glass and  resin cast laminated glass.

AAG's in-house service extends to design support, engineering and fabrication of curtain wall glass, point-fix systems, frameless assemblies, shower enclosures and balustrades in flat or curved condition, together with provision for surface decoration.

With its own identity, structure and technical and commercial decision makers, AAG is autonomous in every sense of the word, to the extent that today the division even supplies competitors of Al Abbar Aluminium.

'The local Dubai market is our primary focus,' says Lelievre, adding that exports are also becoming increasingly important, especially to other Middle East countries. AAG has supplied architectural glass to some of Dubai's most prestigious projects, including the Dubai Hilton Creek, Emirates Towers, Capricorn Tower, 21st Century Tower and the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority.

The ISO9001-certified tempering plant certainly seems equipped to meet market needs, its curved and tempered glass machinery being an almost 'one-of-a-kind' in the world. Not surprising then when Lelievre explains that this machinery represents an investment of Dh10 million ($2.72 million).

It's proven to be a worthwhile investment. 'The curved glass market was, up until two years ago, relatively undeveloped in the Middle East because there was little machinery for heat treatment in the area,' says Lelievre. AAG changed that, however.

Today, production of curved-on-plan fully tempered architectural glazing is possible at the plant using a glass bending oven. This glazing is used on a variety of glass substrates including clear, tinted, pyrotically-coated, sila-coated and specific magnetron sputtered coated glass types.

Production manager Celso Broqueza has been heavily involved in the selection and installation of machinery since 1991, ensuring its ongoing efficiency and quality. Continuous investment has been a theme throughout the history of the plant, and today the equipment is exclusively from either Europe or the US, though Broqueza adds that the product lines are upgraded every two years.

'We have one of the most sophisticated double glazing lines in the Gulf, and have also invested in a laminating line to produce 2.5 by 3.5 mm laminated glass up to a maximum thickness of 60 mm,' he explains, adding that the bending/tempering machine is one of only two of its type in the world.

As well as producing curved tempered and laminated glass, AAG can also manufacture glass units for bolt-fix or spider fitting installations, a critical process which is the preserve of few companies in the Middle East.

The revolution in glass technology in the last five to seven years has required AAG to adapt to changing global market realities, though AAG has expended great effort in making local architects and consultants aware that the products they need are both available locally and are affordable, vital considerations in a competitive industry where supplying reliable, high quality product against tight lead times can make all the difference.

Quality is at the core of the AAG's operations. ISO9001-certified since January last year, it strictly adheres to European and international standards and provides yet another edge to the company, especially on large projects where quality specifications are given even greater prominence.

Recent innovations such as high-performance post-temperable glass has clearly influenced the rapid development and increasing specification of curved and tempered glass for use on curtain walls and balustrades, though Lelievre admits that,quantity-wise, the interior decoration market remains at the core of the division's business, for now at least.

That's not to say that Lelievre and the 120 staff in the division are not constantly keeping abreast of the latest developments.
'We cannot be followers. Being at the forefront of technology research and development and our customer-orientated approach gives us an edge over our competitors, and fulfils the Al Abbar motto of providing the best quality for customer satisfaction while fostering environmental-consciousness,' he says.

'We work with and assist architects with glass selection and solutions so we need to be aware of architect-dictated trends in the industry,' says Lelievre, a veteran with 27 years' experience in the glass sector in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

Trends such as transparent buildings with high light transmissions are being constantly designed across Dubai.
'We are able to process highly selective glass types with low solar values, and the different coatings available on high-performance glasses are providing U-values hitherto unavailable locally in the Gulf,' he says.

A new product recently introduced by AAG is Magic Screen Glass for application in VIP/conference rooms, toilets etc. Operating from a 220V electricity supply, this highly conductive laminated glass has been developed and successfully proven in the US and Asia and provides 'selective and unlimited application options', says Lelievre.

Challenges remain, particularly the fast track nature of many of the major projects in Dubai, but Lelievre believes that that is where Al Abbar and AAG's strength lies.

'Project schedules with tight lead times can work in our favour as we are not dependent on outside suppliers. The element of local involvement in timely production is becoming vital,' he emphasises.

AAG's excellent reputation for high quality glass products looks set to stand the company in good stead as the next wave of projects are awarded in Dubai.