CBI Europe, one of the leading manufacturers of internal finishings, has announced its plans to open up a new manufacturing facility in Jebel Ali, Dubai.

The new company, to be named the European Building Products (EBP), is expected to start production next year and will have a manufacturing capacity of almost 1000 metal ceiling panels per day, says a company spokesman.
“The metal panels – manufactured in steel or aluminium – will be available with the complete range of edge details, ‘Trim’, ‘Reveal’ and ‘Narrow Reveal’ for installation on exposed T-grid suspension systems, and as ‘clip-in’ for installation on a concealed suspension system,” he says.
Panels will be supplied as plain unperforated tiles, but they are also available in a wide range of perforation designs, with or without the acoustical tissue, he adds.
Pre-painted aluminium tiles are available in 24 different colours.
Apart from manufacturing metal ceilings tiles, EBP will also operate as a distribution centre for CBI Europe’s ‘manufacturing range’ of T-grid suspension systems, demountable partitions and raised access floors.
The manufacturing equipment for the plant has been designed and built by CBI’s own engineering division.
The opening of the facility in close proximity to the market will boost CBI’s’ market presence in the GCC countries considerably, says the spokesman.
A medium-term investment plan for the facility has already been decided: $500,000 will be invested in the first year and will be followed up with an investment of $1.5 million spread over a three-year period that will allow a phased increase in capacity of the facility.
From the beginning, the investment has been supported by a 2004/05 promotional campaign of $150,000, which includes advertisements in the most important Middle East building specialised publications and a presence in the major exhibition events of the region such as the Big 5 show in Dubai, Project Qatar in Doha, and SaudiBuild in Riyadh, among others, says the spokesman.
“Established in 1978, CBI Europe has rapidly become one of the most important and trusted company for the production of internal finishings in both the European and worldwide market.
Thanks to its ideal logistical position in the centre of Mediterranean area, CBI is currently expanding its presence, to become the ideal partner for the Middle East construction project markets,” he says.

False ceilings
Elaborating on the company’s range of products, he says: “The company offers a wide range of ceilings (wood, metal, fibre and gypsum) as well as T-Bar suspension system and accessories for the fittings and assembly.
“CBI Europe has considerably increased the variety of solutions for the installation of its exposed ceiling suspension systems, which are available in 22 different colours. Different cross tee connection systems, hook-in and overlap, according to the preference of the contractor, use the same main runner, allowing unmatched flexibility in installation and reduced inventory requirements.

Raised access floors
“The company’s raised floors satisfy all technical and aesthetic needs, eliminating the problems encountered with the traditional building structure which cannot accommodate the ever-changing demands in technical wiring of high technological environments: executive offices, banks, call centres, etc.
“CBI Europe is the only company worldwide which produces all three types of panel required from the markets – high-density wooden panel; high-density calcium sulphate panel and fully steel-encapsulated panels.”

Demountable partitions
Turning to its range of demountable partitions, the spokesman says: “The Genesy and Wall System partitions have been designed to divide and furnish operative and executive offices, data processing station, laboratories, banks and every other working space. The choice in aesthetical and practical solutions is unlimited, thanks to the combination of colours, doors and windows. They also facilitate the insertion of  proper sound proofing and for the passage of the technical installation, like electric and telephone cables.’’