The Dubai Ceramic Centre (DCC) of Modern Noor will feature the region’s largest collection of ceramic tiles, marble, sanitary ware, shower cabinets, Jacuzzi, glass washbasins plus other products, when it formally opens this month end – just after the Big 5 show.
“Located on Dubai’s Al Ittihad Road, adjacent to Hyundai Motors, the 2,000 sq m DCC can be described as the most exclusive and prestigious showroom of its kind,” says managing director Dr Maisam Askari.
Earlier this year, Modern Noor entered into a strategic alliance with Novoum Company, a German specialist in high-quality sanitary ware and kitchens, and also launched Modostone, a new brand of marble and stone.
“We also plan to open one of the largest warehouses in the Middle East, specialising in all kinds of building material, in the Jebel Ali Free Zone,” Dr Askari says.
“DCC is the only showroom in Dubai to stock world-class products from multinational brands,” he says. “The aim of the showroom is to make life easier for our clients. Whether you are an individual setting up a new home or an architect planning a massive tower, once you enter the showroom, you will find everything you might need to build.’’
“Quantity is never an issue as the showroom will not just function as a retail point but also a wholesale point, and will have enough stock of all our products at any given point of time. This way, a client need not wait long after he has placed an order. In addition, our prices are competitive and we strive to give as many facilities as we can to our customers – all under one roof,” he adds.
To make life even simpler for its customers, DCC has introduced a new concept. Once a client has made his choice – say on a kitchen cabinet, faucet and tiles – he or she has the option to see how the whole set-up looks when all this is put together, on a 3D image.
“We are trying to source out the fastest, best and easy-to-operate software that will have the image ready within minutes. This way, one does not need to build a whole kitchen or a bedroom and then realise something was out of place. The client can save time, effort and a lot of money by first viewing whether what he have chosen looks good by putting it together on the computer. Most of the managers in our showroom are engineers, so they will also be instrumental in giving customers good advice,” he says.
“This showroom has been opened for the local market,” says Dr Askari. “Earlier, we were focusing more on exports but today, we see that Dubai is going very strong in construction, and we want to focus on the local market.”
“Since we have been in this line for more than 30 years, we have a fair idea of what the customers want. Plus, we always keep ourselves updated on what’s new and what the customers like by surveying the market on a constant basis,” he says.
A walk through the showroom reveals products such as ceramic tiles, polished porcelain, Rectified tiles, floor/wall tiles, bathroom accessories, sanitary ware, bathtubs, mixers, glass washbasin, and kitchen sinks, stone and marble, special mixers, shower cabinets and steam enclosures - all artfully displayed.
“The designs are unique, and model kitchens and bathrooms have been put up to enhance the beauty of each object,” he comments. “The tiles are not just stacked, but displayed in hundreds of patterns on display boards.
“The focus of DCC is the display of the material. If you display products as they look in their final setting, then the actual beauty of the product is enhanced. Fixing tiles together to create patterns and colour combinations gives the customer a wider choice and a much better idea than just presenting a single piece,” says Dr Askari.
Products are imported from various countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, India, Iran, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Oman and Tunisia.
Brands such as Modomix (mixers), Modoglass (mirrors, glass washbasins, sanitary ware), Modogres (ceramic tiles, polished porcelain and rectified tiles) Somany, Venus, Arce, Albagres, Keros, Penarroya, and Stylnul grace the different corners of the showroom.
Established in 1973, Modern Noor Group of Companies has its corporate office and showroom on Al Ittihad Road in Dubai. The company’s other outlets include showrooms in Deira, Dubai as well as in Sharjah, offices in China and Spain and another office and showroom in Iran.
The group, which employs more than 60 personnel, has an annual turnover of Dh150 million ($40.8 million).
Modern Noor will be exhibiting for the fifth consecutive year at the Big 5 show this year. “We continue to participate at the exhibition with a view to attracting further customers in the UAE and Gulf countries and extend our scope of business operations to the world market. We have had a good response at the show and we have negotiated sales deals during and after the exhibition,” says Dr Askari.
The company will promote a range of products at this year’s show including those from our various principals.
Commenting on the company’s performance, he says: “As compared to last year, business has increased and this has been because we have been extending our area of operations to various markets in the world. Plus, we have opened the biggest showroom in the UAE, which will give us more space to show all our material in a modern setting for our customers.”
“The UAE market is one of the best markets for trading in the Middle East, it is fairly competitive, yet we have tried to give the best price and good quality to maintain customer satisfaction.
“The construction markets in the region have enormous potential for further growth and we are focusing on the main markets of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Yemen,” he adds.
