Architectural cladding specialist Arabian Profile Company Limited (APL) has developed a special line of cladding profiles that are said to perfect mimic traditional materials such as stone, granite and steel.

This new line not only opens up various design possibilities but also goes a long way in facilitating the restoration and preservation of historic sites, says a spokesman for the Sharjah-headquartered company.
“The development of composite materials has had a significant impact on the industry, producing new types of cladding which are lighter, more durable, more thermally-efficient and faster to install. In our continuous quest for the ‘ultimate panel’, we have produced cladding which is perfectly suited for both historic buildings and modern-day structures,” he adds.
Part of the Gibca Group of Companies, the company has been based in Sharjah since its inception in 1985. It produces 80,000 sq m of its trademark sandwich panels which have not only helped transform the face of the UAE but are also exported worldwide – and the demand has been such that it prompted the company’s decision to open a production facility in nearby Ajman.
The newly-opened Ajman facility has doubled the company’s total land area to 66,000 sq m, while boosting its factory space by 25 per cent. It consists of two factory buildings, one producing glassfibre reinforced concrete (GRC) and the other glassfibre-reinforced polyester (GRP) – both of which were previously manufactured at the Sharjah factory.
“The world of construction is rapidly evolving and APL constantly strives to anticipate the fast-changing needs of various markets. Modern-day UAE is best known for architectural innovation and APL has helped significantly by developing new cladding solutions to assist designers in pushing the boundaries of construction and creating architectural wonders,” he points outs. “The use of composite materials, in particular, offers greater flexibility in shape, form and function, which further enhances APL’s reputation for creative engineering solutions.”
The company has specifically designed products to fulfil the demands of particular projects on numerous occasions. “This approach has earned APL a reputation for groundbreaking ideas and highly-customised solutions that have helped clients overcome any project dilemma and achieve better quality and lower costs in the process,” he adds.
Over the years, the company has gained an impressive project portfolio and list of satisfied clients. Some of the more challenging projects that APL has handled include:
• Burj Al Arab, Dubai: APL has made a unique contribution to this iconic project – designing, building and erecting 305 stunning internal balconies, according to the spokesman. The company had built a factory on site to mould 36.000 sq m of composite panels with GRP skin featuring a textured finish with honeycomb backing, and insulated with fire-rate rockwool, he explains.
• Autodrome Dubai, marketing and management building: APL redesigned and built the entire architectural envelope of this building which forms an essential part of the track architecture. This was done using 4,500 sq m of Reynobond composite panels, 3-mm solid-aluminium, powder-coated and perforated panels plus extruded aluminium sunshades. The roof was finished with the Kalzip standing seam system.
• Nad Al Sheba – Millennium Grandstand: APL manufactured and installed 36,000 sq m Kalzip standing seam roofing system, roll forming it on site and installing the entire roof structure in just 66 days, the spokesman points out. “Individual sheet lengths of up to 28 m were pre-curved to meet the demanding geometry of the structure,” he explains. “APL also provided 7,500 sq m of composite panels and 1,500 sq m of GRP curved in 3-D cladding for gables and stair podiums. The success of the project helped the grandstand win wide acclaim from the architectural and sporting worlds.”
• Cultural Square, Sharjah: For this project, APL made extensive use of GRC with a natural stone finish on parapets, screens, columns and other exterior elevations. Similar work was undertaken on the Sharjah Ruler’s office and mosque, using 5,500 sq m of GRC and GRP, the latter also having been used for the domes of the Cultural Centre.
APL’s cladding also adorns the region’s finest shopping malls, hotels, business towers, sports stadia, private homes, palaces and mosques.
“A result of many years of research, several of APL’s facade and roofing solutions are exclusive to the company. However, the driving force has always been client satisfaction. The company provides project engineering to satisfy any contract requirement and offers services such as structural calculation, shop drawings, bills of materials, as-built drawings, method statements, quality plans and maintenance procedures,” the spokesman mentions.
“APL is particularly proud of the status and references it has achieved in the international contractors community. For us, there is nothing more satisfying than a happy client at the completion of a successful contract,” he concludes.