The construction industry in the Gulf now has on-the-ground support from the UK-based Promat – a market leader in passive fire protection and high temperature insulation products, which has recently opened its first regional office in Dubai and teamed up with the excellent distribution network of Mac Al Gurg, a leading supplier of building and plumbing products in the UAE and part of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg group.

Promat has been operating in the Middle East for more than 20 years and has an impressive list of local construction clients. However, with this new office and distribution via Mac Al Gurg, it will be that much easier for local companies to get the fire protection systems and products they need, when and where required, says a Promat spokesman.
Promat is renowned for its technical back-up, drawing on the resources and expertise of a worldwide research network and 40 years experience in passive fire protection. Now, this expertise will be available locally to architects, engineers and contractors in the building industry throughout the region, says Geoff Mann, who heads the company’s Dubai office.
“Recent incidents have raised public awareness about fire hazards in buildings in the UAE. Examples include the Oasis Shopping Centre and more recent fires at the Fortune Tower and the Gulf and Safa Dairies plant close to Dubai International Airport. Thus, fire protection is not an area where companies can afford to cut corners and this is where fire protection products and systems from Promat can play a major role,” he points out.
“This is the next stage for us. We are here to offer technical support to architects, engineers and contractors with the full range of products and systems available from the Promat Group,” says Mann. “Our new office is located in one of the most vibrant construction markets in the world. The latest estimates put the value of new projects in Dubai at around $200 billion.”
Regulations governing fire protection in the Middle East have been far less stringent than in Europe. But that’s changing with international architectural practices and construction standards playing a larger role in the region these days. The high value of new projects also has raised awareness about the importance of fire safety.
“Passive fire protection is built into the fabric of a building. It creates a physical barrier to contain heat and prevent the spread of smoke and fire. It can’t be turned off, requires no power or water to work, and remains passive until it’s called upon to provide fire protection,” he explains.
Elaborating on the company’s products, Mann says: “Products and systems from Promat help control the course of a fire and the damage it can do. They can contain fires for up to 240 minutes, giving occupants time to leave the building and fire-fighters a chance to stop its collapse. Foremost in the Promat product range is the highly-adaptable Supalux, a calcium silicate building board, renowned worldwide for its high performance in both fire and moisture-resisting applications. It has been used extensively throughout landmark projects worldwide, ranging from the massive new Terminal 5 development at Heathrow Airport in London to the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.
“Tested to many international standards, Supalux can be used in numerous applications in building construction, ranging from partitions and ceilings, encasement of smoke extract and kitchen ducting, to the fire protection of structural steel and construction of shaft walls.
“It was the shaft wall application that secured the specification for the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel project. The calcium silicate construction of Supalux means that it can be exposed to high degrees of moisture and humidity without risk of degradation or failure. Due to this, Supalux can be used before the building is weather tight, therefore allowing it to be installed much earlier in the build programme and thus great advancement in the completion of the total project. Masterboard, another Promat product,  was also used extensively throughout this project, mostly in back-of-house areas.”
Other Promat products such as Vermiculux, distributed by Mac Al Gurg, have been used on another landmark project, the Jumeirah Beach Residences in Dubai where it was used extensively throughout to protect the structural steel in the case of fire. Vermiculux is a product designed to offer fire protection to structural steel and its “dry trade” nature mean that they dispense with the difficulties encountered by sprayed, “wet trade” systems, such as drying times, generators and spray equipment.
Both Supalux and Vermiculux carry Dubai Civil Defence approvals, and have quality performance, offering up to 240 minutes fire protection in specific applications. They are both very adaptable boards, and can be used for a wide range of construction including ceilings, partitions and service enclosures. The calcium silicate nature of the board ensures that they are ideal for semi-exposed applications such as soffits and linings.
As a market leader in passive fire protection and high temperature insulation, Promat’s fire protection division offers an extensive range of boards, penetration seals and glazing, designed to provide systems that meet the most stringent requirements of today’s projects. Besides the Supalux and Vermiculux brands in fire protection, the company also offers the Durasteel, Masterboard, Promaseal and the Promatect range of products.
“Thanks to the reputation for high levels of service, matched by quality products, the partnership between Promat and Mac Al Gurg is very strong, and will continue to develop as the construction industry grows,” says Mann.
Operating from its headquarters in Dubai with showrooms in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah, Mac Al Gurg has been a leader in the field of supplying high-quality materials for building, sewerage, architectural finishing products, industrial and plumbing related projects since 1974.