Meaptashi Corporation of the UAE, which markets central air-conditioning equipment and ancillaries in the Middle East, has joined hands with the Bahrain's Mohammed Fakhroo & Brothers to push sales in the country.

The two companies recently hosted a seminar in Bahrain to update customers on the Meaptashi range of products.

Meaptashi vice president Ashish Tripathi said the company was interested in developing franchise divisions for air-conditioning equipment and ancillaries required by contracting firms and would like to work with consultants for the approval of its products while also assisting in developing technical project specifications.

Established in 1980, Meaptashi represents some 21 mainly US and European quality manufacturers, including Defensor of Switzerland (humidifiers), Novair of Italy (air handling units - AHUs) and Indeeco of the US (duct heaters). The company also has a branch office in the US.

Its turnover was Dh18 million ($4.9 million) in 2000 against Dh14 million in the previous year, said company president and founder Vijay Tripathi. The UAE accounted for Dh4.5 million of the turnover in 2000, with Qatar and Lebanon next in importance with Dh2 million each.

Meaptashi is a limited liability company, privately held by the Tripathi family. In 1997, the family also acquired full ownership of Vibration Management Corporation (Vimco), a US-based manufacturer of noise- and vibration-control products (vibration isolators, acoustical floating floors) piping supports and HVAC ducting and piping accessories.

Meaptashi is the master distributor for Vimco products in the region.

Tripathi said vibration isolators and floating floors along with Novair AHUs were the company's top-selling products in the Middle East.

"Vimco has revolutionised the vibration control industry, by implementing modular controls in its modified product designs to allow easy reliable assembly by its worldwide master distributors," he said. "This allows distributors to maintain inventory in component form, controlling inventory costs and providing ex-stock delivery periods. This has been the force behind Vimco's strong export growth vis-a-vis other similar US-based manufacturers."

At its assembly unit in Sharjah, Meaptashi makes rubber cork pads that are required for absorbing vibrations below the machines. The pads are mainly used in central air-conditioning but have applications in other industries as well. Some 100,000 pieces are produced annually in each of five different sizes.

Tripathi said Meaptashi exported those products to all regions except South America, Europe and the Far East, where Vimco markets these products directly.

Meaptashi's product line also includes equipment from Bryan Boilers; Kewanee Boiler Manufacturing Company, Ideal (VS) Ltd, Cain Manufacturing, Meaptron, Leading Edge and Dwyer Instruments (all from the US); Axair, Switzerland; Manrose, UK; FMV, France, and Multimetals, India.