Alucopanel Middle East Opens First Ever A2 Aluminum Composite Panel (ACP) Factory in UAE

Following the release of the new fire code by the UAE Civil Defense, Danube Group celebrates the opening of the first and only Aluminum Composite Panel Factory in the Middle East, in conjugation with Alucopanel USA. As part of Alucopanel Middle East, the facility located in Dubai’s Technopark, is solely dedicated to the production of non-combustible ACP’s and related materials. 

The factory was inaugurated by H.E. Colonel Jamal Ahmed Ibrahim, Director of Preventive Safety Dept., Ministry of Interior (Gen. Directorate of Civil Defense), in the presence of Sami Khamis Al Naqbi, Director General for Fire & Safety Protection- Sharjah, who spoke about the new mandate passed for developers in the UAE and how it will benefit the residents. Production of the A2 composite panels at the Alucopanel Middle East facility is scheduled to begin immediately after the official launch of the production line, which has an expected capacity of four million square meters annually, making it the largest production facility in the region.

Commenting on the set-up of the facility, Rizwan Sajan, Founder & Chairman, Danube Group, said, “Today’s opening is a strong testimonial that Danube is leading transformation in the Building Material’s industry. We have been able to successfully set up this facility with the support the UAE government and I have extremely happy to be the first and only company to make available the non-combustible ACP. Being an active participant in the real estate industry in the UAE, the introduction of the new law by the UAE Civil Defense, to use A2 materials is a new light to ensure customer safety and eliminate loss of life due to fire.”

Spanning an area of over 50,000 square feet, the new manufacturing facility denotes an investment of AED 100 million, which will make available over 15 metallic finishes as well as 15 solid/plane finishes in more than 10,000 colors that can be customized to suit the requirements of a wide array of developers across the region. All products under the Alucopanel Middle East portfolio adhere to the highest standards and have received international certifications including the EXOVA Warrington fire- UK, Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants- UAE and BM Trada UK.

Zohaib Rahman, Division Head, Alucopanel Middle East, says, “Being the first organization in the Middle East to operate a full- fledged non-combustible ACP is a huge achievement for us and I am proud to be part of the team. Panels produced by Alucopanel do not allow the diffusion of flames and restricts smoke, which discourages the spread of fire in an upward motion. The application of the non-combustible from Alucopanel in development projects in and around the region will definitely elevate fire safety in the region, representing a new era in building materials.”

In the face of mounting fire-related accidents, earlier this year, Danube Group opened conversations with local government bodies, appealing for the use of non-combustible panels. Further to which, the UAE government has passed on a mandate to clad Midrise and High-rise building with only Euroclass A2 materials. Almost 90 percent of the building built in the GCC before the year 2012, are cladded with non-fire-retardant grade Aluminum composite panels, which is the main reason for the recent fires witnessed at residential and commercial projects in the UAE. The devastating aftermath of the incident left numerous residents homeless and the loss of their belongings and possessions. 

Plans to open a new facility in the UAE are currently in the pipeline and will be announced early next year. Having been present in the UAE for over twenty years, Danube Group boasts a diverse portfolio of Building materials and related supplies. The UAE-based Group has successfully made its mark across the globe, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and India, among others.