Construction firm Danube Group has announced the opening of an aluminium composite panel factory in Dubai to supply fire resistant cladding in light of a spate of recent tower fires in the UAE.
Following the release of a new fire code by the UAE Civil Defense, Danube Group said the factory, set up in conjuction with Alucopanel USA, is solely dedicated to the production of non-combustible panels and related materials.
The facility has an expected capacity of four million square metres annually, making it the largest production facility in the region, the company said in a statement.
Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman, Danube Group, said: “Today’s opening is a strong testimonial that Danube is leading transformation in the building materials industry… 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 represents an investment of AED100 million ($27.2 million), the statement added.
Zohaib Rahman, division head, Alucopanel Middle East, said: “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 this year, Danube Group opened conversations with local government bodies, calling for the use of non-combustible panels.
The company said almost 90 percent of buildings built in the GCC before 2012 are cladded with non-fire-retardant grade aluminum composite panels.
It added that plans to open a new facility in the UAE are currently in the pipeline and will be announced early next year.