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News Release from: Glass and Glazing Federation
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 February 2008
GGF launches Middle East Region
GGF invited to help draft a single United Arabs Emirates standard for the glass and glazing industry and help establish a networking Forum for glass companies in the region.
With support from the GGF Members in the Middle East, an inaugural event took place in January 2008 where the GGF was invited to Abu Dabai for a meeting with the Standards Authority in the UAE The select delegation included Nigel Rees, Chief Executive of the GGF and Steve Rice, Director of Glazing and Director of Safety Glazing of the GGF, who met with Ali Omar Abdullah, Director of Standards Department at the ESMA (Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology)
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 26 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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This inaugural meeting lay the groundwork for a UAE Working Party to be established for drafting a single UAE standard for the glazing industry, with the GGF invited to support and attend this.
Aside from partaking in the drafting of a single UAE standard, the focus of the GGF Middle East region will be to support the UAE and with their knowledge, administer a Forum for glass companies (e.g window manufacturers, curtain walling manufacturers), with the opportunity to network, discuss and problem solve issues that relate specifically to the challenges of doing business in the UAE.
Companies in the Middle East will look to this Forum to share best practise, and combine efforts to generate a specific standard that will suit businesses operating in the UAE region.
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The high standards and strong economies in the Middle East region renders it an attractive market for architects, contractors and specifiers in the glass and glazing industry.
The stringent standards in the region fit well with the GGF's areas of strength and focus and the GGF have for many years had discussions with the Middle East as part of its ongoing aim to widen its international impact.
These discussions are beginning to come to fruition.
In the Middle East region, a large number of the main players in the glass industry are increasingly conscious that although companies are working to very stringent technical standards, they often operate to different Standards and Codes of Practice (e.g US, Japanese, British, European and ISO standards), thus creating an unequal level playing field for all the glazing industry players in the region.
Therefore, the Glazing Industry in the UAE recognises and requires a single standard to be adopted in the region.
The GGF Technical Working Party is in its early stages and it is not yet determined which standard will be adopted but it is anticipated that this will be the International ISO standard initially, which could subsequently be combined with the GGF's Standards and Codes of Practices.
The ultimate purpose is to bring about a single standard to the UAE region that is readily accessible, understood and valued by both purchasers and suppliers of glass and glazing products and services.
On the strategic level, the GGF is working with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce to operate under their auspices.
Some of the other key organisations that the GGF are working with in the Middle East region include the British Chamber of Commerce, the British Business Group, ESMA (Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology), and others.
Nigel Rees was also invited to speak on Dubai's national radio station 'Dubai Eye 103.8' on 'The Business Breakfast'.
Addressing the radio audience, Nigel Rees pointed out that the GGF does not in anyway question the standards to which the glass companies in the UEA are working to.
The issue is that the companies are working to very high, stringent standards, but ones that are different.
The difficulty is that specifiers and architects experience problems with ensuring that they are communicating what is required because standards are so different.
The challenge is to ensure how standardisation can be met.
The following is a generalised summary of the industry in the Middle East region:.
* The Curtain Walling Industry is far larger than the UK industry.
* The Glass Processing and Glazing side is similar to the UK in terms of Standards and Tolerances.
* With regards to energy efficiency, the UAE have had their first thermal Decree 66 requirement to install IG units with a given U value.
This is increasingly being adopted throughout the UAE.
* The Standards that glass and glazing products should be manufactured to, is governed and dictated by architects, contractors and specifiers in the UAE.
* The UAE recognises the need and wants to have one single Standard (e.g with respect to quality, price, Standards) across the UAE.
Commenting on the GGF's trip to Abu Dubai, Nigel Rees said 'the success of the GGF will be bought about by the members themselves, talking with one single voice as a leverage to push Standardisation bodies to accept their recommendation.
The biggest challenge that we are faced with is obtaining agreement by all of the Emirates, to adopt one single Standard that works for all Emirates, and also to get all companies to conform to one single Standard in practise in the UAE region.
The GGF's experience in the UK with setting up forums for the interplay of Best Practices have been tested and proven over time to work; this challenge will be exciting and feasible.
Overall, the trip was immensely useful in being able to promote the GGF, and also the glass and glazing industry'.
As Steve Rice commented "It is the mandate and passion of the GGF to further develop Standards in both the private and public sectors, within the UK and internationally.
The launch of the GGF Middle East region marks another chapter in its continual plans and reaffirms the importance of Standards and Standardisation in an ever global society.
The GGF thanks the UAE for their support and commitment to the glazing industry and to the GGF over the years.
The GGF are looking forward to a fruitful relationship with the UAE'.
The GGF have membership throughout the Middle East (e.g UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain) which is continually expanding.
GGF Members represent both the largest players in the region, and are also the largest players in the Working Party for the drafting of the single UAE Standard.
These large to medium sized companies include the float glass manufacturer Emirates Float Glass llc; Gulf Glass Industries; Danway Fusion llc; Alumatec and Orpro Company , to name a few.
The Middle East Region is headed up by Alistair Kellock of Danway Fusion llc who is the Chairman.
The Vice Chairman is Samih Fatayerji of Gulf Glass Industries and the Chairman of Technical Working Parties is John Reeves of Gulf Glass Industries.
The GGF Middle East Region meets on a quarterly basis with the next meeting taking place in March 2008 in Dubai.
If you are interested in the GGF Middle East region please contact Steve Rice on +44 7710 553743.
For information on becoming a GGF member, please contact Linda Cavendar on lcavendar@ggf.org.uk.
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