Rubber World Industries (RWI), one of the leading manufacturers of closed-cell rubber insulation, said yesterday that it has signed a contract worth $4 million (Dh14.7m) for the supply of Nitrile Rubber (NBR) and speciality chemicals from Germany-based Lanxess AG, a leading company in specialty chemicals.
Dr Andreas Roos, manager for technical services, EMEA, Lanxess AG, signed the contract during a visit to Ajman. RWI is part of the Memon Group of Companies.
With a temperature range of -40ºC to +125ºC, high performance NBR can withstand most of the severe applications and is therefore used in a wide variety of application areas requiring oil, fuel and chemical resistance, such as the industrial sector, which heavily relies on this chemical. In the construction industry, it is used to seal all kinds of plumbing, air-conditioning, refrigeration and heating applications.
"Our leading position in the region is being driven by our commitment to quality, which is the most important factor we consider when manufacturing our products," said Abu Baker Shaikhani, managing director RWI and chairman of the Memon Group. "We have identified the quality of Lanxess' high performance specialty chemicals to be at par with world standards that we have set for our own products, thereby prompting us to invest heavily in their offerings. Our stance towards maintaining the superior quality of our rubber insulation products amidst rising production costs is what fuels our growth and draws in more customers who seek our top-of-the-line products that incorporate the best raw materials in the world."
The contract with Lanxess AG is also in line with the company's Dh30m expansion plan for 2008, which is aimed at increasing its production capacity to more than 3,600 containers per year by 2013. As the largest producer of the widest range of rubber insulation pipes and sheets that meet almost 75 per cent requirements of the local and regional markets, RWI currently has 86 per cent of the rubber market share in the Middle East and is active in the international markets.
"Our success in the Middle East has led us to explore new foreign markets, which are also facing increased demand for top-grade rubber insulation products as a result of rising construction activities. We have strengthened our production capabilities to manufacture a wider range of rubber insulation products," said Shaikhani.