Danube Building Materials has announced plans to invest Dh50 million into aluminium and glass manufacturing sector by 2009.

The move is in line with the extensive growth witnessed in the aluminium market, with recent studies predicting that aluminium production in the UAE will cross 2.5 million metric tons by 2010, said a company official.

In addition, the investment aims to capitalize on the steadily rising price of aluminium, which rose by 23 per cent in the first quarter of 2008 in Dubai compared to the same period last year.

As a distributor of leading international brands for aluminium composite panels, aluminium profiles and aluminium sheets, Danube currently plays a vital role in the trading of these products, carrying world-renowned names such as Alubond, Balesco, Arabian Extrusions, Emirates Extrusions, Jindal and Al Jabbar Extrusions.

The company is also supplying a formidable range of architectural glass products, including Saint-Gobain, Guardian and Glaverbel.

In line with its growth strategy for the region, the leading manufacturer is continuously investing in its glass processing units, including tempering, double glazing, edge-processing, sand-blasting, drilling and notching, and decorative glass processing in a bid to raise the quality standards of its glass products.

”Since we started our aluminium and glass division in April 2007, we have supplied high quality building materials to large and premium projects in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar,” said Rizwan Sajan, Chairman, Danube Building Materials.

“In our analysis of the present situation, we are confident that our investment in this market will result in more business prospects for us, which will further strengthen our position in the regional market,” he opined.

Recent studies have shown that the Middle East contributes five per cent to the global volume of aluminium production; however this figure is expected to increase based on the 42 per cent growth in regional aluminium production between 2002 and 2007.

He said Danube’s aim was to focus on supplying the best products in response to the high demand created by the construction industry, whilst also offering customers real value for money.

"The booming construction and real estate industry continues to fuel our high expectations for the regional building materials market. We are directing our focus to address the massive demand in the market by providing a steady supply of high grade glass and aluminium products from Belgium, France, Germany, USA, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, China and Bahrain."

"Through this strategy, we aim to establish Danube as a prominent and trusted partner for developers and contractors across the region," Sajan added.-TradeArabia News Service