ASSA ABLOY
In conversation with Nassim Abu Yousef, CEO – Middle East, ASSA ABLOY

Can you give us a brief overview about your company?
ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user needs for security, safety and convenience. The Group has 47,000 employees and annual sales of USD 8.3 billion. We have a Dubai based door manufacturing unit located in Jebel Ali Industrial Zone, with a factory building area of 15,000 square meters and more than 300 dedicated employees. We provide solutions for acoustic, security, specialty doors, cleanroom doors, glazed screen doors, detention doors, lead lined doors and windows. ASSA ABLOY Door Solutions Prometal steel doors and Lockwood timber doors are widely used in commercial, educational, residential, retail, sports, theme parks, oil & gas industries and healthcare sectors covering all the markets.

 

 

What are the latest products that your company is offering?
ASSA ABLOY handles everything that makes up a complete door opening solution: anything connected or attached to the door, as well as all the elements surrounding it. Our latest offering includes wireless access control, architectural hardware, glass hardware, steel and timber doors. Recently we have
received certification for steel doors fire-rated up to 180 minutes. As part of our strategy to be leaders in the wooden door industry we have introduced our innovative POLO DOOR collection of residential doors. In this collection we offer the widest range of door designs available in the market in combination with several natural veneers and finishes.

Recently, we have completed prestigious projects like Sheikh Al Jaber Cultural Center in Kuwait, Jeddah Airport in Saudi Arabia, in UAE we have installed acoustic doors in Dubai Opera, fire and safety doors in Jewel of the Creek and Al Habtoor City, detention doors in Dubai Prisons. In Oman we are about to complete Sandan Industrial City. At present we are executing total door opening solutions including door and architectural hardware in New Doha Port, Doha Metro and 39 schools in Doha.

What are the latest trends that you have observed in this space?
Interior designers and architects are focusing on green building projects, which need the doors
to be able to be more inclusive in the design with minimum carbon footprint. ASSA ABLOY already has more than 250 EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) across its product range.
ASSA ABLOY has been producing an annual sustainability report based on GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) guidelines since 2005. We are expecting to receive our first EPD for Prometal and Lockwood doors this year, which will empower architects in the region to achieve their green building objectives. Also there are changes in fire regulations by local civil defence authorities, which has created a demand for higher fire-ratings for doors.

What kind of growth have you seen in the demand for your products?
We have seen a stable growth over the years for our ‘Made in UAE’ steel and timber doors. Moreover, we are the only company in the industry who can offer ‘total door opening solutions’ including doors, architectural hardware, access control, etc. We have a qualified team, which can support any project right from the design stage, execution of the job and service.