EXHIBITOR INTERVIEW: ODE INSULATION

ODE Insulation will be exhibiting its latest products at HVAC R Expo in Dubai next November. We spoke to the International Business Development Team Leader, Ozan Turan; here's what he told us as he prepares to participate to the the largest construction event in the Middle East.

 What are the major opportunities you spot in the GCC/UAE construction industry?

 Looking at the Middle East countries, UAE can be seen as one of the fastest growing country with its economy. Its construction industry has ranked third among the construction industries of the Middle East countries. The construction industry in the UAE is the third largest economic activity after oil and Trade, and most of the construction activities takes place in Abu Dhabi and Dubai by approximately 6000 construction companies. Today, there are lots of ongoing and newly planned projects in GCC/UAE. Construction activity in Dubai will remain robust in the next two years with developments related to Expo 2020, being one of the main driving force behind the sector's growth. The scope of the Expo will include investments in tourism-related projects, commercial infrastructure, and transportation development (aviation and metro links) – along with the country’s economic diversification goals in the areas of healthcare, education, and transportation. The construction market will definitely grow on a faster pace.  

 What are the major growth drivers for the construction industry in the UAE or Dubai?

 The industry is expected to expand over the forecast period (2017–2021), driven by positive developments in regional economic conditions and subsequent improvements in investor confidence. Moreover, the government's various large-scale investments in transport and commercial infrastructure projects on the back of the upcoming 'World Expo 2020' will be a major driver for the industry's growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, Dubai is the commercial hub and the most popular tourism destination in the region. It has a strong economy and in a geographically accessible location. These are the main growth drivers for the construction industry in Dubai.

 The UAE construction industry’s growth will also be driven by the government’s plan to increase the share of renewable energy in terms of total energy consumption, encouraging investment in renewable energy infrastructure. The government aims to generate 7% of the country’s total electricity needs through renewable sources by 2020. This will also increase the need for the insulation materials.

 According to you, what are today’s top 3 trends in the construction industry?

 The most important trend is to provide system solutions. Second one is quick/on-time delivery and service. Third one is to be able to guide and advise the installers on the construction field.

 If we have to elaborate further; in our daily fast-moving life it is a more effective service concept to develop a turn-key solution rather than to market the product you have produced as a single unit. Your customers, business partners and stakeholders can no longer afford to wait the long-lasting processes. This is exactly the stage that fast delivery, strong distribution network and the capability of fast service delivery come into the picture. I see a future for those companies who can achieve this. Lastly; taking into consideration that knowledge holder has the power, it is important to have the capacity to manage people who are functional and people who have technically been equipped.

 How do you think the construction industry will evolve in the next years?

 The traditional view of construction is seriously out of date as the introduction of new processes, new technologies and new ways of working is turning the industry on its head. Construction companies that can adapt to the change will have a good chance of staying in business and not disappearing like many companies. Digital technologies continue to move at a rapid pace. Some of the leading construction companies are ahead of the curve and have been early adopters of technology. Those that can deploy and adopt these technologies will be better equipped than their competitors at delivering quality projects and higher satisfaction among their clients.

 With the adaptation of new technologies in the construction sector, some other topics like Carbon foot print, Nano technology products, smart homes, green buildings, zero energy buildings will be also talked about

What is the biggest challenge for you in the market this year and why?

 Currently, we are manufacturing 4 product groups (Glasswool, Elastomeric Rubber Foam, Extruded Polystrene, Bitumen Waterproofing Membranes). Last year we have increased our production capacity for bitumen waterproofing membranes. This year, the biggest challenge for us is to introduce new waterproofing products and penetrate the market with our wide product range. Different countries have different product standards. We are analyzing the existing products in our target countries one by one and developing new products for each of these countries.

 Are there any innovative Products/Solutions your company has developed? Please provide details

Currently, we are developing a special roofing membrane product by using local natural minerals. This project is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

 Why are they innovative? 

These local natural minerals increase the UV resistance of the membrane therefore extend the lifetime of the product. If the products are applied under the photovoltaic panel as a roofing membrane, it reflects the heat and increases the panel’s efficiency. The aim of the subject project is;

• Being the first in Turkey who preferred in the Turkish Membrane market white stone having the capacity to reflect solar rays instead of dark colored traditional roof covering for cosmetics purposes.

• Contributing to the economy by being an energy saving material for water insulation, and to the environment by decreasing CO2 emissions.

• Contributing to wide spread use of the renewable energy resources with productivity increasing features of Photovoltaic panels.

• By prolonging aging of membranes with the help of white reflective surface which increases the resistance to UV and resistance to heat.

• To contribute to the sector by utilizing waste materials of mining companies in the region and decreasing dependency to foreign supply of the mineral stones.

• To contribute to the environment consciousness by holding EPD license for water insulation material.

• To contribute to providing a healthier and more comfortable living space.

 What products will you present at The Big 5 Show this year?

We will launch our environment friendly green glasswool product ODE Starflex ECO Acoustic product, which contains fiberglass used for thermal, sound and fire insulation and ODE bitumen membrane with white aggregate stone. We aim to meet with new business partners from the MENA region covering the Middle East and North Africa, especially from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia and also from Asia, Europe and America, to take part in major ongoing construction projects in the region.

Meet with ODE Insulation at HVAC R Expo - Location: Stand Z4 C121