Speeding it up: Naheed Younis

Naheed Younis, Mapei commercial manager.

Italy-based Mapei’s commercial manager Naheed Younis says the company has the ability to speed up projects, and that Abu Dhabi has always been a focus for it.

Is Abu Dhabi a focus for Mapei?

Abu Dhabi has always been a focus for Mapei. With prestigious projects such as the Emirates Palace Hotel and the Grand Mosque in our portfolio, we already have an impressive track record. However, we have started winning more commercial work there recently.

What are the projects you’re working on in Abu Dhabi at the moment?

We are currently working on a number of prestigious hotel projects such as Al Gurm Resort, Between 2 Bridges (B2B) hotel, two of the new Rotanas as well as the Marina Bay hotel which is supporting the 2009 F1 event.

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It is fair to say that many of these projects are under a lot of pressure to be completed on time, but without compromising quality. This is where we are seen to add a lot of value.

Which products are most in demand?

The products, which are in high demand at the moment, vary from rapid hydrating self-levellers to tile adhesives and high performance coloured grouts.

Is Saudi Arabia a focus for you as well?

Not from our local subsidiary, Innovative Building Solutions, as this was set up specifically to serve the UAE market. But, having said that, I believe that the Mapei group has been supplying successfully to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the rest of the gulf for many years now, through an established network of agents and distributors.

Can Mapei help in speeding up projects?

Yes, definitely. Usually, the application of screed or self-levelling compounds need to cure and achieve a low relative humidity, so that the trapped moisture does not effect the subsequent finishes such as parquet, vinyl, carpet and even certain stones and ceramic tiling.

Typically this takes anything from 10 to 25 days, depending on the material and thickness. However, Mapei have developed a number of products which work on rapid setting and hydrating principles; the idea being, that whatever type of finish has been specified for the project, the sub-floor preparation will not be a limiting factor.

This is where we are currently assisting many projects to ‘fast track’ their programs, as we can offer screeds such as Topcem or self levellers such as Ultraplan Maxi, which can receive subsequent finishes after 24 hours (depending upon application thickness), or even Mapecem, which can receive finishes after only three hours.

This time saving is considerable as finishes are very often the last activity to be carried out on site and are always under pressure from previous delays.

Tell us a little about your cementitious self leveling, fast hydrating screed - are you the only company to do it?

As I mentioned before, we are able to save time without compromising the quality of construction, and more importantly, minimise the risk of failure of the selected application of finishes.

For example, trapped moisture in the substrate can lead to unsightly blistering of vinyl flooring, swelling of parquet and staining of ceramic and natural stone.

A rapid hydrating screed, if formulated correctly, will eliminate this problem. Of course, one should always look at this solution from only one supplier to ensure maximum compatibility, and more importantly for the client, one source of liability. Mapei can provide such complete systems.

BIO
Naheed Younis is the commercial manager of Innovative Building Solutions, Mapei’s UAE subsidiary. He graduated in civil engineering from the University of Mississippi, US. His professional experience has included working in contracting, consulting and as a client representative as well as a specialist material supplier. Younis has 28 years of experience in the industry in the UAE, and is considered an authority on concrete technology and construction best practise particularly in the Middle East.