Invisible infrastructure

R&M Middle East MD Jean-Pierre Labry.
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From power supply to telecoms, cables and cabling constitute the ‘invisible infrastructure’ that holds buildings together. MEP Middle East speaks to a range of players about this vital sector.

Reichle & De-Massari (R&M) MEA

An independent Swiss family business, R&M has garnered an impressive 40 years’ experience in the information and communication technology market. Its main focus area is the development and manufacture of future-oriented passive structured cabling solutions for communications networks (Layer 1).

Outstanding products in the copper and fibre-optic domain have won R&M a reputation as a leader in quality that always provides added value. R&M solutions set standards for modularity as well as convenience of installation and maintenance. The company enjoys market leadership in Switzerland, and is present in 16 additional countries, with their own subsidiaries and agencies.

R&M’s regional headquarters is located in the Dubai Airport Free Zone, while it has offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Jean-Pierre Labry is the newly-appointed MD of the Middle East operation, while Andrew Sedman is the technical director. Labry’s key responsibility is nurturing the company’s growth in the MENA region.

He brings strong domestic experience and local market knowledge to R&M, having worked in the region for over 12 years, and closely with R&M for the past eight years. He worked for 11 years with a reputable electro-mechanical with a workforce of 3 500. In addition, Labry was the quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) manager. In 2001, he oversaw the launch of an IT infrastructure division specialising in passive installation. It was not long before this became one of the leading installer/IT system integrators in the UAE, with a workforce of 250.

In terms of R&M’s impact on the Middle East market to date, the company saw a 63.4% increase in growth in 2008. Generating 78% of its sales abroad, R&M has emerged as one of the top three players in Europe and the Middle East, reports Labry. Total sales for 2008 increased 2.2% over 2007 to $219 million, reflecting the impact of the global financial crisis after a strong growth phase.

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Two thirds of total sales were recorded in the structured building cabling (private network) segment, while growth in the telecoms segment was largely attributable to major fibre-optic projects. Indeed, fibre-optic technology has emerged as a focal point of investment, with R&M planning to boost its development of new fibre-optic solutions by 10% in 2009. In bolstering its claim of being an innovation leader, Labry points out that 20% of total sales are achieved with products less than three years old.

Labry also reveals that the company is continuing to decentralise from its traditional Switzerland home base. “The first management and logistics hub opened recently in Singapore. This initial development will be followed over the next two years by four hubs in other regions. These hubs will allow the R&M sales regions to provide their customers with even better logistics services.” Sedman’s role as technical director entails looking after project implementation and processing of the QPP training programme for distributors, which will ensure high standards and customisation to meet local customer needs.

Sedman will also be in charge of maintaining superior technical support standards for sales activities across the region. He has over 19 years’ experience in the telecoms cabling sector, together with an extensive background in project management in the field of structured cabling.

Labry tells MEP Middle East that the company’s impressive growth to date has given it a strong base from which to pursue regional expansion. “We are taking advantage of the current opportunities by sourcing the skills we need to consolidate our growth.” Indeed, R&M is one of the few companies recruiting actively at present, as it takes advantage of current trends such as the global move to fibre-optic networks, which Dubai and the rest of the UAE are only just embarking upon.

Apart from its QPP programme for distributors, R&M also has a training academy that disseminates technical information on the latest innovations. “Our involvement on the distributor side ensures excellence in the execution of our systems, while the training academy is our way of giving back to the industry itself so that it can benchmark itself against the latest international developments,” says Labry.

Labry comments that specifying cabling infrastructure is critical, as it usually has a lifespan of about 25 years. This means that issues such as modularity and future expansion have to be taken into account right from the initial concept and planning stages. “The market is very price-sensitive at the moment due to the economic downturn and its impact on the construction industry. It is part and parcel of our job to educate customers that this is a short-term view that will impact on the long-term value-add of their projects.”

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