SKY IS THE LIMITWith their commitment to unique design and constant innovation, Reem Emirates Aluminum has revolutionised Abu Dhabi and UAE’s skyline.

The first thing that comes to mind when one speaks of the United Arab Emirates are the

stunning buildings that make up the skyline. Groundbreaking technology is used to erect some of the most visually captivating buildings of the modern era. And Reem Emirates Aluminum (REA) is the front runner when it comes to servicing the up-and-coming demand in architectural finishes and metal works in the UAE.

Founded in May 2006 in Abu Dhabi, REA has come up leaps and bounds and has had a hand in some of the most stunning architectural designs in the Emirates.

Derek Bruce is the man behind all the success. !e founder and CEO of Reem Emirates Aluminum has stoically braved criticism and failure to build his company into one of the largest in the GCC.

“When I started this business, many people told me that I was too ambitious and that I will never achieve all of what I wanted. It’s now good to hear what these same people are saying. So I am not going to say anything right now about what will happen 3 years from now. Come back after 3 years and you will see for yourself,” Mr Bruce says.

!e USP of REA’s work is their unique design. Its team is made up of experts gathered from around the world, having no less than 25 years experience in working with some of the largest curtain wall companies in Australia, Europe, South East Asia and the Middle East. REA prides itself on its ability to provide design solutions from scratch, without using pre-designed proprietary systems. Each project is designed as a tailor made solution without compromising the architect’s initial intent. All designs are

created by Mr Bruce himself.!eir o"ce itself is a

remarkable piece of work. “!e inspiration of this building is significant with regard to how we approach the market. Abu Dhabi is a coastal location, so we wanted to have a building which not only represents where we stay, but also our theme. !e theme of water is that you can’t stop it, and it takes any shape – waves for

instance are also unstoppable. !e wave structure appears as though it is breaking and crashing down on the circular drum building adjacent to the wave which represents its competition. So the shape of the building represents our theme, and we are the strongest company right now in the UAE,” Mr Bruce says.

But REA does not just create ideas. !ey work with an architect’s vision as well, much like a fashion design house works. “Our basic activity is to take an architect’s intent and expression of how he wants a building to look like and provide it with an external skin. In e#ect, we are tailors that put together the external outfit for a building almost like a tailor making a suit,” the CEO adds. “Every building has di#erent expressional demands and needs. Before we start our projects, we put into perspective our design through

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Derek Bruce Founder & CEO, Reem Emirates Aluminum

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!e theme of water is that you can’t stop it, and it takes any shape – waves for instance are also unstoppable. !e top of the building was therefore built in a curvy shape representing a wave.

they were a#ected. !ese people are desperate right now and most of them don’t have work.”

With the global economic crisis slowing down the progress of most businesses, one would have expected REA to also have su#ered losses. But they have stepped in to fill the gap left by other companies, says Mr Bruce. And REA has made good profit due to this strategy.

“Our factory is completely full with production. !ere are many opportunities available for us as many companies have closed due to the recession. We are recruiting an extra 100 workers and introducing a night shift. We have covered last year’s turnover in the first four months of this year. Our target is 150% more than last year’s actuals and we are in line with that.”

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REA prides itself on its ability to provide design solutions from scratch, without using pre-designed proprietary systems.

the use of a 3D machine that produces a mock structure of how the building will look like when completed. We use a machine to develop concept profiles before cutting extrusion dies. Full size mock ups also aid in assisting the design process.”

REA’s list of projects is truly remarkable. From their first one – the Reem Island – to the ambitious Eithad Towers, all have been path-breaking. And like all first projects, Bruce holds the Reem Island closest to his heart. “!e first project is usually the most memorable. !e Reem Island project, where we did 16 buildings is our first project. We were new at the time and did not have a system that we had tested and fabricated. So we started everything from scratch, yet, we are nearing completion,” Mr Bruce says.

In their e#ort to constantly innovate, Mr Bruce and his team are churning out ways to make their designs more e"cient keeping in mind ecology and natural energy resources. “!e most important aspect of our work is that we o#er something new and completely unique to the market. As part of our new available technology, we integrate solar power technology

into our panels, which means we also provide electricity to buildings we construct. Many companies undertake single aspects of our work, but very few of them provide all of them together as one piece integrated into each other.”

With a firm grasp in the UAE markets, REA is now looking to expand into other countries. !ey plan to first look at the GCC countries before reaching out to Asia and neighbouring European regions. “Attracting international clients is part of our strategy. Our actual plan is to set up one or two super factories around the world that can ship products to our sub o"ces all around the world. Within the GCC, we intend to go into Saudi, Jordan, Libya, and Qatar, as well as other countries like Turkey, Bulgaria, India, and China,” Mr Bruce adds.

China is a big market for the construction industry. With its eye set on modernising the landscape, Chinese authorities have been open-minded about having out-of-the-ordinary buildings. “We are also looking at going to China. A lot of Chinese companies were gearing to supply products from China to the rest of the world, but when the US crashed,

The Reem Emirates Aluminum headquarters in Abu Dhabi