MAPEI Underground Technology Team (UTT) is fueling the company’s growth across the region thanks to a number of recent, high-profile successful projects, which have helped the company achieve a 4.36 per cent increase in the turnover in the Middle East in 2017 compared to 2016. Italian company MAPEI, the leading manufacturer of adhesives, sealants and chemical products for the construction industry, made the announcement earlier today during the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2018 (21-26 April 2018) at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

MAPEI UTT is the main chemical product supplier to the Expolink consortium of Alstom, Acciona and Gülermak, which is carrying out construction work on the highly-anticipated Dubai Metro Route 2020. The metro line will run through a 10-meter-wide, 2.5km underground tunnel.

The company’s underground technology team is also working on the Shis to Khor Fakkan Roads & Tunnels project in Sharjah, a 23.2km dual carriageway near to the edge of the Omani boarder, which will help ease traffic flow and ensure the safety of visitors traveling to and from Khor Fakkan and the wider emirate. The road extends through mountainous terrain and passes through five rock tunnels totaling a distance of 13km. MAPEI UTT is the main chemical supplier for the shotcrete (sprayed concrete) that is used to stabilise the rock after blasting.

Additionally, MAPEI UTT is currently working on some major projects across the world including the Brenner Basis Tunnel, a 64km railway tunnel between Austria and Italy through the Eastern Alps that will be the longest underground rail link in the world; Cociv- Terzo Valico dei Giovi, a 53km high speed railway line between Genoa and Milan in Italy; Tunnel Euralpin Lyon-Turin, the new rail tunnel link between Lyon in France and Turin in Italy that is one of the largest rail projects in Europe; Grand Paris Express, metro line 14 in France; the Rogun Hydro Power Plant (HPP) Dam in Tajikistan, at 335m high, the clay core rock fill dam is the tallest in the world; the Mumbai Metro in India and the Quito Metro Line 1, a 22km tunnel through the capital of Ecuador.

Underground works have unique characteristics due to their complexity during the design phase and also due to severe work environments. MAPEI UTT was created along with a portfolio of dedicated products to match a variety of specifications. This specialisation is paying off for MAPEI as the region continues to diversify into non-oil revenues and the construction market shows solid growth.

Stefano Iannacone, MAPEI’s Regional Director for the Middle East & East Africa, adds, “We are seeing a growing local demand for a range of products dedicated to underground construction as the industry looks at increasingly innovative design solutions to the travel and living demands of the regional population. We are working on new and exciting projects across the GCC, including in the North-East Africa region and Egypt, and not only are we involved in providing the physical products but thanks to our 28 R&D centers spread around the globe, we work with the project design teams from the beginning to find innovative, new solutions to keep the Middle East’s construction projects the global benchmark.”

MAPEI Group is consolidating its leadership in the building market by acquiring the Italian company Fili & Forme Srl, a company with more than 10 years in the building industry under the Istrice brand. The company specialises in the production of structural polymeric fibers for mortar and concrete reinforcement, which is used in the tunneling and mining industry.

This announcement comes weeks after the recent inauguration of MAPEI’s USD 6.5 million expansion of its state-of-the-art production facility and new offices at the Dubai Investments Park, which coincided with the company’s 10-year Middle East anniversary. The newly-expanded facility opened on 21 March 2018 and features an additional 5,200 square meter covered warehousing for larger storage capacity, and the addition of a new epoxy resin production line. The two production lines – liquids and powders – along with the manufacturing capabilities for seven product lines, will allow MAPEI to enlarge its portfolio delivering innovative and locally designed solutions. The new offices feature more than 2,000 square meters of built-up area including a showroom and training center. Approximately 1,000 regional customers and 128 employees across 25 nationalities are based at the regional headquarters. The company invests heavily in its highly-trained workforce hosting 120 training events for the Middle East team in 2017.