UAE's Al Aqili Furnishings goes platinum with Commercial Interior Design Awards 2007

In addition to its platinum sponsorship, AAF is sponsoring six out of 12 awards - the Residential Interior Design of the Year, Architect Firm of the Year, Interior Design Firm of the Year and Interior Designer of the Year Awards. AAF also shares the sponsorship of the corporate interior design of the year and the hospitality interior design of the year awards with dmg world media - the organisers of the popular office exhibition and Hotel Show.

"As a leader in the furnishings industry, it is essential for us to support the work of interior design professionals in the region through key recognition schemes such as the Interior Design Awards of 2007,"

said Shahriar Khodjasteh, Group Marketing Director of AAF.

"For the past ten years Al Aqili Furnishings has been at the forefront of bringing quality products and services to the region. Many top professionals, including interior designers and architects, make up our clientele and we feel strongly about recognising their efforts, expertise and skill."

With over 2000 major developments under construction, the latest official figures clearly show that imports of furniture and interior products to the Gulf region are thriving, with imports rising by 25 per cent in 2006. The UAE alone accounts for around 40 per cent of all Middle East furnishings imports.

"The Gulf's exponential construction and development growth spurred a need for quality furnishings for the various residential, hospitality and commercial projects. Our business expansion plan focuses on increasing our services, reach and products throughout the Middle East to solidify our position as a leader in the highly competitive furnishings industry," added Khodjasteh.

During 2007, AAF has supplied and fitted the region's most exclusive projects with high-end flooring products in venues such as the Dubai Mall Hotel Furnished Apartments, the Concourse Hotel at the Dubai Airport, the turn-key furnishings project for the new Park Place Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road for Bin Drai Enterprises, the Lake Towers Hotel, Dubai Property Head Offices, Al Qasr Hotel and the complete fitting-out of Omniyat Properties' offices in Burjuman Business Tower. Additionally, AAF delivered two million square metres of flooring in 2006 across some of the region's most exclusive properties, the biggest of which are the Abu Dhabi Investment Building; Al Habtoor Towers, Dubai; Rotana Hotel, Kuwait; Radisson Hotel, Jeddah - amongst many others.