IMI secures an enhanced technical quality agreement certificate for its Hyperflex range of tanking membranes

Notes and media contacts

About Hyperflex:
Hyperflex is a range of high performance waterproofing membranes used in deep foundations for the protection of sub-structure concrete from the ingress of saline and corrosive ground water.
The technical approval is awarded after successfully completing intensive tests carried out in the UK on the product to determine its durability and suitability for its intended use.
By awarding the Agrément certificate, the BBA acknowledges the high quality of the product and recommends its use in accordance with IMI's application procedures.

The assessment of IMI membranes commenced over a year ago. These included an exhaustive range of tests in the UK and later, an audit of IMI's manufacturing and testing facilities and processes. The factory audit paid particular attention to IMI's manufacturing procedures and quality control, as well as the recording of manufacturing and test data and its traceability.
This certification underlines the Al Yousuf Group's resolve to transform its divisions into one of the top two in every business managed by the group. For the IMI team it is a testament of the commitment made to supply the customer with top quality, high performance, durable and affordable products and services.

About IMI:
IMPERBIT Membrane Industries LLC (IMI), which was established in 1995 by the Al Yousuf Group, was the first company in the UAE to manufacture APP and SBS modified bitumen roofing and waterproofing membranes.

It was a considerable investment in a line of products that building contractors had got used to importing from reliable, high- quality manufacturers from outside the region. The new venture could have found considerable resistance from the market and stiff competition from traditional suppliers.

Modified bitumen membranes are used for the protection of concrete from saline and other corrosive content of the groundwater in the region. When applied to concrete surfaces, they form a layer that is impervious to water and moisture, and are capable of withstanding considerable dynamic stress while resistant to tearing and puncture.

IMI set out to produce a range of membranes that rivaled the best on the market. Being produced locally, without the cost of transportation from overseas, they could be competitively priced.
IMI soon established itself as a prime source of a range of top quality high performance membranes in a rapidly broadening local and regional market.

The IMI plant is located in a purpose-built facility in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area, Dubai. With quality the essential requirement, Al Yousuf invested in an Italian state-of-the art production line and ancillary equipment that was designed for round-the-clock operation. In addition, a well-equipped testing laboratory was built to enforce strict quality controls on raw materials and finished goods.

IMI has followed the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system for the past four years and has recently obtained a technical approval from the British Board of Agreement (BBA) for one of its product range used for sub-structure concrete protection.

Ten years on, IMI membranes are trusted by major contracting companies for their durability and performance and are specified regularly by major Consulting firms for use on the many new towers and housing projects, water-front properties and new developments currently under construction across the UAE. IMI membranes are now used extensively in the GCC, and 26 other countries in the Far East, Africa and North America.

The IMI facility has plenty of room to accommodate a second and even third production line.

About Al Yusuf Group:
With the construction industry in Dubai and the region set to continue to expand, that space may well be required.

Al Yousuf is a glowing symbol of what can be achieved when the private sector and national leadership share a single vision and work in partnership to realise their joint aims.
Led by its founder and chairman, Yousuf Habib Al Yousuf, the Al Yousuf Group has played — and continues to occupy — a major role in the emergence of the UAE, and Dubai in particular, as the economic model for the region.

Founded on the back of the sale of a shipment of rice husks from the Indian subcontinent, the company has now grown into a multi-million dirham conglomerate with operations ranging from motor vehicles, auto rental and real estate development, to home electrical appliances, electronics and computer operating systems. Its manufacturing base includes the production of a wide range of fibreglass (FRP) boats as well as bitumen-based membranes for use in construction.
Its markets reach far beyond the region, into the Indian subcontinent, the CIS countries, Asia, Europe, Africa and America.

Al Yousuf Motors' portfolio, for example, includes General Motors and Daihatsu vehicles; Daewoo buses; Yamaha motorcycles, outboard and marine engines, water vehicles, generators and boats; and Suzuki motorcycles and outboard engines.

The Information Technology division handles brands such as Avaya, Western Digital, NEC and Epson. Al Yousuf Electronics has the agency for LG Electronics, and Fujitec Elevators.
The establishment of IMI in 1995 took Al Yousuf into what has proved to be an extraordinarily successful venture by way of the construction industry. And one that showed considerable promise for the future. Construction was familiar territory for the company.

Al Yousuf Real Estate, its property development arm, had decades of experience in the industry and Al Yousuf had been involved in construction for many years.

Al Yousuf Group's latest enterprise, the taxi business, is a strategic step founded on strong competitive advantages that reflect both diversification into new areas, and expansion of existing operations. The first operation of Advantage Taxi was established in early 2005, as a taxi franchise plying the emirate of Sharjah.

For more information please call:
Mr. Ali Ibrahim
00971-50-5377848