RED to launch at The Office Exhibition, with new manufacturing facility opening in RAK

Ras Al Khaimah Engineering and Design (RED) will begin production of high-end furniture and partitioning systems from a new 7,000 square metre manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah in the coming months.

The company, which will be officially launched at The Office Exhibition taking place in Dubai from 3-5 March, says it will meet a demand from UAE companies, hotels and retailers for cost effective, functional and stylish furniture solutions, and faster delivery.

Hani Al Qasem, Managing Director of RED said:

"There is a huge opportunity for locally produced quality goods, due to the UAE's reliance on imported products. For local clients seeking high quality European styling, most have no option but to wait for expensive orders from Europe. By working closely with our European manufacturing partners and our clients, we will be able to deliver European standard furniture to the Middle East and Indian markets in half the time and far more cost-effectively."

The company will produce furniture under its own brand, as well as partnering with several leading European designers to produce their furniture in the UAE.

RED has signed a know-how agreement with Italian partitioning system designer, Lafano, providing RED with access to technical designs and engineering expertise, as well as guaranteeing exclusivity of production in the region. In addition to the enterprise with Lafano, RED is finalising negotiations with other leading European office and furniture designers.

Sinead Bridgett, Exhibition Director at dmg world media, organisers of The Office Exhibition, said that while the UAE is an incredibly attractive market for imports, it is also becoming a producer and exporter in its own right.

"RED's decision to manufacture European furniture products in the UAE highlights a maturing market and a strengthening of relationships between international and Middle Eastern manufacturers," she said. "Despite the current global economic climate, there is still a strong demand for office space in the UAE and a desire for innovative fit-out and design, including the latest furniture coming out of Europe."

Now in its eighth year and taking place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, The Office Exhibition brings together world renowned manufacturers, suppliers and consultants, providing a platform to share concepts, ideas and technical expertise.

A record line-up of 365 exhibitors will participate in next month's exhibition, compared with 282 in 2008. International participation at the event has also increased, with 245 exhibitors from abroad, compared to 153 last year.

The event will feature a networking area called the Indy Lounge, the two-day 'Office Talks' seminar programme and the Loft Student Design Competition, involving interior design students from universities across the UAE.