admin In the realm of architectural marvels, glass holds an irreplaceable allure. From soaring skyscrapers to elegant facades, glass has the power to transform structures into masterpieces. In the heart of the United Arab Emirates, there is a company that has been at the forefront of this transformative journey – Emirates Glass LLC. With its unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence, Emirates Glass has been turning architectural fantasies into reality over 26 years.
Founded in 1997 by Mr. Khalid Bin Kalban, Emirates Glass quickly established itself as a pioneer in the glass manufacturing industry. With state-of-the-art facilities and a team of skilled professionals, the company has been a trusted partner for architects, developers, and designers across the globe. Its portfolio boasts an impressive array of iconic projects, ranging from commercial buildings to luxury residences, each showcasing the seamless integration of glass in modern architecture. The company has been an integral part of Dubai’s growth and evolution, having supplied glazing and expertise for many of the most iconic buildings across the city.
Slippery Road to Success
However, the path to success was not without its challenges. Like any visionary venture, Emirates Glass faced obstacles along the way. One of the most significant hurdles was the constant evolution of architectural trends and the demand for customized glass solutions. As the industry pushed boundaries, Emirates Glass had to stay ahead of the curve to meet the ever-changing demands of its clientele.
To overcome this challenge, Emirates Glass invested heavily in research and development. The company established collaborative partnerships with architects and designers to gain insights into emerging trends and understand the evolving needs of the market. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies and innovative manufacturing processes, Emirates Glass was able to create bespoke glass solutions that pushed the boundaries of design possibilities.
Another obstacle Emirates Glass faced was the increasing concern for sustainability and energy efficiency in construction. The demand for green buildings and environmentally friendly materials posed a significant challenge for the company. However, Emirates Glass saw this as an opportunity rather than a setback. They embraced the challenge and focused on developing energy-efficient glass solutions that successfully met the stringent environmental standards while bringing about an enhanced overall performance of the buildings.
To be a successful entrepreneur, one, however, needs to make the transition from a tactical to a strategic orientation so that they can begin to build crucial capabilities and resources.
Building a Strong Path
Through extensive research and development, Emirates Glass introduced a range of sustainable glass products that offered exceptional thermal insulation, reduced carbon footprint, and maximized natural daylighting. These innovations addressed the growing sustainability requirements additionally providing architects and developers with a competitive edge in the market.
Emirates Glass prides itself on being a home-grown UAE company, so everything made and supplied by them is a contribution to the local economy and industrial landscape of the country. Being ‘local’ means Emirates Glass is geographically close to customers and their projects which means being able to provide immediate personal support during design and construction periods but also shortest turnaround and lead times as well as delivery.
Elevating Architectural Excellence
At the heart of the Emirates Glass operation is the manufacture of tempered glass under the EmiCool® range of solar control, multi-functional Low-E and standard Low-E glass designed to minimize solar heat gain into air-conditioned buildings in the Gulf environment.
Starting from a Leybold (Germany) 6-cathode coating line with a loading-bed of 2440 x 3600mm and an annual coating capacity of 750,000sqm of MSVD sputter-coated glass, Emirates Glass have now progressed to a 20-cathode line from Applied Materials GmbH (formerly Leybold, Germany), a loading bed of 3300 x 7000mm and an annual capacity of 3,500,000sqm of MSVD sputter-coated glass. The acquisition of the new TERRA-G coater has facilitated the swift development and production of the innovative new range of Solite Double Silver, Superlite Temperable Double Silver, Elite Solar-Low-E coating on clear and classic ST range of solar control color coating on clear.
The company has upgraded its offerings through the installation of the vortex pro turbo series high performance flat tempering line to provide high quality, large tempered glass. The new tempering line is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is designed to produce large glasses that are up to 8 meters long. The line is specifically designed to temper high performance coated glass with lowest emissivity and highest quality.
With a commitment to innovation and state-of-the art equipment/ machinery, Emirates Glass has curated an extensive product range that pushes the boundaries of performance and aesthetics.
At the heart of Emirates Glass’s product offerings lies an impressive selection of more than 400 in-house developed performance coatings. These coatings have been meticulously crafted to cater to the most demanding requirements presented by consultants and architects. From hard coatings that enhance durability to solar control coatings that optimize energy efficiency, Emirates Glass ensures that each product in their range delivers outstanding performance.
Emirates Glass has EmiInserts which includes Mashrabiya, diffusers and mesh products — an exciting array of laminates, interlayers and inserts that increase performance and create fascinating visual effects to reflect UAE’s heritage and ability to integrate traditional elements in modern and contemporary architecture.
Emirates Glass also provides products such as SmartLite, a switchable glass manufactured by Emirates Glass LLC. At the flick of a switch SmartLite turns from a clear to an opaque glass panel to create on-demand privacy; Bullet Resistant Glass , that provides their clients with the ultimate life protection in transparent armour, where transparent armour is a requisite component of Defense strategy; Fire- Rated Glass that is in partnership with SCHOTT and is EN and UL certified, multifunctional, laminated, insulated and deliver barrier times of up to 120 minutes; ARMAX, the anti-reflective glass by Emirates Glass LLC, has the ability to significantly reduce the incident light reflection to just a small fraction of conventionally coated and uncoated glass.
The options that are appropriate for one entrepreneurial venture may be completely inappropriate for another.
The Leadership Journey of Mr. Rizwanulla Khan in the Glass Industry
Mr. Rizwanulla Khan, an iconic figure in the glass industry of the Middle East, has become synonymous with excellence and leadership. As the Executive President of Emirates Glass LLC and Saudi American Glass, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the success of these renowned glass subsidiaries.
Joining the company on September 20, 2005, as Senior Vice President – Manufacturing and Operations at Glass LLC, Mr. Rizwanulla Khan demonstrated his exceptional leadership skills and expertise. Recognizing his invaluable contributions, he assumed the position of Executive President for all three glass subsidiaries on December 23, 2013. In this elevated role, he has been entrusted with the responsibility of driving the overall vision, strategy, and financial objectives of the company.
Under the guidance of Mr. Rizwanulla Khan, Emirates Glass has witnessed extraordinary achievements, including record-breaking sales and profits exceeding 50%.
Mr. Khan advises budding entrepreneurs who aspire to enter the glass manufacturing space, he states, “many entrepreneurs start businesses to seize short-term opportunities without thinking about long-term strategy. To be a successful entrepreneur, one, however, needs to make the transition from a tactical to a strategic orientation so that they can begin to build crucial capabilities and resources.”
“The options that are appropriate for one entrepreneurial venture may be completely inappropriate for another. Entrepreneurs must make a bewildering number of decisions, and they must make the decisions that are right for them. Entrepreneurs need to analyse the situations in which they find themselves, establish priorities among the opportunities and problems they face, and make rational decisions about the future.”
He continues to state that, an entrepreneur who wants to build a sustainable company in the glass industry must formulate a bold and a more explicit strategy, the strategy should integrate the entrepreneur’s aspirations with specific long-term policies about the needs the company will serve, its geographic reach, its technological capabilities, and other strategic considerations. To help attract people and resources, the strategy must embody the entrepreneur’s vision of where the company is going instead of where it is. The strategy must also provide a framework for making the decisions and setting the policies that will take the company there.
Looking Through the Emirates Glass
Emirates Glass is looking towards the future with ambitious plans for further expansion and innovation. The company is dedicated to upholding its legacy of excellence by continuously pushing the boundaries of glass technology. With a strong emphasis on research and development, Emirates Glass is fully committed to creating new products that redefine the possibilities of glass in architecture.
A major futuristic update for Emirates Glass involves a significant upgrade of its machinery. The company is transitioning from a standard-size factory to a cutting-edge Jumbo-size IGU glass production facility. This transformation includes the addition of new jumbo lines for cutting, tempering, lamination, and digital printing, making it a comprehensive and advanced destination for all glass-related needs.
This upgrade aligns perfectly with Emirates Glass’s concept and belief of being an all-in-one shop; catering to customers at all steps and providing them with a wide array of options, thereby streamlining the entire process.
Emirates Glass’s unwavering focus on progress and dedication to customer satisfaction solidifies its position as a leading force in the glass industry, continually shaping the future of architecture and design
Magazine 
