Bathroom fittings specialist Hansgrohe has said a prestigious project it is implementing in the Saudi capital – the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) development – highlights the kingdom’s growing importance as a market for its products.

The German manufacturer views Saudi Arabia as a pivotal destination along with the UAE and Qatar in its drive to build revenues in the GCC region where double-digit growth has been recorded over the past three years. It also says Saudi Arabia’s importance as a growing market that is politically and economically stable is central to its regional growth.

Hansgrohe secured KAFD through Al Shaya Trading Company, one of its local partners in Saudi Arabia. Hansgrohe products are being delivered to the contracting companies in charge of the development – ETA Star and the Saudi Binladen Group.

“The 1.6 million sq m development is one of Hansgrohe’s largest project contracts in Saudi Arabia and adds to a long line of prominent contract wins in the Middle East,” said the company’s Middle East sales director Dirk Schilmoeller. The King Abdullah Financial District is set to become the leading financial centre in Riyadh and we are proud to be part of such a momentous project,” he added.

Schilmoeller: sustainability important

Close to Riyadh’s business centre, the project will be a fully integrated development including offices, hotels, conference centres, shops and recreational facilities for the business professionals of the kingdom.

“The development has a strong focus on environmentally friendly materials and it is no coincidence that all products selected feature Hansgrohe’s pioneering EcoSmart/AirPower technology, which uses sophisticated flow limitation, special spray jets and the mixing of water with air to reduce water consumption and save energy,” Schilmoeller said.

“The project is significant for Hansgrohe, which has built its foundation on environmentally friendly products, since it shows that the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, is becoming increasingly aware of the need for sustainability.” 

Hansgrohe is currently supplying products such as the Hansgrohe Crometta and Raindance hand showers, along with Axor Citterio and Axor Starck designer ranges.

OTHER PROJECTS
The company has also been contracted to deliver its products to the Sheraton Hotel renovation project in Riyadh. Commenting on the project, Schilmoeller said: “(It) is being renovated in several phases, the renovation made easier and faster due to Hansgrohe concealed mixers which allow for the showers to be upgraded without the need to break walls and tiles. Due for completion in December 2013, this upgrade ease has been important for the hotel since it has still been operating during the renovation process.”

An example of the Axor Starck Organic collection which provides water saving faucets

Currently Hansgrohe is equipping upscale residential projects on behalf of the General Organisation for Social Insurance (Gosi) and the Royal Commission in the Eastern Province.

Over the past three years, the company has supplied several other projects including the Faisaliah Hotel Expansion, where it delivered its Axor Urquiola products, and upmarket villas in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh, delivering them with its EcoSmart Metris range.

Outside of Riyadh, Hansgrohe was involved with Saudi projects such as the Clock Tower in Makkah, the Le Meridien Hotel in Al Khobar and the luxurious Versace Tower in Jeddah as well as a range of residential, university and hospital projects.

Project wins in Saudi Arabia are contributing towards keeping Hansgrohe’s Middle East growth on track.

INDIVIDUALISATION
“We have seen record revenues due to Hansgrohe’s increased product sales, and a long list of high-profile projects such as the King Abdullah development. Because of this, we are keen to increase our footprint as one of the leading luxury bathroom brands in Saudi Arabia with further project wins and increased consumer penetration with the successful launch of the Axor Starck Organic collection,” said Schilmoeller. The official added that there was a strong trend towards individualisation of products in Saudi Arabia “which appeals to the fashion conscious consumers in the Middle East region.”

“Axor Manufaktur allows consumers to pick and choose custom finishes suited to their individual tastes. Products can be produced with gold and brushed gold finishes or personalised with names and initials or logo engravings. Consumers in Saudi Arabia are also fond of the ComfortZone concept, which allows faucet heights to be altered between 10 cm and 26 cm. This appeals to the Middle East because it can make the Al Wudu, the custom of washing before prayer, easier as the mixers have a longer neck to provide a more spacious basin area.”

Hansgrohe is present across the GCC region and has an extensive network of local distributors and flagship stores. Key markets for Hansgrohe include Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar which all offer huge growth potential, particularly on the project development side.  Along with the King Abdullah development, Hansgrohe and Axor products can be found in some of the most prestigious developments in the region, such as the Burj Khalifa and Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai, and The Pearl Qatar in Doha, all of which have led to the increased GCC turnover in 2012.

“The importance of Saudi Arabia as a growing market that is politically and economically stable is central to Hansgrohe’s GCC growth, and with an expanding pipeline of commercial and residential projects in the kingdom, we hope to continue the double-digit growth that we have witnessed in the region over the past three years,” said Schilmoeller.