Interviews

Cool Operations

By MECN Adminstrator

Posted on November 11, 2010

Tamara Trading International has developed from a one-man operation to the sole supplier for a number of cooling towers, ice plants and batching concrete plants in the Middle East

Operating in Buffalo, New York, since 1983, Tamara Trading International (TTI) opened its first branch in Dubai in 1986 to take advantage of the emerging market in the Middle East.

“We came to Dubai because there were more business opportunities; new towers and shopping centres were being built and they all required HVAC systems,” explains managing director Jaffar Al Issa.

After studying at the engineering and business administration at the State University of New York in Buffalo, Al Issa grew the company from a small operation to an international business supplying HVAC systems for largescale projects throughout the Middle East and Africa.

“We started out with one person and now we employ a staff of 33 specialised personnel in various departments. Our engineers, technicians and workers can execute any type of HVAC project,” he adds.

Building the business on strong working relationships, TTI has been the established sole agent for manufacturers from Malaysia, China and Turkey for the last 20 years. Its product catalogue includes systems such as closed cooling towers, the Grant fully-automatic Ice System and since June 2010, the JCI Certified & JIS B8609 Standard Nihon spindle cooling towers.

In addition to these, TTI also supplies batching concrete plants “We select our manufacturers based on their reputations, the quality of their products and whether the products have certification, like the Nihon towers. We also offer aftersales support with new manufacturers.”

TTI’s client list is equally extensive, with Al Issa naming the Elite Tower and Marina Hotel and residential towers in Dubai, and Sharjah International Airport as “our biggest and most unique projects.”

“We used Nihon spindle cooling towers and the designs are specially adapted according to the tower building. The capacity for the Elite Tower is 3400 tons, for the Marina Towers 3200 tons and 5000 tons for the airport development.

Previous projects have included a number of industrial buildings, including Emirates Glass Factory and Gulf Ice Factory, as well as the Dubai Carlton Tower Hotel and Ras Al Khaimah’s Hilton hotel.

This year TTI added two new products to its catalogue; a containerised block ice machine and a flake ice machine.

Using new technology, the block ice machine evaporates the refrigerant inside an aluminium-plated ice can to speed up cooling. The flake ice machine features a micro-computer control system with a touch screen which displays running processes and failure details to enhance ease of use.

The new products have also helped raise TTI’s profile in new markets.

Three flake ice machines have been shipped to Saudi Arabia to date and Al Issa reports strong sales for the block ice machines across the GCC countries.

Despite the majority of companies delaying upgrades and extensions, contracts still exist and it is these sales that have helped maintain robust trade over the last 12 months. As the industry recovers and projects resume, the coming year is predicted to be equally strong with new deals being signed in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.