The company has recently started manufacturing its Sheetrock plasterboard brand and wall solutions at its state-of-the-art production plant in Salalah, Oman

USG Boral Middle East, one of the leading manufacturers of innovative finishing building materials in the region, plans to launch its Sheetrock wallboard systems and educate the market about its speciality characteristics at the upcoming Big 5 in Dubai, UAE.

"Our main focus at Big 5 will be on the Sheetrock wallboard systems but this will not restrict us exhibiting our ceiling systems and exterior wall systems. We have a special focus on our patented water shield ceiling, as well," says Fares Saghbini, the managing director at USG Boral Middle East, about its participation at the mega event.

The company has recently started manufacturing its Sheetrock plasterboard brand and wall solutions at its state-of-the-art production plant in Salalah, Oman. The local production is aimed at catering to its customers in the Gulf and the wider Middle East region.

Commenting on the move, Saghbini says: "Here in the Gulf region, and around the world, our focus as a company is on delivering innovation that helps our customers work smarter, do more and build better projects."

"That is exactly what the launch of our locally-produced Sheetrock brand plasterboard products in the GCC enables us to do. We are delighted to bring our manufacturing facility and premium products closer to our customers without compromising on quality, dependability and, most importantly, the safety standards upon which Sheetrock’s reputation has been built," he states.

Saghbini points out that USG Boral was bringing a product line with a track record of over 90 years to the Gulf region. "We are proud to be supporting our customers in the delivery of the iconic and groundbreaking buildings and projects that the GCC has become known for," he adds.

Developed in the US more than 90 years ago, Sheetrock has become synonymous with quality and innovation. As a result, today, it is a wall solution of choice globally and has been used in many of the world’s most iconic and best constructed buildings, he adds.

The locally-produced Sheetrock is certified by UL, a global leader in product safety testing and certification, for 334 wall systems much like that manufactured in the US. It will continue to undergo quarterly inspections according to UL’s rigorous and ongoing standards testing for quality, uniformity and safety including fire resistance, states Saghbini.

The construction major which supplies its products to the oil and gas construction projects too says it is looking forward to meeting its partners in the industry: contractors, consultants as well dealers and distributors at the event and build a long-lasting relationship.

Manufactured at the company’s state-of-the-art production plant in Salalah Oman, which was inaugurated in April 2015, USG Boral Zawawi Drywall is the first to produce the Sheetrock brand in the GCC.

Among the factors setting the Sheetrock brand apart is the technology used to produce lighter, easier to construct products that have superior performance, strength and safety features.

They are composed of a gypsum core encased in 100 per cent recycled paper on front and backside also supporting sustainable development.

Commenting on the low oil price environment and its effect on the construction business in general and on USG Boral in specific, Saghbini says: "Oil represents still the highest source of income for the GCC countries in general and for Saudi Arabia, in particular. A drop in the oil prices therefore affects governmental budget and reduces governmental spending. The construction sector is the first to be hit under such circumstances.This makes quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness all the more important"

"For the interior finishing element of any project, where our business in involved mainly, the impact of oil prices on spending is delayed generally by 6 to 12 months so we will be looking at sector performance concerns from mid-2016 and 2017," he says.