C O M P A N Y O V E R V I E W
Galaxy Trading
Expands Project Pipeline in Bid to Become Leader in UAE Buildings Materials Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Richard Durrant
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GALAXY TRADING
Bathroom interior in Gate Towers
The supplier of quality material brands boasts two successful showrooms and has more than 35 projects underway for public and private clients 4
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alaxy Trading is taking on a host of building materials projects in the UAE as a result of a new strategy which sees the company focus exclusively on supplying and retailing products from its selection of highquality brands. Having built up its name and become an established operator in its short five-year history, Galaxy has more than 35 developments in the pipeline and is also looking to add to its retail presence with another showroom in Dubai. So far it has catered for residential, hospitality, health and retail sectors, bringing to the UAE
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construction industry premium goods from the likes of ceramic specialist Porcelanosa via a supply chain bolstered by DB Schenker Logistics, Fedex and DHL. Chief Operations Officer Faisal Al Raisi’s objective is clear. He said: “Our chairman brought me in in March this year and asked me to tell him in one sentence how I wanted to lead Galaxy. I said I want the company to be the number one building materials company in town, its as simple as that.” Project Pipeline Galaxy Trading is rapidly building up its reputation thanks to a portfolio of materials supply projects for a number of eye-catching developments, especially in the residential arena. The Gate Towers is an integral part of the transformation of Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, comprising 3,533 accommodation units among leisure and retail facilities. Galaxy played an integral role in shaping the exquisite interiors of all apartments on site. This involved the supply and installation of kitchen cabinets, stone works and vanity cabinets, wooden doors and wardrobes and shoe racks. The company also supplied ceramic tiles, sanitary wares, lighting fixtures, ironmongery and façade lighting. Galaxy is now channelling all of its energies into supply rather than installation, allowing it to take on more projects which now include the Al
Key Personnel
Faisal Al Raisi COO Faisal Al Raisi took over as COO in March 2014. Prior to joining Galaxy Trading, he was associated with Dubai Holdings / Dubai World, where he was involved in many large construction projects. He is an insightful leader and brings with him proven experience of managing business transformations.
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GALAXY TRADING
Al Raha Villas bathrooms
“One of our main ways of being competitive is to offer the lowest possible rates, because once we have opened one door with a client it will open more opportunities” – Faisal Al Raisi
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Raha Gardens in Abu Dhabi and Alghadeer, a new 2,100-villa community close to the site for the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. Key to securing more projects in the future is Al Raisi’s attitude towards customer retention. “One of our main ways of being competitive is to offer the lowest possible rates, because once we have opened one door with a client it will open more opportunities. “This is about repeat custom and volumes of projects, not the cost of the first project. We are winning projects based on our quality brands and excellent prices, and we are happy to sit down with clients and negotiate the best package.”
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The UAE government is one such repeat client, for which Galaxy Trading is a key supplier for some of its national housing projects. “We have done a lot of national housing projects for the government and in 2015 we expect to execute many more such projects.” Al Raisi added. “This is a long term partnership and we have to make sure we have the capabilities to handle such responsibility.” Successful Showrooms Alongside its strong portfolio of large projects, Galaxy has a permanent retail presence in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, home to company HQ.
Kolarz Quadra Rosy chandelier w w w. g a l a x y. c o . a e
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Series Condulmer Design by
KOLARZ Vienna – Inspired by light since 1918 Shanghai Tower, China
Emirati Housing, U.A.E.
Private Villa, France
KAAL Venice – The Lighting Consultant KAAL INTERNATIONAL SRL Member of KOLARZ Group CI Tower, Porcelanosa Shop Khalidiyah (32nd) Street P.O. Box 130338 Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Mobile: Phone: Fax: E-Mail: Web:
+971 52 7580800 +971 2 2222191 +971 2 6354775 h.alhajaly@kaal.it www.kaal.it www.kolarz.at
Shining Tower, U.A.E.
GALAXY TRADING
SUPPLIER PROFILE
KOLARZ VIENNA – INSPIRED BY LIGHT SINCE 1918 Success favours those who turn their dreams into reality, not those who copy other people’s ideas. This is the guiding principle which KOLARZ has followed for over 96 years. With the courage to innovate and the awareness of a creative tradition, KOLARZ is setting new trends and standards in lighting, market competency and reliability. KOLARZ professional lighting solutions are the products of creative minds and careful hands – valuable European original products of the highest quality, created by traditional craftsmen in our production facilities near Vienna, Venice and Budapest. KOLARZ is a family business, based in Vienna, and a major supplier to the leading retailers in 52 countries worldwide. The standard product ranges, with contemporary and traditional styles, combining modern design and lighting technology with the finest components and materials can be viewed on our webpage www.kolarz.at. Express your creativity and customize your own light. Choose from 85.000 possible product combinations! Show your own style, create your personal lighting design! We realize all your projects providing customized lighting solutions for your individual needs. Website: www.kolarz.at
KAAL VENICE – THE LIGHTING CONSULTANT Based in one of the most important Italian lighting districts just outside Venice, the KAAL name has been synonymous with beautiful lighting since 1986. We have been exporting lighting products to more than 50 countries worldwide. The Company has a close cooperation with over 100 local and international manufacturers and lighting suppliers. Its strategic location, long-term experience in the field of lighting craftsmanship and sales and an exceptional customer service make KAAL the perfect partner for all your lighting needs. We make sure our customers come first. This means: personal consultation to help to select the correct technical and decorative lighting fittings to suit the project, quality and quantity control, KAAL coordinates with all suppliers, consignment consolidation of shipments in KAAL’s central warehouse and centralised invoicing. Website: www.kaal.it
GALAXY TRADING
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The two showrooms are served by a large warehouse in Kizad, located between the two Emirates and recipient of 20-25 containers of product each month. The company stocks around 1,000 different products from lighting and cabinets to tiles and wooden doors. “Our showrooms are doing extremely well and we are looking at opening another in Dubai in 2015,” Al Raisi said. “Hopefully we can develop more in other cities across the UAE once we have studied the market properly. You can’t just jump in.” Brand Power On display in the showrooms and being implemented on the ground through Galaxy’s ongoing project work are quality products produced by strong brands from across the world.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
Al Ghadeer Villas bathroom
PORCELANOSA GRUPO
PORCELANOSA Grupo is a major reference in decorative and building materials both on the Spanish and international markets, operating in accordance with firmly-consolidated values such as innovation and quality. We are constantly developing new materials and new solutions which in many cases are the first of their kind anywhere in the world, creating spaces that are definitely unique and cutting-edge. At PORCELANOSA we have a clear objective, to create an entire life style, a world of sensations, based on technology, design, innovation, quality, guaranty, and the greatest respect for the environment. Contact Info: Address: Ctra N-340, Km 55,8 , 12540 Vila-real, Spain Tel: +34 964507100 email: info@porcelanosa.com Website: www.porcelanosa.com
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GALAXY TRADING
Kitchen in Al Ain Villas
Al Ain Villas lighting 12
Porcelanosa, a Spanish producer of bathroom furniture and ceramic wall and flooring tiles present in more than 100 countries, is the company’s flagship brand. Al Raisi said: “They are a grade A company for us. We are in dialogue with them on a daily basis and their after sale service is excellent – if something breaks I do not have to wait a week. I call them and they arrive very quickly, even for minor things on a single item in a single residential villa. “Recently I was in Bologna and I saw lots of high end products, but many of them I saw at Porcelanosa years back. I have the advantage of working with a company whose products are one
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step ahead and are duplicated two to three years later by other producers.” Being the UAE distributor of Porcelanosa thus gives Galaxy a head start on the regional competition; competition which is seen as healthy and a driver of success. “Competition is positive – it makes us work harder and be more creative,” the COO said. “If there is no competition there is no fun in the market.” Other brands represented by Galaxy include Poland’s maker of bathroom fixtures Cersanit, Austrian lighting manufacturer KOLARZ, and Swiss company Geberit, producer of eco-friendly sanitary and piping systems. Galaxy is also well supported in its logistics functions by heavyweight operator DB Schenker Logistics, able to ship orders within 45 days to project sites, with air freight also used if a client is in need of a delivery in quicker time. With top brands and logistics partners on board coupled with the new focus on excelling in the supply of such materials to clients, Galaxy is well placed to pursue Al Raisi’s objective of becoming the market leader. He concluded: “In five years’ time I think we will be over 200 people and should be able to have a larger market share. Other players in the market are even coming to us to get their products on the map. “We also have strong shareholders who are all business people who are in line with our vision and able to help us provide the best service possible.”
Company Information INDUSTRY
Construction HEADQUARTERS
Abu Dhabi, UAE FOUNDED
2009 EMPLOYEES
77 REVENUE
USD 100 million PRODUCTS/ SERVICES
Building Materials
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GALAXY TRADING Marina Office Park, Villa No. A12, Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel. +971.2.2222 192 Fax. +971.2.6354 665 info@galaxy.co.ae www.galaxy.co.ae