RAK Ceramics

World’s largest ceramic tile and bathware manufacturer wins prestigious award for third consecutive year

RAK Ceramics, the world's largest ceramic tiles & bathware manufacturing company, has announced that it has been named a UAE SuperBrand in 2011, earning the distinction for the third consecutive year. The award ceremony was held on July 11, 2011, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. SuperBrand Council, the world's largest independent brand arbiter, presented the award to RAK Ceramics.

RAK Ceramics has emerged a leading brand ambassador by helping draw global attention to Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE. The company’s market reach covers more than 150 countries and it is also recognised for offering the most comprehensive selection of products in the global market.

Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, RAK Ceramics said: "It has always been our commitment to maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence across all our operations, particularly in upholding our reputation as a brand leader across global markets. We are pleased therefore that the SuperBrand Council has reaffirmed the success of our efforts by conferring the UAE SuperBrand award for the third year in succession. RAK Ceramics will continue to pursue its proactive approach to addressing existing and emerging market demands and to ensure total customer satisfaction. This distinction will surely give us greater motivation to reach new heights of success and establish new quality benchmarks in the global ceramic tile and bathware industry.”

RAK Ceramics has been a consistent winner of various industry distinctions aside from having been adjudged as a UAE Superbrand. The company has been named as one of the top four brands in the UAE by Brand Finance Middle East of the UK, Company of the Year by Arabian Business Awards, and the MRM Business Award for manufacturing, the topmost manufacturing award in the UAE. RAK Ceramics was also awarded the Best Brand at 2010 Middle East Business Leaders Summit and Awards in Dubai, while Ceramic World Review also officially recognised RAK Ceramics as the world's largest manufacturer of ceramic tiles.

RAK Ceramics, which is headquartered in Ras Al Khaimah, was established in 1991 by H.H. Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and RAK Ceramics Chairman, and Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, who guided the company to achieve global competitiveness, technological advancement, and high-quality production. The company quickly established itself as one of the world's leading manufacturers of ceramic tiles and, ultimately, the largest producer in the global market.

RAK Ceramics' products include world-class ceramic wall and floor tiles, Gres Porcellanato, and bathware, which are distributed in Europe, Asia, Australia, USA and Canada. The company uses more than 8,000 production models, with new designs added almost every week to its product portfolio.

RAK Ceramics is the world’s first company to launch Luminous, Golden or Silver Glazed tiles and the Antimicrobial, a super specialty tile for the hospital industry. The company also pioneered "RAKSLIM", an eco-friendly 4.5-millimetre thick tile that sets new industry benchmarks in thickness, strength, cost and ease of use.

The SuperBrand Council consists of eminent personalities in the world of branding and seeks to pay tribute to established brands all over the world. The SuperBrand Council also produces various publications featuring the world's SuperBrands. Being voted a SuperBrand serves as a powerful endorsement and evidence for existing and potential customers, media, suppliers, investors and employees of a brand's exceptional status.

RAK Ceramics is a USD 1 billion global conglomerate in the ceramic industry, offering a product portfolio comprising over 8,000 designs in ceramic tiles, Gres Porcellanato, and several models in bathware. RAK Ceramics is also founding member of Emirates Green Building Council, which supports the development of sustainable buildings in UAE.

Dr. Khater Massaad has been awarded the Masterclass Global CEO and RAK Ceramics has won the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Company of the Year Award at 2nd Middle East Business Leaders Summit

RAK Ceramics, the world's largest ceramic tiles & bathware manufacturing company, has announced that they have been awarded the ‘CSR Company of the Year’ award in recognition of its long-term commitment to various environmental and social causes at the 2nd Middle East Business Leaders Summit & Awards (MEBLSA) that was held yesterday (Sunday, April 17, 2011) at the Armani Hotel Ballroom, Burj Khalifa, Dubai. In the same event, Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, RAK Ceramics, was recognised as ‘Masterclass Global CEO ‘.

MEBLSA, organized by Federation of GCC Chambers and The Leaders International Magazine, is firmly established as a strategic platform for the region's top corporate leaders and officials which are to discuss and share important and essential breakthroughs in today's business world. The event is further endorsed by Dubai Chamber of Commerce, which is now in its second year, also aims to facilitate the development of business leaders by providing opportunities for its members and guests. One of MEBSLA's main attractions is the Masterclass and Organization Leadership Awards, which honors the region's best business leaders. The awards aim to serve as a catalyst for the growth of new leaders and entrepreneurs to spur industrial growth, apply best practices and to drive the region's economy.

Commenting on the awards, Dr. Massaad said, “The recognition I received is testament to the dedication and efforts of the entire team at RAK Ceramics, and I believe that it is their ongoing contribution that has enabled us to sustain our status as the world’s largest ceramics tiles manufacturer. On the other hand, for a company which incorporates CSR as an integral part of its business strategy, winning the ‘CSR Company of the Year’ award underlines our strong commitment to enhance the quality of life and be of service to various causes and social groups in Ras Al Khaimah and the rest of the UAE.”

RAK Ceramics' CSR program encompasses product development and maintenance of its facilities. The company has invested aggressively to introduce products that are friendly to the environment, while it has also implemented energy-efficient technologies and techniques and has adopted recycling, reuse and waste management systems to further enhance the sustainable upkeep of its facilities. In addition, RAK Ceramics has received the Environmental Performance Certificate (EPC) from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) and the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation from Australia, further confirming the company's commitment to environmental conservation.

Protecting the welfare of its employees has been another important commitment of RAK Ceramics under its CSR program. The company holds regular workshops as part of a continuing education program, while RAK Ceramics' HSE Department has been awarded the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), recognizing the success of the company in promoting optimum health and safety in the workplace. In addition, RAK Ceramics also provides medical, life and welfare benefits to employees.

The company’s environment-related activities, among others, includes an ambitious initiative to plant over 5,000 trees around its manufacturing facility throughout the year 2010, in addition to participating in the annual UAE Clean-up Campaign. It also organises various civic-oriented activities such as blood donation campaigns, relief operations for victims of natural disasters, providing financial assistance to NGOs, donations to the Dubai Autism Center and Dubai Rehabilitation Center, and sponsorships of various educational institutions.

RAK Ceramics is a USD 1 billion global conglomerate in the ceramic industry, offering a product portfolio comprising over 8,000 designs in ceramic tiles, Gres Porcellanato, and several models in bathware. The company has also been recently conferred the SuperBrand 2010 Award and continues to be a global pioneer in the world of ceramics through innovative products such as the RAK SLIM, a new brand of 4.5-millimetre thick tile that sets new industry benchmarks in thickness, strength, cost and ease of use. RAK Ceramics is also founding member of Emirates Green Building Council, which supports the development of sustainable buildings in UAE.

The Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has honoured RAK Ceramics for complying with good governance and transparency according to best international practices which focuses on providing transparent market and financial transactions that help investors in making sound financial decisions.

The award reflects on RAK Ceramics Management’s commitment to its stakeholders.

RAK Ceramics, the world's largest ceramic tiles & sanitaryware manufacturing company, has announced that it has won the ‘Innovation Award’ for RAKSLIM, its new brand of 4.5-millimetre thick tile, at the annual Supplier's Award handed out by Kingfisher, the international chain of retail stores, in Honk Kong.

RAKSLIM was recognised for its groundbreaking slim features, which was instrumental in the overwhelming success of the product in global markets, including France, where RAKSLIM is being marketed by Castorama, a part of the Kingfisher international retail network.

RAKSLIM features a minimum breaking strength of 700 N and a minimum modulus of rupture of 40 N/mm2, which are unprecedented for thin-size tiles in the global market. RAKSLIM's size has helped deliver significant cost savings for suppliers and customers, particularly in terms of transport costs as nearly twice as many RAKSLIM tiles can be shipped in a container compared with regular-size tiles. Moreover, RAKSLIM cuts down almost half of the weight of conventional tiling, resulting in a significant reduction of dead load on building structures and subsequently reducing structure costs.

Abdallah Massaad, Deputy CEO, RAK Ceramics, said: "RAKSLIM has been a huge success across the European market, particularly in France, where it continues to expand its market base of loyal customers because of its distinct advantages in thickness, strength, cost and ease of use. The Innovation Award we have received at the annual Kingfisher Supplier's Award reaffirms the growing popularity of the RAKSLIM brand in the tiling industry and we will certainly build on this new milestone to further expand our market share in France and all over Europe. This distinction also underlines RAK Ceramics strong focus on innovation and client satisfaction and will serve to guarantee our customers of our continued commitment to quality and excellence as we move forward with our strategic growth plans around the world."

RAKSLIM is a versatile solution for a variety of tiling requirements, although it is ideal for renovations of existing floors because of its minimum tile thickness, which eliminates the need to remove existing doors and windows and avoid the cost of removal and demolition of existing floor coverings. Designed for both home and commercial premises, RAKSLIM is also easy to cut, drill and handle and can be used on any existing flat surface. In addition, RAKSLIM is easy to install as an outdoor or indoor wall tile and can be used over existing wall coverings or to create completely new wall coverings.

RAKSLIM is offered in some models of Gres Porcellanato tiles, including the Lounge Series and the New Port Series. RAKSLIM also comes in 30x60-centimetre sizes and soon in larger sizes and a much wider range of models.

Kingfisher is an international retail business with around 840 stores in eight countries. The company employs around 78,000 people and entertains nearly six million people at its stores every week.

The public-listed RAK Ceramics is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of ceramic and porcelain tiles accounting for more than USD 1 billion global sales annually. The company's global production of tiles exceeds 360,000 sqm and 12,000 pieces of sanitary ware per day from its state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in the UAE, China, Sudan, Bangladesh, India and Iran.

Powerful global brand image complements efforts to boost reputation of Ras Al Khaimah as an ideal manufacturing base

RAK Ceramics, the world's largest ceramic tiles & sanitaryware manufacturing company, has announced that it has been named as one of the UAE's SuperBrands in 2010, a distinction it has earned for the second consecutive year. The award ceremony was held on 20th of July at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. RAK Ceramics was presented the UAE SuperBrand award by the SuperBrand Council, the world's largest independent brand arbiter, during the SuperBrand Tribute event held recently.

RAK Ceramics has been credited for helping enhance the reputation of Ras Al Khaimah and the rest of the UAE as an ideal manufacturing base through its powerful global brand image and its sustained efforts to set new industry benchmarks and expand its presence in all international markets. Available in more than 150 countries, the RAK Ceramics brand is also renowned worldwide for offering the industry's widest selection of colours, textures and finishes as well as an extensive array of coordinating trim and angle pieces.

Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, RAK Ceramics said: "The UAE SuperBrand award reaffirms the continued success of our brand awareness campaign, which focuses on product quality and service excellence. Moreover, the distinction serves as a powerful endorsement of RAK Ceramics ability to deliver on its brand promise, which is to be a trend setter and a benchmark for quality in the global ceramic tile industry. RAK Ceramics will continue to pursue its aggressive brand identity programs in parallel with our efforts to maintain the highest quality standards in all our products and services, in line with our mission to enhance customer loyalty and further strengthen our brand image across global markets."

In addition to the UAE SuperBrand label, RAK Ceramics has also consistently won several other industry distinctions, including being rated as among the top four brands in the UAE by Brand Finance Middle East of the UK, Company of the Year by Arabian Business Awards, and the MRM Business Award for manufacturing, the topmost manufacturing award in the UAE. Earlier in April 2010, RAK Ceramics was awarded the Best Brand at Middle East Business Leaders Summit and Awards held in Dubai. Moreover, in the latest issue of Ceramic World Review, RAK Ceramics was officially recognised as the world's largest manufacturer of ceramic tiles.

The Ras Al Khaimah-based company was established in 1991 by H.H. Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah and RAK Ceramics Chairman, and Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, who directed the company towards global competitiveness, technological advancement, and high-quality production. Within just a decade of operations, RAK Ceramics quickly established itself as one of the world's leading manufacturers of ceramic tiles and, ultimately, the largest producer in the global market.

RAK Ceramics products include world-class ceramic wall and floor tiles, Gres Porcellanato, and sanitary ware, which are distributed in Europe, Asia, Australia, USA and Canada. The company uses more than 8,000 production models, with new designs added almost every week to its product portfolio.

Renowned as an industry pioneer, RAK Ceramics is the world’s first company to launch Luminous, Golden or Silver Glazed tiles and the Antimicrobial, a super specialty tile for the hospital industry. RAK Ceramics' latest creations include the high-valued brand "Elegance Ceramics", and "RAKSLIM", an eco-friendly 4.5-millimetre thick tile that sets new industry benchmarks in thickness, strength, cost and ease of use.

The SuperBrand Council consists of eminent personalities in the world of branding and seeks to pay tribute to established brands all over the world. The SuperBrand Council also produces various publications featuring the world's SuperBrands. Being voted a SuperBrand serves as a powerful endorsement and evidence for existing and potential customers, media, suppliers, investors and employees of a brand's exceptional status.

The public-listed RAK Ceramics is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of ceramic and porcelain tiles accounting for more than USD 1 billion global sales annually. The company's global production of tiles exceeds 360,000 sqm and 12,000 pieces of sanitary ware per day from its local and global state-of-the-art manufacturing plants.

Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer of RAK Ceramics, the world's largest ceramics manufacturer, was presented with the Visionary CEO Award during the 1st Middle East Business Leaders Summit and Awards held on April 28 and 29, 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. RAK Ceramics was also honored with the Best Brand Award at the event, which recognizes decades of business excellence and outstanding leadership.

Commenting on the awards, Dr. Massaad said: "This distinction is a tribute to the collective efforts of the entire team at RAK Ceramics, which remains focused on its commitment to manufacture products of the highest quality. RAK Ceramics has successfully maintained its reputation as the largest ceramics manufacturer in the world.”

“We take even greater pleasure in receiving the Best Brand Award for RAK Ceramics, which again reflects our continuing thrust to cultivate a culture of excellence and quality across all ceramic products," he added.

RAK Ceramics is a USD 1 billion global conglomerate in the ceramic industry that exports its products to over 150 countries, targeting architects, project developers and retail customers. RAK Ceramics has also been recently conferred the Superbrand 2010 Award and continues to be a global pioneer in the world of ceramics.

RAK Ceramics has won the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award (MRM Business Award) for INDUSTRY. At a glittering ceremony held at the Al Multaqua Ballroom at the Dubai World Trade Center on Dec 13th 2005, Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO of RAK Ceramics received the award at the hands of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award (MRM Business Award) has been introduced to recognize and celebrate the success of firms that have contributed and to the economic development of the United Arab Emirates. The criteria for assessing applications for the Award focused specifically on the factors that lead to outstanding business performance. Under the Patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and the UAE Defense Minister, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry held the first "Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Business Award".

The ceremony was attended by a large number of business personalities, VIPs including Ministers, Ambassadors and Consuls to the UAE, Director Generals and Managing Directors of government agencies, and members of the executive and economic councils of government of Dubai, business councils and trade bureaus, and different business sectors registered at the DCCI, as well as a number of businessmen and participating organizations representatives, not to mention those from the business sector in the UAE, and a number of journalists and reporters.

The winners were scrutinized on the performance factor, besides the excellence factor, in running their businesses, depending on general and specific criteria. The general criteria were the strategic initiatives that involve environmental analysis, strategy formulation, performance planning and evaluation. The second criteria was leadership that involves setting direction, motivating people, performance management & the third criterion was quality that involves work processes, quality systems and customer satisfaction, the fourth criterion was corporate culture that involves belief systems, values and ethics, and fifth criterion was corporate social responsibility that involves commitment to contribute to nation and society.

As for the specific criteria, they were outputs that involve the cultural considerations, outcomes that involve the achievements derived from the outputs of products and services of the company, and impact that involves the benefits accorded to society, nation and others.

RAK Ceramics has been awarded the "Arabian Business" Company of the Year Award for the year 2004

RAK Ceramics, the Ras Al Khaimah headquartered ceramic multinational was chosen as the winner of the Arabian Business Company of the Year Award for the year 2004. Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer of RAK. Ceramics received the award in the presence of his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defense Minister.

This year's prestigious award ceremony was held at the Joharah Ballroom, at the Madinat Jumeirah on October 4, 2004.

The Awards are organized by "Arabian Business" magazine; and are renowned as the most valued recognition of success in business innovation across the Middle East. The Arabian Business Achievement Awards are presented in the presence of and under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defense. "Arabian Business" magazine is published by ITP (The Information & Technology Publishing Co. Ltd), a worldwide publishing house of repute. ITP is the largest business and consumer magazine publisher in the Middle East, with a wide range of market-leading titles covering almost all major areas of interest.