Group managing director Low Chin Meng said the company, which is tendering for more projects in the Gulf area totalling 1.3 billion dirhams, wants to bring more Malaysian-made products which are used in the projects they are awarded.

"We are currently in talks with a kitchen furniture maker and are hoping to get more Malaysian companies engaged in supplying items ranging from bathroom accessories, rugs and cushions to complement our projects.

"Instead of merely being our suppliers we want to make these companies potential equity partners by getting them to register their products and getting a better profile in the Middle East," he told a media briefing at the company's new showroom at Al Karama here.

The opening of the showroom was officiated on Saturday by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

Also present were LCL's executive chairman Datuk Syed Ariff Fadzillah and Malaysian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Datuk Mubin Razali.


LCL, via its wholly-owned subsidiary LCL Interiors LLC, boasts an office cum warehouse which spans 20,000 sq ft at the Al-Quoz industrial area.

The new showroom has a built-up area of 4,500 sq ft which is aimed in supporting the company's expanding Dubai operations.

LCL Interiors has been awarded contracts by international property developers namely Emaar Properties and Kerzner Istithmar to provide creative interior fit-out solutions for two prestigious development projects; Burj Dubai Mall Hotel (value of RM132.6 million) and Atlantis the Palm ( RM105.6 million).

The total value of LCL Interior's projects in Dubai amounts to about RM300 million, making up approximately 70 per cent of LCL Corp's total orderbook.

"We are proud to be the first Malaysian company to be selected as the interior fit-out provider for prestigious developments in Dubai," Low said.

The group will continue to strengthen its efforts in securing more projects in the region and expects West Asia to be one of LCL's key markets in the coming years, he added.

Low said LCL was also bidding for projects at the Dubai Marina, Burj Dubai, Sports City, the new Dubai International Airport and the Al Reem Island project in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE.

"We are looking at more projects in this region to take off during the second half of 2007," Low said, adding that besides Dubai, the company was also bidding for projects in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Qatar and Bahrain.